Domain and Hosting Setup
Set up domain ownership, DNS, hosting, SSL and business email in the correct order for a small business website.
The correct order
Secure the domain in a business-controlled account, configure recovery and multi-factor authentication, choose hosting or a builder, point DNS, activate SSL, connect email and verify analytics and Search Console.
Domain ownership
The business should be the registrant and account owner. Agencies and freelancers should receive delegated access where possible.
DNS
DNS connects the domain to the website, email and security services. Record changes and avoid deleting records without understanding their purpose.
Hosting
Choose hosting based on platform, traffic, support needs, maintenance capability and long-term cost.
SSL and redirects
Force HTTPS and one canonical hostname. Redirect HTTP and www variants consistently to the preferred HTTPS URL.
Treat email as a separate service decision. Configure MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC carefully.
Launch verification
Test redirects, canonical tags, sitemap, robots.txt, forms, email delivery, backups and recovery access before launch.