Changing website provider: what to prepare.

Be clear about what is changing.

Changing the person who looks after your website does not necessarily mean moving every service. The website, domain registration, hosting, business email and booking tools may have different providers. Establish which parts need to change and which can stay where they are.

For a Pembrokeshire business handling bookings or enquiries throughout the week, timing matters. Tell the new provider about busy periods, renewal dates and any services that must remain available. Agree the transition before cancelling existing arrangements.

Make an account and service list.

Start with invoices, renewal notices and the current supplier's agreement. You do not need to understand every setting, but someone should be able to identify each service and the person authorised to manage it.

Protect email and other connected services.

Domain settings can direct visitors to your website and route incoming email. Cloudflare's explanation of MX records describes their role in directing mail to the correct server. The person making changes needs to identify and preserve the records required by services that are staying in place.

Ask for a plan that covers the website and its dependencies together. Who will make the changes? Who will check incoming and outgoing email, forms, bookings and payments where relevant? What is the agreed recovery step if a check fails?

Share access through an agreed method after the work is authorised. Do not place passwords, recovery codes or customer records in an initial enquiry.

Prepare the site before switching.

Agree what will be copied or rebuilt, how it will be reviewed and how recent changes will be carried across. A website receiving new orders or enquiries needs a plan for information added during the move. Confirm that backups are usable and who is responsible for restoring them if needed.

If page addresses change, Google recommends mapping old addresses to their new destinations and testing the redirects. Its guidance also notes that search visibility can fluctuate during a move. Include redirects and follow-up checks in the scope rather than assuming a new design preserves every existing route.

• Check important pages, downloads and internal links.
• Test forms through to the intended recipient or system.
• Check logins and connected services that are part of the move.
• Agree who approves the change and when it will happen.

Finish the handover properly.

After the agreed checks pass, confirm which old services can end and when. Record new renewal responsibilities, support contacts and access arrangements. Review access held by the outgoing supplier and remove what is no longer required once handover is complete.

Keep the account list with your business records and update it when a service changes. It is useful whether you manage the website yourself or appoint someone to look after it.

Discuss your current setup.

Select Pembs can assess an existing website and the arrangements behind it. Start with its address and a description of what you want to change. The initial consultation is free; assessment, remedial work and ongoing management are separately agreed.

Further reading.

• Cloudflare: how MX records route email
• Google Search Central: moving a site when page addresses change

Help with your next step.

Select Pembs is based in the heart of Pembrokeshire. We can discuss your situation in a free initial consultation, whether you are planning a project with us or want advice before choosing another supplier.