The main hosting companies that we use are Siteground & Flywheel. Both include security certificates (this provids the website with the padlock icon in the browser address bar), staging areas (a second site where we can privately test updates and changes), and outstanding support.

While we recommend these two companies, we provide services on many others. However, some well-known hosting companies don't provide the performance and security standards we require, so we won't work with them. Their servers are too unstable to be trustworthy for business applications (we wouldn't use them for personal websites either). The list of these providers is here. If you're currently using one of them and want to engage our services, we will move you to a great host for free. 

An application stack for a website is like an ingredient list for a recipe. It includes WordPress, the theme, and all plugins used on the website.

Any plugin that can be purchased and used on multiple sites is added to our stack & made available to our clients. Single-use site licenses aren't included in our software stack, though in those instances, we manage that license for you.

While some of the applications in our stack are free, many are licensed. As a client of ours, you have access to all software we use at no additional cost.

For a detailed explanation of our technology stacks, click here.

Typically we update sites once a month. While rare, updates can cause parts of a website to break, so we always apply the updates to the staging site first. Once we've confirmed that everything works, we apply the updated to the live site.

Although it's uncommon, there have been instances where a known security flaw is being actively exploited by hackers. When this happens, we immediately address this by disabling the compromised component or patching it with a secure version.

Backups are stored in Google's cloud where they are secured using Google's security parameters. 

The monthly website report shows data about the site health including:

• Amount of uptime
• plugin, core, and theme updates
• A security report including any vulnerabilities or issues.

If you have a maintenance plan with us, that covers anything related to updating and fixing WordPress, all plugins, and any theme in use.

If you host with us, we manage any backend issues related to that 

Anything else that you need done for your site can be done with general assistance time. This includes (but isn't limited to):

• Page edits, such as adding or removing an employee bio or updating a blog post.
• Site or page creation or redesign. Generally this will require more time than what's available with monthly general assistance.
• Custom WordPress development. Like the previous item, this will likely require more time than what's available with monthly general assistance.
• Training. If you want to learn how to create pages or post directly in WordPress, we're happy to teach you.

General assistance time can be used for any task, including website or page design or custom development. If more time is needed, we will provide you with a time estimate and pricing. Additional time is billed on a monthly basis.

With a maintenance plan, everything related to updating, securing, and optimizing the website is included.

The only exception to this is if your site needs a licensed extension that only allows a single site use. In this case, we'll purchase and manage that license for you, but the cost will be passed along to you without markup.

With hosting, everything needed to keep the website up & running is included. There is an annual cost for securing a website address, and this is done through your website registrar. That isn't included, however we can assist in managing that.

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, provides additional security. When active, a username & password is required, then a random code must be entered. This code is generated every 60 seconds by an app that can be installed on any iPhone or Android device.

2FA requires something you know (your password) and something you have (your phone) to successfully log on.

Both types of image optimization remove unneeded data from images that makes them larger. These include colors the human eye can't see, EXIF data, and unneeded metadata. Both also serve images in next-gen formats for browsers that support those image types.

Enhanced optimization uses a more aggressive algorithm which results in a smaller image while still maintaining excellent resolution and color. It also uses the ShortPixel CDN to load images faster.

The default WordPress logon screen for all WordPress sites can be found at https://www.yoursite.com/wp-admin or /wp-logon. Every hacker knows this, so by going to that address, they go right to your front door. We change the URL so that hackers can no longer find the logon page, making it that much harder to hack the website.