Site Design

This is an old page that I have reformatted and reposted for the record.

I have been designing and maintaing a website for over 15 years.

I am not looking for an assignment here but I am posting topics that I see on the EssexInfo website that those that will have to move there content to a new host might search for. EssexInfo are quite helpful in their suggestions but they do clearly state that they are not in a position to directly help with your move.

The creation of a simple website and arranging hosting for it is both simple and inexpensive. I am doing this for my Parish Council and am I open to offer assistance for others that may want to do the same.

Essexinfo.net

The free website hosting provided by Essexinfo.net will cease to be available after 31 March 2020. Organisations such as Parish Councils and non-for-profit entities will have to find an alternative up to and after that date.

If you require assistance in this matter I can offer help for those wishing to migrate their content currently on Essexinfo to a website, Domain and Hosting Service of your choice. I can also suggest possible solutions for you and direct you to suitable providers.

Currently the cost of a Domain registration and hosting, through hostingUK.net is £53 per year.

How do I set up a new site with another host?

The EssexInfo site described "How to set up with another host".

This is a 3 part process, deciding on a host, moving your content and finally updating or redirecting your domain name.

The last step only applies to those that have already got thier own domain name but were using Essexinfo as a host. In any case it is worth creating a new website as soon as you can before the 31 March 2020 and this will maximize the time to allow visitors and search engines to become aware of your new site.

Although EssexInfo.net isn't closing until 31st March 2020, we recommend that you plan to have moved your site by mid-February 2020. This will allow visitors and search engines to become aware of your new site before the old one closes.

My hosting service is through HostingUK.net

Moving content from Essexinfo.net to a new Host

The EssexInfo site described how to move content.

Moving your content involves downloading what you currently have on EssexInfo and uploading it to a new site. Of course, you may already (or should have) backups of all that content. EssexInfo say that they don't have a mechanism to download your site, as you may have seen on other platforms but you can tranfer some of the formatting of your pages. For example, you may have quite complex lists of Meeeting, Agenda and Financial documents that you wish to maintain. The .zip file that EssexInfo talk about may or may not contain this formatting.

Hints and tips for setting up a new website

The EsssexInfo website says: "You will need to make alternative arrangements for your site before the end of March 2020. You may want to consider:"

• Setting up a new site with another provider - "provider" here could be a host or a website designer AND somewhere to host a new website. Don't forget that you will either have to generate content for your website as you did for your EssexInfo site or pay someone to do it plus now the cost of the hosting.

• Using social media (such as Facebook page, or Twitter) instead of a website.

• Closing your site (if you no longer need it). - I hope if you are reading this you are not contemplating that!