Help and Support
Getting a website online, the steps in the right order
What are the steps to get a website online?
Putting a site online follows a clear order: register a domain name, choose hosting (free to learn, paid for anything real), point the domain's DNS at your host, build the site with a builder, an installed app, or a template, add an SSL certificate for HTTPS, then test and launch. Take the steps one at a time and each is straightforward.
The launch checklist, start to finish
Most first-time site owners feel overwhelmed because they see the whole thing at once. It is easier as an ordered list. First, pick and register a domain name, your site's address. Second, choose hosting: free hosting is a fine place to learn, while a low-cost paid plan suits anything you depend on. Third, connect the two by pointing the domain's name servers or DNS at your host, the step that makes the domain load your site.
Fourth, build the site, using a drag-and-drop builder, a one-click install of an app like WordPress, or a ready-made template you fill with your content. Fifth, add an SSL certificate so the site loads over HTTPS with the padlock, which is now expected of every site. Finally, test everything on a phone and a computer, check your links and forms, and launch. None of the steps is hard on its own; doing them in order is what keeps it simple.
Where to get help when you are stuck
Everyone hits a snag, usually around DNS or email, because those involve waiting on propagation and getting records exactly right. When something does not work, first confirm whether you are simply waiting on a DNS change to propagate, which can take up to a day or two. If a record looks wrong, re-check it against your host's setup instructions, since a single character in an A record or MX record matters.
For account, billing, and setup questions, your host's support, knowledge base, and ticket system are the fastest route, because they can see your specific configuration. The guides on this site explain the concepts behind each step (hosting tiers, domains, DNS, SSL, templates, and builders) so the instructions you follow make sense. Read the relevant guide first, then use your provider's support for anything specific to your account.
What to check
What to look for
- Register the domain first. Your domain is the address everything else points to; secure it before building.
- Start free, upgrade when it matters. Learn on free hosting; move to a paid plan for a business site, store, or anything you rely on.
- Connect domain to host via DNS. Pointing name servers or DNS at your host is the step that makes the domain load your site.
- Add SSL before launch. An SSL certificate enables HTTPS and the padlock, now expected of every site.
- Test on a phone and a computer. Check links, forms, and mobile layout before you announce the site.
Act on this
Tools to act on this guide
Each slot below is reserved for a host, registrar, or tool we would use ourselves. We are adding them as we vet them; nothing here is a paid placement.
Step-by-step path from domain to launch.
Where readers reach account-specific help.
Quick answers to frequent setup snags.
Questions