Serverlys blog
Hosting
What hosting actually costs, which kind you need, and how to tell a good plan from a cheap one.
29 Oct, 2026 Hosting 6min
Is my website down? How to check and what to do next
How to tell in two minutes whether your website is down for everyone or just you, what each error message means, and what to fix or send to your host.
12 Oct, 2026 Hosting 4min
How much hosting does your website actually need?
A plain way to size a hosting plan from your sites, your visitors and what your pages do, so you neither overpay nor outgrow it in a month.
09 Sep, 2026 Hosting 3min
How to read hosting renewal pricing before you buy
The advertised price is the introductory price. Here is how to work out what hosting will actually cost you once it ends.
WordPress
Running WordPress well: themes, plugins, updates and the settings that matter.
15 Oct, 2026 WordPress 5min
WordPress 7.1.3 is out: update now, then get ready for 7.2
WordPress 7.1.3 fixes seven security issues. How to check your site took it, and what to test before WordPress 7.2 lands on December 8.
12 Oct, 2026 WordPress 3min
A WordPress maintenance routine you can actually keep
What to check on a WordPress site every week, every month and every year, in the order that prevents the most problems for the least time.
15 Jul, 2026 WordPress 12min
How to Speed Up WordPress: 12 Fixes That Work
Learn 12 proven techniques to make your WordPress site load in under 1 second. From caching and image optimization to server-level tweaks
Performance
Making pages fast, measuring it properly, and fixing what slows them down.
12 Oct, 2026 Performance 3min
The hidden weight on your pages: fonts, scripts and embeds
Chat widgets, video embeds, tracking tags and web fonts are often what really slows a small site. How to find them, and what to keep, delay or remove.
09 Sep, 2026 Performance 2min
Core Web Vitals for small sites, without the jargon
What LCP, INP and CLS measure, the thresholds Google publishes, and the fixes that move them on an ordinary business website.
18 Jul, 2026 Performance 12min
How Website Speed Affects Your Google Rankings
Discover how page speed affects your Google rankings with real data. Learn the Core Web Vitals thresholds, speed benchmarks
Security
Keeping a small business site safe without becoming a security engineer.
29 Oct, 2026 Security 7min
Why does my website say "Not secure"? How to fix it
What the "Not secure" and "Your connection is not private" warnings mean, their six usual causes, and how to fix each on any host or WordPress site.
12 Oct, 2026 Security 3min
Who still has the keys to your website?
A practical access audit for small businesses: every login that controls your website, domain and email, and what to do when someone leaves.
08 Jul, 2026 Security 14min
Website Security Checklist: Hackers, Malware and DDoS
The ultimate website security checklist for 2026. Learn how to protect your website from hackers, malware, DDoS attacks
Domains
Choosing, registering, transferring and protecting the name your business lives at.
29 Oct, 2026 Domains 6min
DNS propagation: why your website changes aren't showing yet
Changed nameservers or DNS records and still seeing the old site? What "propagation" really is, how long it takes, how to check it, and how to speed it up.
25 Oct, 2026 Domains 4min
Domain vs hosting: the difference, and do you need both?
A domain is your website's address; hosting is the server that holds it. How they fit together, what each costs, and the mistakes that trip up beginners.
12 Oct, 2026 Domains 3min
How to make sure your domain really belongs to you
Who the registrant is, which email controls it, and how auto-renew and transfer locks work, so your domain never lapses or ends up in someone else's hands.
Ecommerce
Selling online: stores, checkout and the hosting that keeps them up on a busy day.
15 Oct, 2026 Ecommerce 5min
How to get your products into ChatGPT Shopping
Shoppers now ask ChatGPT what to buy, and it links to the stores that sell it. How ChatGPT Shopping works and what your store needs to show up.
12 Oct, 2026 Ecommerce 4min
Before you open your online store: a pre-launch checklist
Payments, shipping, tax, emails, policies, speed and backups: what to test before your store takes its first real order, and how to test it.
10 Jul, 2026 Ecommerce 11min
How to Set Up an Online Store: A Complete Guide
Step-by-step guide to launching an online store in 2026. Compare platforms, choose hosting, set up payments, shipping, and marketing.
AI
Where AI genuinely helps a small business, and where it does not: chat agents, AI search visibility and the tools worth paying for.
25 Oct, 2026 AI 6min
AI receptionist for small business: a buyer's guide
An AI receptionist answers your business phone, books appointments and sends you the transcript. How it works, its limits, and what to check before you buy.
15 Oct, 2026 AI 6min
How to get recommended by ChatGPT and Google's AI answers
Customers now ask AI assistants instead of scrolling results. What decides whether your business is the one they name, and what to fix first.
12 Oct, 2026 AI 3min
How to write the answers your AI chat assistant gives
An AI assistant is only as good as what you give it. What to write, how to structure it, and how to test it so customers get answers you stand behind.
Getting started
First steps for a new website, explained without the jargon: domains, hosting, email and getting your first pages live.
25 Oct, 2026 Getting started 5min
Website not showing up on Google? 9 causes and fixes
Not on Google? It is usually one of nine causes, from a leftover noindex tag to a new site Google hasn't found yet. How to check and fix each one.
25 Oct, 2026 Getting started 5min
Website accessibility checklist for small businesses (WCAG 2.2)
A plain-English website accessibility checklist based on WCAG 2.2 AA, with quick checks a small business can run itself and what the law says today.
25 Oct, 2026 Getting started 4min
How to build a bilingual website in English and Spanish
How to build an English and Spanish website: URL structure, hreflang, translation, language switchers, and the SEO mistakes that hide one language from Google.
All stories
Every guide we have published on hosting, domains, performance, security and AI — newest first.
What the "Not secure" and "Your connection is not private" warnings mean, their six usual causes, and how to fix each on any host or WordPress site.
Oct 29, 2026 By Serverlys team
How to tell in two minutes whether your website is down for everyone or just you, what each error message means, and what to fix or send to your host.
Oct 29, 2026 By Serverlys team
Changed nameservers or DNS records and still seeing the old site? What "propagation" really is, how long it takes, how to check it, and how to speed it up.
Oct 29, 2026 By Serverlys team
An AI receptionist answers your business phone, books appointments and sends you the transcript. How it works, its limits, and what to check before you buy.
Oct 25, 2026 By Serverlys team
A domain is your website's address; hosting is the server that holds it. How they fit together, what each costs, and the mistakes that trip up beginners.
Oct 25, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Website not showing up on Google? 9 causes and fixesGetting started
Not on Google? It is usually one of nine causes, from a leftover noindex tag to a new site Google hasn't found yet. How to check and fix each one.
Oct 25, 2026 By Serverlys team
A plain-English website accessibility checklist based on WCAG 2.2 AA, with quick checks a small business can run itself and what the law says today.
Oct 25, 2026 By Serverlys team
- How to build a bilingual website in English and SpanishGetting started
How to build an English and Spanish website: URL structure, hreflang, translation, language switchers, and the SEO mistakes that hide one language from Google.
Oct 25, 2026 By Serverlys team
WordPress 7.1.3 fixes seven security issues. How to check your site took it, and what to test before WordPress 7.2 lands on December 8.
Oct 15, 2026 By Serverlys team
Shoppers now ask ChatGPT what to buy, and it links to the stores that sell it. How ChatGPT Shopping works and what your store needs to show up.
Oct 15, 2026 By Serverlys team
Customers now ask AI assistants instead of scrolling results. What decides whether your business is the one they name, and what to fix first.
Oct 15, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Built a website with AI? How to put it online properlyGetting started
Lovable, Bolt, ChatGPT and Claude build a site in an afternoon. Putting it on your own domain, secure, backed up and on Google is the part they skip.
Oct 15, 2026 By Serverlys team
A plain way to size a hosting plan from your sites, your visitors and what your pages do, so you neither overpay nor outgrow it in a month.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
What to check on a WordPress site every week, every month and every year, in the order that prevents the most problems for the least time.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
Chat widgets, video embeds, tracking tags and web fonts are often what really slows a small site. How to find them, and what to keep, delay or remove.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
A practical access audit for small businesses: every login that controls your website, domain and email, and what to do when someone leaves.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
Who the registrant is, which email controls it, and how auto-renew and transfer locks work, so your domain never lapses or ends up in someone else's hands.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
Payments, shipping, tax, emails, policies, speed and backups: what to test before your store takes its first real order, and how to test it.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
An AI assistant is only as good as what you give it. What to write, how to structure it, and how to test it so customers get answers you stand behind.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Your website is live. Here is what to do in the first week.Getting started
A day-by-day checklist for the week after launch: get found on Google, make sure forms and email work, set up measurement and protect what you built.
Oct 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
ConvoAI puts an AI agent on your website that answers questions, books appointments and hands real conversations to your team. Start free today.
Oct 11, 2026 By Serverlys team
The advertised price is the introductory price. Here is how to work out what hosting will actually cost you once it ends.
Sep 9, 2026 By Serverlys team
- How to move a website to a new host without downtimeGetting started
Stage first, lower your TTL, cut over deliberately. The migration order that keeps a live site online.
Sep 9, 2026 By Serverlys team
A plain comparison of the four hosting types, what each is genuinely for, and the signals that tell you it is time to move up.
Sep 9, 2026 By Serverlys team
What LCP, INP and CLS measure, the thresholds Google publishes, and the fixes that move them on an ordinary business website.
Sep 9, 2026 By Serverlys team
Where AI phone and chat agents work well, where they fail, and how to scope one so it helps rather than annoys.
Sep 9, 2026 By Serverlys team
How to judge a host on uptime, speed, support and real cost — the criteria that matter for a small business site, and the traps that cost you later.
Jul 28, 2026 By Serverlys team
- How to Build a Website from Scratch: Beginner's GuideGetting started
Learn how to build a website from scratch in 2026. This step-by-step beginner's guide covers planning, hosting, domains, design, content
Jul 25, 2026 By Serverlys team
Cloud hosting vs. shared hosting compared head-to-head on performance, cost, scalability, uptime, and security.
Jul 22, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how your domain name impacts SEO rankings in 2026. We break down exact match domains, brandable names, TLD influence
Jul 20, 2026 By Serverlys team
Managed hosting explained: what it includes, what managed hosting costs, how it differs from unmanaged, and whether your website actually needs it.
Jul 18, 2026 By Serverlys team
- How to Set Up a Professional Business Email AddressGetting started
Learn how to set up a professional business email address using your own domain. Step-by-step guide covering cPanel email setup, DNS records, and email clients.
Jul 18, 2026 By Serverlys team
Discover how page speed affects your Google rankings with real data. Learn the Core Web Vitals thresholds, speed benchmarks
Jul 18, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn 12 proven techniques to make your WordPress site load in under 1 second. From caching and image optimization to server-level tweaks
Jul 15, 2026 By Serverlys team
A complete guide to Core Web Vitals in 2026 — what LCP, INP and CLS actually measure, how to read your field data, and how to fix each one.
Jul 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
Compare .com, .io, .co, .store, .net, and other domain extensions. Learn which TLD fits your business, how extensions affect trust, pricing, and SEO in 2026.
Jul 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
Web and cloud hosting for startups in 2026: what to pay, what scales with traffic, and the renewal traps to avoid before you commit to a host.
Jul 10, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how to install WordPress using one-click installers, manual FTP upload, or WP-CLI. Step-by-step instructions for each method with screenshots and tips.
Jul 10, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step guide to launching an online store in 2026. Compare platforms, choose hosting, set up payments, shipping, and marketing.
Jul 10, 2026 By Serverlys team
A test protocol for comparing WordPress hosts on speed, uptime and support yourself — and what separates the tiers once you measure them.
Jul 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
The ultimate website security checklist for 2026. Learn how to protect your website from hackers, malware, DDoS attacks
Jul 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
What DNS records are and how A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, NS and SRV records work, with practical examples and step-by-step instructions for managing them.
Jul 4, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how to achieve a perfect 100 Google PageSpeed Insights score with actionable steps. Covers performance audits, image optimization, caching, code splitting
Jul 4, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step tutorial on installing a free SSL certificate using Let's Encrypt. Covers cPanel AutoSSL, Certbot CLI, WordPress HTTPS configuration
Jul 2, 2026 By Serverlys team
- How Much Does a Website Cost in 2026?Getting started
Honest website cost breakdown for 2026. Learn what you'll pay for hosting, domains, design, and development at every budget level. No inflated estimates
Jul 2, 2026 By Serverlys team
Complete WordPress security guide for 2026. Learn how to prevent brute force attacks, malware infections
Jun 30, 2026 By Serverlys team
NVMe vs SSD hosting explained with real speed tests. Learn how storage type affects website performance, database queries, and page load times in 2026.
Jun 28, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn what SSL certificates are, how HTTPS encryption works, the different types of SSL, and why every website needs one in 2026.
Jun 28, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how CDNs work, how to set one up, and how content delivery networks can make your website up to 3x faster. Covers Cloudflare, BunnyCDN
Jun 26, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step guide to transferring your domain name to a new registrar. Learn how to avoid email downtime, preserve SEO rankings
Jun 26, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn to navigate cPanel like a pro. This beginner's guide covers file management, email setup, databases, domains, backups, security
Jun 24, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Local SEO for Small Business: Rank in Google MapsGetting started
Complete local SEO guide for small businesses. Learn how to optimize your Google Business Profile, build local citations, earn reviews
Jun 24, 2026 By Serverlys team
Free WordPress themes that look premium — how to judge one on performance, design quality and customisation before you build a business site on it.
Jun 22, 2026 By Serverlys team
Web hosting prices in 2026: shared, cloud, VPS, dedicated and managed hosting costs, with the renewal rates and fees to check before you buy.
Jun 20, 2026 By Serverlys team
Complete guide to image optimization for web. Learn how to compress, convert to WebP/AVIF, lazy-load
Jun 18, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how DDoS attacks work, the different types, and practical steps to protect your website. Includes prevention strategies, mitigation tools
Jun 18, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn what WHOIS privacy protection is, why it matters, and how to enable it. Protect your personal information from spammers, scammers, and identity thieves.
Jun 18, 2026 By Serverlys team
Calculate the true cost of website downtime for your business. Learn the formula, see real examples by industry
Jun 16, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how to create full website backups using cPanel, SSH, and automation tools. Step-by-step guide covering backup creation, scheduling, cloud storage
Jun 16, 2026 By Serverlys team
- WordPress vs Webflow vs Squarespace: Which to Choose?Getting started
An honest comparison of WordPress, Webflow, and Squarespace for building websites in 2026. We compare pricing, flexibility, ease of use, SEO, ecommerce
Jun 14, 2026 By Serverlys team
Understanding web hosting uptime guarantees: the real difference between 99.9% and 99.99% uptime, how to calculate downtime costs
Jun 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
The best domain name generators for 2026 — AI-powered tools, brandable name builders, and the strategies that find a name still worth registering.
Jun 10, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn the best website backup strategy for your business. How often to back up, where to store backups, the 3-2-1 rule, and tools to automate everything.
Jun 10, 2026 By Serverlys team
Understand how website caching works at every level: browser caching, server-side caching, object caching, and CDN edge caching.
Jun 10, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step tutorial on adding a contact form to WordPress using WPForms Lite and Contact Form 7. Free, no coding required
Jun 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Conversion Rate Optimization: 10 Quick Wins to Try TodayGetting started
10 proven CRO tactics you can implement today to increase website conversions. Data-backed strategies for improving forms, CTAs, page speed, trust signals
Jun 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
Stop installing 40+ plugins. Here are the only 15 WordPress plugins you actually need in 2026 for security, performance, SEO, backups
Jun 6, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step guide to migrating your website to a new hosting provider with zero downtime. Covers WordPress, ecommerce
Jun 5, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how to optimize MySQL and MariaDB databases for WordPress. Covers query optimization, indexing, cleanup, table optimization
Jun 2, 2026 By Serverlys team
Should you buy an expired domain for SEO? Learn how to evaluate expired domains, avoid penalties, and leverage existing authority.
Jun 2, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) on your website, cPanel, WordPress, and hosting accounts. Step-by-step guide with authenticator apps
Jun 2, 2026 By Serverlys team
Discover the best AI tools for small business websites in 2026. From chatbots and content generation to customer service automation
May 30, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step guide to adding Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to your WordPress site. Covers Google Site Kit, manual installation, Google Tag Manager
May 30, 2026 By Serverlys team
Comparing cPanel, Plesk, and custom hosting dashboards on features, ease of use, pricing, and performance.
May 28, 2026 By Serverlys team
Getting a blank white screen on your WordPress site? Here are 6 proven solutions to fix the WordPress White Screen of Death quickly
May 28, 2026 By Serverlys team
Discover why your website is slow on mobile devices and learn proven fixes. Covers mobile-first performance, responsive images, touch optimization
May 24, 2026 By Serverlys team
Should you use blog.example.com or example.com/blog? Compare subdomains vs subdirectories for SEO, performance, and management. Data-backed analysis for 2026.
May 24, 2026 By Serverlys team
Your website has been hacked. Here is a step-by-step recovery plan: how to identify the breach, clean malware, restore from backups, and prevent future attacks.
May 24, 2026 By Serverlys team
Is your web host costing you customers? These 8 warning signs mean it's time to switch hosting providers. Slow speeds, frequent downtime, poor support
May 22, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how to create 301, 302, and wildcard redirects using .htaccess. Practical examples for page moves, domain changes, HTTPS forcing
May 22, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how websites contribute to carbon emissions and what you can do about it. Practical guide to green web hosting, energy-efficient practices
May 20, 2026 By Serverlys team
The complete WordPress SEO guide for 2026. Master on-page optimization, technical SEO, content structure
May 20, 2026 By Serverlys team
Compare GZIP and Brotli compression for web servers. Learn how each algorithm works, compression ratios, speed benchmarks, browser support
May 16, 2026 By Serverlys team
What nameservers are, how they work, and how to change them step by step — including when switching is the right call and how to avoid downtime doing it.
May 16, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn what a Web Application Firewall (WAF) is, how it protects against SQL injection, XSS, and other attacks, and whether your website needs one.
May 16, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Google Analytics 4 for Beginners: Set Up GA4 ProperlyGetting started
Step-by-step GA4 setup guide for beginners. Learn how to install Google Analytics 4, configure events, read reports
May 14, 2026 By Serverlys team
Step-by-step tutorial on creating MySQL databases and users in cPanel. Covers user privileges, importing SQL files, connecting with PHP
May 14, 2026 By Serverlys team
Benchmark comparison of LiteSpeed, Apache, and Nginx web servers. Discover which is fastest for WordPress, static sites, and high-traffic applications in 2026.
May 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
WooCommerce vs Shopify compared on transaction fees, customization, SEO, total cost of ownership, and flexibility.
May 12, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn what domain parking is, how monetization works, when to park vs develop a domain, and step-by-step instructions to set up domain parking correctly.
May 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn what SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are, why they matter for email deliverability and security, and how to set them up for your domain.
May 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn what causes slow TTFB, how to optimize your server, implement caching, use a CDN, and choose the right hosting to improve Time to First Byte and boost SEO
May 8, 2026 By Serverlys team
- Freelancer vs Agency: Cost, Quality and Speed ComparedGetting started
Should you hire a freelancer or an agency to build your website? We compare cost ranges, turnaround times, quality differences, red flags
May 6, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn 3 ways to create a WordPress staging site: one-click hosting tools, plugins, and manual setup.
May 4, 2026 By Serverlys team
A practical guide to GDPR and website compliance for small businesses in 2026. Learn what data you collect, what the law requires
Apr 30, 2026 By Serverlys team
Learn how HTTP/3 and the QUIC protocol work, how they compare to HTTP/2, which browsers support them, how to enable HTTP/3 on your site
Apr 30, 2026 By Serverlys team
Compare the best website malware scanning tools: Sucuri, Wordfence, Imunify360, and SiteLock. Detection rates, speed, pricing
Apr 22, 2026 By Serverlys team
A plan that still makes sense in year two
Free migration, free SSL and daily backups on every plan, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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