For WebologyWORX website clients
Once you decide you want your new website, it needs to move from my preview area to your real web address. You have two ways to do that, and you don't need to be technical. This page explains both in plain English.
If you aren't sure which to choose, choose Option 1. It's the easiest, and it's what I recommend for most clients.
Either way, your web address stays yours and search optimization is included. The only difference is where the website files live.
Think of your website as a shop.
About the preview: it's a design preview, so its contact form doesn't send messages. The real form gets connected in step 3. SEO helps people find you on Google. GEO helps AI tools such as ChatGPT find and mention your business.
Option 1
You'll update your DNS, the directory that points your address to my server. Nothing gets moved or deleted. You're changing where your address points.
It's usually the company where you bought your web address, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Network Solutions. If you can't remember, send me your web address and I can look it up.
You log in and copy in the values I send you. You keep complete control of your account, and it usually takes about 10 minutes.
Call me and I'll walk you through it, one screen at a time. You stay logged in and your password stays private.
Many companies let you add a helper with their own login, often called delegate access or sharing access. I can do the work, and you can remove my access afterward.
This gives me access to your whole account, so I only suggest it if nothing else works. Call me with the password, then change it when we're finished.
I'll send you the exact values for your site. Your screen will look something like this:
| Type | Name or Host | Value or Points to | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
A | @ | The number I send you | Points yourbusiness.com to my server |
A | * | The same number | Catches other variations of your address |
CNAME | www | yourbusiness.com | Makes www.yourbusiness.com work too |
@ symbol is shorthand for your web address.MX or anything called nameservers. Those can affect your email.The switch often takes a few hours, and it can take up to 48 hours to reach everyone. During that time, some people may see your old site and some your new one. Your site won't go dark, because both remain online. Once it reaches my server, I'll set up the padlock security certificate and confirm everything works.
Option 2
This works with regular web hosting, but not with website builders. Website builders run their own system and won't accept websites built elsewhere.
If you use a website builder, you can still keep your web address. Choose Option 1 and cancel the builder once your new site is live and your email has been checked.
Copy this message and send it to their support team. Forward me their reply.
Hi, I'm having a new website built. Can you confirm these four things for my account? 1) Can I upload my own HTML website files by SFTP, FTP, or a file manager? 2) Is an SSL certificate active on my domain? 3) Does my plan include PHP? 4) Is my email hosted with you, and will it be affected if my website files are replaced?
Give me a separate FTP or SFTP login for your website only. Your host can create one, or I can walk you through it. I need the server address, username, and password, and you can remove that login when we're done.
I'll send you a file with your finished website. You back up your old site, then upload the new files to your host. This is only a good fit if you've done it before.
After launch, your hosting company handles your security certificate, uptime, and server problems. Keep your hosting plan paid so your site stays online.
A website can't send email by itself. When a customer fills out your form, something has to deliver that message to your inbox. You have two choices, with either hosting option.
A trusted form-delivery service. The free plan covers 50 form messages a month, which suits most small businesses. If you need more, paid plans are listed at formspree.io/plans.
Form messages can go through your existing business email using SMTP, the system that sends email. I'd need your mail server settings, and your hosting has to support it. Your email provider can give you the settings.
These four things help prevent launch-day problems.
Please don't email or text passwords. Call me instead, and change the password when we're finished.
It shouldn't. Your old site stays online while the switch happens, then visitors start seeing the new one.
Not if your email settings are left alone and your email service stays active. That's why I check where your email lives first.
Yes. Your web address stays in your name and your account, under either option.
On the day your new site goes live with me. After that, hosting is $15 a month, billed once a year.
Most of these sites are simple HTML, so there's usually no editing screen. Send me your change and I'll let you know up front if there's any cost.
Optimization is the last step because it depends on the final content and your live web address. It's included in your price.
Yes. Your choice now doesn't lock you in. Tell me you'd like to move and I'll help you with the next steps.
Looking for general questions about cost, timing, or how we work? See our main FAQ.
I'm happy to walk through any of this with you. There's no such thing as a silly question here.
404.660.9346questions@webologyworx.com
Karl, WebologyWORX · Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm ET, by appointment