Hosting is the backbone of your website. Without it, your site wouldn’t be accessible to visitors. Here’s what you need to know about hosting:
Website hosting is essentially renting space on a server where all your website’s files, images, and data are stored. Think of it as your website’s home. A reliable host ensures that your website is always accessible, fast, and secure for your visitors.
The Importance of Reliable Hosting:
1. Speed: A fast-loading website improves user experience and SEO rankings. Did you know that 53% of users abandon a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load? That’s why hosting on high-speed servers is critical.
2. Uptime: Downtime can cost you visitors, sales, and even credibility. A reliable hosting provider ensures your site is available 24/7 with minimal interruptions.
3. Security: Your hosting provider plays a crucial role in protecting your website from cyber-attacks, malware, and data breaches. Features like firewalls, DDoS protection, and SSL certificates are a necessary.
At Reedy's Web Designs, I offer third-party business hosting at £275 per year (just £23/month) through Krystal who I am affiliated. Known for their exceptional performance and commitment to sustainability, Krystal provides UK-based green hosting that combines speed, reliability, and eco-conscious practices.
• High-Speed Servers: Krystal’s servers are built for speed, ensuring your website loads quickly, even during peak traffic times. A fast-loading website not only improves user experience but also boosts SEO rankings, helping your site stand out in search engine results.
• Daily Backups: Your website’s data is protected with Krystals automated daily backups. Whether it’s a technical glitch, human error, or an unexpected issue, you can rest assured that your data is safe and can be restored quickly and easily.
• SSL Certificates: Secure browsing is a must for modern websites. My hosting package includes SSL certificates, which encrypt data and protect your visitors. This not only builds trust with your audience but also improves your site’s SEO rankings, as Google prioritizes secure websites.
• UK-Based Green Hosting: One of the standout features of Krystal’s hosting is their commitment to sustainability. Their data centres are powered by 100% renewable energy, making them an eco-friendly choice for hosting your website. By choosing my hosting services, you’re not only investing in top-tier performance but also supporting a greener future.
• Local UK Support: With Krystal’s UK-based infrastructure and support, any hosting-related issues can be resolved quickly and efficiently. Their team is known for their responsiveness and expertise, ensuring your website stays online and performs at its best.
Imagine losing your website overnight due to a hack or technical glitch, or randomly it reverts back to a site from 2 years ago. Scary, right? That’s where backups come in.
A backup is a complete copy of your website’s files, database, and settings. It’s your safety net in case something goes wrong.
1. Protection Against Hacks: Cyber-attacks are more common than you think, I get daily emails from Wordfence telling me someone random in a far-off land had tried to login to one of my websites. If your site is compromised, a backup allows you to restore it quickly without losing valuable data.
2. Human Error: Mistakes happen. Accidentally deleted a page or made a change you regret? A backup can save the day.
3. Updates Gone Wrong: While updates are essential (more on that later), they can sometimes cause compatibility issues. I have encountered this quite a few times with both new and existing websites! I’ve updated some plugins or themes that were out of date and the entire site has crashed! Fatal error occurred 😭. A backup ensures you can roll back to a working version, then give it a week or 2 before trying again, the plugin/theme writer should have come up with a newer version to try by then.
At Reedy’s Web Designs, I take backups seriously. Here’s how I do it:
• Daily Backups: When hosted with me, Krystal carries out daily backups automatically. Ensuring you always have the latest version of your site.
• Monthly Manual Backups: My pay-monthly packages include monthly manual backups, where I copy from the back end the database, WP-Content file, and wp-config. These 3 can regenerate your site by quickly overwriting damaged files and importing to the database in phpMyAdmin.
• Offsite Storage: Manual backups are stored securely away from the hosting server for added protection, just in case!
• Easy Restoration: In case of an issue, I can restore your site in minutes few.
Backups are not just a precaution—they’re a necessity. Without them, recovering from a website issue can be time-consuming, expensive, and stressful, especially if it needs to be completely remade!
A well-maintained website is like a well-oiled machine. Regular maintenance ensures your site runs smoothly, securely, and efficiently.
• Plugin and Theme Updates: Outdated plugins and themes are a security risk. I ensure everything is up-to-date and compatible to prevent vulnerabilities.
• WordPress Core Updates: WordPress regularly releases updates to improve functionality and security. Keeping your site updated ensures it has the latest features and patches.
• Performance Optimisation:
Image Compression: Large images can slow down your site. I optimise them to maintain quality while improving speed.
Caching: Caching stores temporary data to reduce loading times for repeat visitors.
Database Cleanup: Over time, your database can become cluttered with unnecessary data. I clean it up to improve performance.
• Security Monitoring: Tools like Wordfence help me detect and block malicious activity. Regular scans ensure your site stays safe from threats.
• Broken Link Checks: Broken links can frustrate users and harm SEO. Monthly, I scan for and fix them to maintain a seamless user experience.
• Mobile Responsiveness: With most users browsing on mobile, I ensure your site looks and works great on all devices.
Without regular maintenance, your website could:
• Become vulnerable to hacks.
• Experience slow loading times.
• Develop bugs or errors that frustrate users.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is crucial for getting your website noticed. It’s not just about ranking high on Google—it’s about driving the right traffic to your site.
• Keyword Research: I try to identify the best keywords for your business and incorporate them into your content.
• Meta Tags: Titles, descriptions, and alt tags are optimised for search engines.
• Content Optimisation: I try to ensure your content is engaging, relevant, and includes your target keywords.
• XML Sitemaps: These help search engines crawl your site more effectively.
• Robots.txt: I configure this file to guide search engines on what to index.
• SSL Certificates: Secure sites rank higher on Google.
• Page Speed: Fast-loading pages improve user experience and rankings.
• Image Optimisation: Compressed images load faster without compromising quality.
• Mobile Optimisation: Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in its rankings.
SEO isn’t a one-time task. Monthly I monitor your site’s performance using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Hotjar and Glow to track traffic & bounce rates.
SEO is about more than just getting visitors to your site—it’s about attracting the right audience and converting them into customers.
Maintaining your website is essential to ensuring it remains secure, functional, and optimised for performance. I offer a range of WordPress maintenance plans tailored to meet different needs. Here’s a closer look:
This plan is ideal for small businesses or individuals looking for essential website care. It includes:
• Monthly Backups: Regular backups to ensure your website’s data is safe and can be restored quickly if needed.
• Security Monitoring: Proactive protection against malware, hacks, and other vulnerabilities.
• Theme/Plugin Updates: Keeping your WordPress themes and plugins up to date for compatibility and security.
For businesses that require more comprehensive care, this plan offers:
• All Maintenance care plan Tasks: Complete updates, monitoring, and optimisation to keep your website running smoothly.
• Google Analytics Reporting: Regular insights into your website’s traffic, performance, and user behaviour.
• 1 Hour of Content/ performance Updates: Need to update text, images, or add new content? This plan includes an hour of updates each month.
This plan is perfect for businesses looking to grow and scale their online presence. It includes everything in the WordPress Optimisation Care Plan, plus:
• Upto 2 Hours SEO Optimisation: Monthly SEO checks and updates to improve your site’s visibility on search engines.
• Proactive Care: I handle all the behind-the-scenes tasks so you can focus on running your business.
• Flexible Options: Whether you need basic care or advanced support, there’s a plan for you.
• Affordable Pricing: Starting at just £25/month, my plans offer excellent value for businesses of all sizes.
• Trusted Service & Customer Support: My clients rave about my friendly, reliable service check out my Google Business Profile or Trust A Veteran Listing
Don’t let hosting, maintenance, and SEO overwhelm you. Let me take care of the behind-the-scenes work so you can focus on growing your business.
📞 Call me: 01736 396449
☕ Book a Virtual Coffee: Click here to schedule a relaxed chat at a time that suits you.
📧 Email me: wayne@reedyswebdesigns.co.uk
