Fast Australian hosting, SSL, email and backups, sorted for you
Hosting is the part of a website most people never want to think about. I offer website hosting in Launceston that keeps your site fast, secure and backed up. I explain the costs plainly before you commit.
Where your website lives
Think of your domain name as your street address and hosting as the block of land your website sits on. When someone types in your address, their browser goes to your host and loads the pages from there.
Good hosting is quick, reliable and secure. Bad hosting is slow, goes down at odd hours and can let one hacked site affect others on the same server. Because most of your customers are in Australia, hosting on Australian servers keeps the distance short and the pages fast.
Domain and hosting are separate from the price of your website. They are ongoing costs with any web designer and I give you clear figures in your quote. Websites themselves start at $880, with details on the website design packages page.
The things I set up for every site
Your website is hosted in Australia so pages load quickly for local customers.
The padlock in the browser bar, which keeps form details private and stops scary warnings.
Email addresses that match your domain, set up to work on your phone and computer.
Copies of your site stored safely, so it can be restored if something goes wrong.
Registered in your business name so it always belongs to you.
If the site is down or email stops working, you call me rather than a faceless help desk.
The one thing to get right from day one
A surprising number of businesses find out their domain was registered by a previous web designer, a former staff member or a relative who has since moved on. When it comes up for renewal, nobody can get in and the website and email disappear.
I always recommend your domain is registered in your business name, using your ABN where it is a .com.au. I can manage it for you, but the ownership stays with you. If you are not sure who owns your current domain, I can help track it down.
Usually quick and quiet
If your site is already live somewhere else and you want me to look after it, moving it over is straightforward.
1
I confirm who controls the domain, the current hosting and the email so nothing gets lost.
2
I copy your website and email settings to the new hosting and test everything there first.
3
I point your domain to the new hosting, timed to avoid your busiest hours.
4
I check the website, forms and email are all working, then help cancel the old hosting.
Fast servers still need updates
Hosting keeps your site online. Maintenance keeps it safe and up to date. A WordPress site on great hosting can still be hacked if plugins are left without updates for a year. That is why every site I build includes a free first year of WordPress maintenance, with plans after that starting at $19 a month.
Speed also helps with Google. A fast loading site is one of the many things search engines look at, so good hosting gives your SEO a small but useful head start. I host sites for businesses all over the state, from the Launceston CBD to Scottsdale and Ulverstone.
Domains, servers and email explained
Can’t see your question here? Give me a call or send a message and I’ll get back to you within one business day.
Website Design Launceston provides website hosting setup and support for small businesses in Launceston, looked after by Nick Fritzkowski. Sites are hosted on fast Australian servers with SSL certificates, business email and regular backups. Hosting is quoted separately from the website so you can see exactly what you pay for.
Website hosting is not included in the price of a Website Design Launceston website and neither is the domain name. Both are ongoing costs you would have with any web designer. I explain them clearly in your quote and the first year of WordPress maintenance is included free.
Where a Tasmanian website is hosted matters because servers closer to your customers load pages faster. For a business serving Tasmania and the mainland, Australian hosting is the sensible choice. It also keeps your data under Australian privacy expectations, which some customers appreciate.
Moving website hosting to Website Design Launceston can be done without losing email, as long as the email settings are copied before the domain is switched. I check where your email lives, set it up on the new hosting first and time the switch to avoid disruption. Most moves happen quietly.
A Tasmanian business can find out who owns its .com.au domain by running a WHOIS lookup, which shows the registrant name but not always the contact details. If it is registered to a former designer or staff member, the registrar can help transfer it with proof of your business. I can help with this.
An SSL certificate encrypts information sent between your Launceston website and its visitors and every business website needs one. Without it, browsers show a not secure warning, which scares people off. It also matters for Google rankings. Every site I host includes an SSL certificate.
Not sure who hosts your site or owns your domain? Give me a call and I’ll help you untangle it.
