Website Documentation Tips: Dude, Where’s My Domain?
Every website is like a unique snowflake. But, no matter how different each one is, every website on the World Wide Web will always have the following two things: a domain and a host. But do you know where your website’s domain is registered? Where it’s hosted? What about your CMS login information? One of the most essential but often overlooked parts of maintaining a successful website is knowing its ins and outs, and having well-kept website documentation will help you accomplish this.
Website Documentation Example & Recommendations
A proper master list should contain everything meaningful about your website. It should also include anything relevant to your company’s online presence. This means web documentation should include the following information (as applicable):
- Domain Information (login URL, username, password; owner & billing details)
- Hosting Information (login URL, username, password; owner & billing details)
- Email Information (host credentials, account information, configuration settings)
- FTP Access (address, username, password)
- CMS Access Credentials
- Social Media Accounts & Credentials
- Claimed Search Engine Listings (e.g. Google My Business)
- Expiration Dates (for all web-related services)
- Any other web-related data that could negatively impact business if you couldn’t locate it if you needed to
Use Your Knowledge to Fight Spam and Phishing Attempts
Having this information in an easy-to-use document will also give you a cheat sheet for fighting spam. A common spam tactic is to send fraudulent messages to a domain’s or web host’s owner (since this information is often listed publicly) that prompts the owner to falsely renew the service. By reviewing your web documentation and comparing it to the email message, you can often quickly determine if the renewal request is real or fake.
IMPORTANT: Review your Renewal Dates at least Once a Year
Lastly, web documentation should be pulled out at least once a year to review the renewal dates. Double-check that services will either be renewed manually or are setup to automatically renew. If auto-renew is the method of choice, check that the credit card on file is still valid. Updating billing information typically takes only a few minutes, but it is well worth it in order to keep your website up and running smoothly.
Create Your Own Website Documentation Masterlist
Culminating technical information is often difficult, especially for those not well-versed in web industry jargon. But fear not, you’re not alone! Lime Valley Advertising, Inc. has experienced website developers and programmers ready to help. Contact Lime Valley today to request assistance in developing your website documentation.
