Services Shutting Down Soon:
• Website Development
• Website Maintenance
• Website Hosting
• Domain-based Email
• Technical Support
To simplify service offerings and to focus my attention on AI-powered marketing solutions, I’m discontinuing website development, website maintenance, hosting, email, and technical support services.
This change does not affect ongoing SEO services.
I want this process to go smoothly for you, so please read through the instructions below.
— Michael Charvet
415-894-5040
hello@michaelcharvet.com
Provider Roles
Before we start, here’s a brief explanation of the roles key providers play:
- Web hosting companies store your website on their computer servers and connect it to the internet. Unless you’re using a cloud productivity suite (see below), the hosting company will also provide your domain-based email service (hello@company.com). For example, Blue Host or Scala Hosting. You DO need to change this provider.
- Web developers are individuals or teams skilled in designing, deploying, and fixing websites. You DO need to change this provider.
- Internet service providers connect your computer and phone to the internet. For example, Xfinity or Verizon. You DO NOT need to change this provider.
- Domain registrars hold evidence of your domain ownership and route traffic for your domain to your hosting company. For example, Go Daddy or Squarespace. You DO NOT need to change this provider.
- Cloud productivity suites are paid services that provide apps to get work done. For example, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. You DO NOT need to change this provider.
- VPNs – Virtual Private Networks are used to maintain privacy over your internet connection. You DO NOT need to change this provider.
Inside tip: Keep the above accounts and providers separate to maximize flexibility and recovery options.
Step 1: Hire a website developer.
Can your developer do this for you? No.
Hiring a website developer is the first step because they can help with everything else.
Exception: If you’re comfortable working in the WordPress dashboard, can keep plugins and themes updated, make minor edits, and feel comfortable managing your email accounts and backups, you may not need a developer. If not, you should have a developer ready to help as needed.
All websites require ongoing management to minimize security and performance issues, so I recommend outsourcing this work. Your developer should handle website maintenance issues and provide additional services on a project-by-project basis.
You could hire a developer to get you through this transition, then have them “on-call” as needed.
Or, you could hire them for ongoing maintenance services, it’s up to you.
To save you time, I’ve found three developers on the Fiverr Pro outsourcing service that meet these criteria:
- Vetted by Fiverr Pro
- Native English speaker
- Located in the U.S.
- Experienced
- Good reviews
Step 2: Buy website hosting.
Can your developer do this for you? Yes. However, this step is simple, and you should do it yourself to ensure you have complete control over your hosting account. If a developer does this for you, insist they provide login credentials for your website control panel.
Firstly, I do not recommend hosting your website on your new developer’s server. They probably don’t have the staffing to offer 24/7 support, and they may be using legacy hosting that’s not as good as it could be.
Instead, use an established, independent hosting company that does nothing but hosting.
I use and recommend Scala Hosting. I am not affiliated with Scala, but I’ve found them to be a solid provider. Feel free to use a different hosting company if you prefer.
To get started, visit Scala Hosting to buy a hosting plan. Their inexpensive WP Start plan is adequate, although it may be a bit slower than your current plan.
Choose the Entry Cloud plan to maintain current performance (speed), to get priority tech support, or if you need more storage space.
It’s common for hosting companies to discount the first year and then bump pricing back to standard rates, so be aware of that.
If you’re asked to choose a Scala server location during account setup, choose Dallas.
If you buy the Entry Cloud plan, choose “No” for LiteSpeed Web Server.
Scala (and most other hosting companies) will move your existing website to their server at no charge, and provide 24/7 chat or email support. Please direct any questions about your Scala Hosting account to Scala or your developer.
Although hosting companies aim to keep websites running, their responsibility is limited to their servers and infrastructure. They *may* help if your site breaks or goes down, but they are not responsible for design or functionality issues. That’s where your website developer comes in.
Step 3: Obtain domain registrar credentials.
Can your developer do this for you? No. Your domain registrar account is the most crucial piece of the puzzle — you must own and control this critical account. Your web developer can be assigned lower-level “manager” credentials as needed.
A domain registrar is a company such as Go Daddy that maintains the record of your domain (your-business-name.com) and points it to the web hosting company and email service you are using.
Your registration account is like the title to your car — never allow anyone else to own it or control it.
I will send domain registrar credentials to you provided I have them. If I don’t have the record, you, or your developer can look up your registrar using this tool, then contact the registrar.
You are responsible for opening the annual email from your domain registrar, updating contact information, and paying the bill. Not doing so is the #1 reason people lose their domains permanently.
Step 4: Obtain other account credentials.
Can your developer do this for you? No. I will send you a link to the credentials I have on file. Only share credentials with trusted providers.
If you don’t already have the link to your crendential records page, I’ll send it to you. You may have changed passwords on your end and not notified me, in which case I won’t have the current record.
The credentials developers typically need are:
- FTP/cPanel (provides access to your website files, database, and control panel)
- WordPress (provides access to the admin side of the website)
- Marketing email account (provides access to Google Business Profile and other listings)
- Registrar account (temporary access as a manager, not the owner, to route your domain to the hosting company)
Step 5: Confirm domain-based email accounts are working.
Can your developer do this for you? Yes.
A domain-based email address looks like this: hello@your-business.com. It’s likely you have one or more of these. After your website if moved to the new server, confirm your email accounts are working correctly. Test each account by receiving and sending a message with each email account. Be aware that domain-based email addresses may be forwarded to your Gmail account or elsewhere, and those forwarders must be copied from the old server, then tested.
Step 6: Buy licenses
Can your developer do this for you? Yes, but you’ll need to provide credit card details, otherwise, do it yourself per the instructions.
Some licensed plugins and themes were used to build your website. Those licenses will expire, so buying them now is the best way to keep your website functioning and secure.
Go to the links below, buy the licenses (for a single website), record the new account credentials, and send them to your developer. Your developer will enable the plugins and new licenses on your website.
- Elementor Pro page builder ($59/year)
- GeneratePress Premium theme ($59/year)
- Trustindex review reporting (only if used on your website, $65/year)
Hosting companies keep backups, but usually only for a few days. You may not know if your site was hacked or corrupted until later, so I recommend running a backup plugin that keeps multiple backups on your Google Drive or Dropbox account. Your developer can set it up for you.
Step 7: Rank Tracking
Can your developer do this for you? No.
For most clients, I’m using professional rank tracking software to check Google ranking (and up to 50 competitors) across 100 carefully chosen keywords. Some competitors are lazy, but others are agressive and they continue to invest in outranking your business in search. If you want me to continue tracking and to send you regular reports, you can buy it as a separate service.