Hosting

This basically means 'where your website lives' - it's piece of land on the web if you like.  Depending on the CMS or platform you choose for your site build, hosting may be an integral part of the package or you may need to organise and pay for hosting separately. 

Security certificates (SSL)

An SSL certificate is an electronic certificate that authenticates the identity of a website and enables an encrypted connection . SSL stands for "Secure Sockets Layer," and is a security protocol that creates an encrypted link between a web server and a web browser.

Security updates and platform updates

Most all-in-one 'drag and drop' editor platforms such as Wix, Squarespace and WordPress.com will come with hosting included in your subscription and an SSL will be part of the package as will security updates. Depending on your package and provider you may also have access to 24/7 support in case of any technical problems.

If you choose an open source platform, such as WordPress.org, Drupal or Joomla, you will be responsible for organising these three elements yourself and being able to deal with any technical issues.

With open source platforms, it is important to make sure your template and CMS are regularly updated to the latest version to avoid security vulnerabilities and to ensure your site functions as expected.

Domain Names

From where your website lives, to its actual address (domain name)!  You may have an existing domain name or multiple versions if you have purchased a.com, .org or country name, such as .fr for France. If you do have multiple domains, ensure they are all pointed at your main site address. 

The designation dot org (.org) is primarily used by not-for-profits and is generally recommended for organisations such as churches as the primary domain but a dot com (.com) is also fine - although it might be more expensive.

Make sure you manage your renewals in a timely fashion, or you could risk losing your domain name. DON'T LOSE YOUR PASSWORD!

You can either purchase a domain name as part of your web provider package, or else you can buy one separately from a company such as 123.reg - it's much easier to go through your web provider, such as WIX.