Part Time Webmaster Blog

There are millions of websites on the internet now, so someone is looking to update their site. So, how do you update your website? And, more importantly, who updates your website?

As a programmer by trade, I’ve seen many different techniques to update your website. Personally, I’d rather do it for you. But, times can be tight, so, we typically train some clients on how to update their website. So, if you’re looking to update your website’s code, ask your development company on tips. Before you ask, determine what you’d like to update.

Here are some example changes and the typical difficulty level:

EASY: With a little of HTML coding, these change are easy.

1. Update the title, or meta information for your page to help your SEO efforts. This is typically pretty easy if it has to be done through code. If it’s not done through code, your content management system, or ecommerce system may offer a page allowing you to update the tags.
2. Update the text on a page. Again, this should be pretty easy. Go for it. Also, don’t forget to check your website software you may use.
3. Update a graphic. If you have graphics, this should be pretty easy to do.
4. Change a link

HARD: Anything involving a coding change. Stay away from these items. You can potentially break your site.

1. Changing Javascript code
2. Changing how a page is designed. This can be difficult because it could be a trap. Depending on how your site was built, one change could effect the entire site, or, you may have to update all of the pages on your site.
3. Changing any code. Stay away.

So, if you want to try it. Go for it.

Here’s what you need to before anything can change:

1. FTP software. Try FileZilla. It’s free and easy to use
2. Obtain your ftp address, username, and password. Without this information, you can’t do anything.
3. Make a backup of your site! Copy, don’t move
4. If you’re changing a file on the site, sometimes it’s easier to rename the existing page then upload your new page. For example, if you update index.html, change site’s file name to index.html.bak, then upload your new file. If it break, rename the files so your site works again.
5. Google what you need to do. Find examples.

As a tip, here’s how the conversation will start. “Are you sure?” If they don’t say it, they’re thinking it. So, bear this in mind because a lot of things we do are taken for granted. You can do this.

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