Domains, hosting, SEO and the rest of the alphabet soup, what it all means, what we handle for you, and what's worth doing yourself.
Ten minutes to read. Written for practitioners, not developers.
What goes on your site
The shop window test.
Imagine someone walks past your practice and glances in the window. In a few seconds, they should understand who you are and whether you can help them. Your website works the same way. Four questions, answered quickly, build the whole thing.
1Who are you?
A real face and a name. A photo does more for trust than any paragraph.
2Can you help with my problem?
Your specialisms, in plain words they'd use themselves.
3Are you qualified and safe?
Credentials, your professional body, and years in practice.
4How do I get in touch, and what will it cost?
A clear button, your prices, and where you work.
Going live
What actually happens when you press publish.
The mechanics of launching a website are invisible when they work well. Here's the honest version, including the bits that take longer than people expect.
What happens next
Minute 1
You fill in the form
Your name, photo, specialisms, prices and contact details. About ten minutes.
You
Minute 10
We build and publish your site
Your answers are placed into your chosen template and published at yourname.guidedsites.com, with the padlock (HTTPS) switched on.
Us
Same day
We tell Google you exist
Your sitemap is submitted so Google knows where to look. Your page titles and descriptions are already written from your answers.
Us
If you choose
Your own domain is connected
If you added a custom domain, we register it and point it at your site. This can take up to 48 hours to work everywhere.
Us
1–4 weeks
Google starts showing your site
It takes time for a new site to appear in search results. Sharing your link and setting up a Google Business Profile helps it along.
You
The jargon, translated
Nobody says this out loud.
Every industry has words its insiders stop explaining. Here's ours, plainly, so you never have to nod along.
Getting online
The address and the building.
Domain
Your website's address, like yourpractice.co.uk. You rent it yearly, a bit like a phone number.
Subdomain
An address that sits under someone else's domain, like yourname.guidedsites.com. Every site starts on one for free.
Hosting
The computer your website lives on, switched on day and night so anyone can visit. Included in your plan.
DNS
The internet's address book. It links your domain to the computer your site is hosted on. We set this up.
SSL / HTTPS
The padlock in the browser bar. It means information sent to your site is private. Browsers warn visitors about sites without it.
Responsive
Your site rearranges itself to fit any screen, from a phone to a large monitor.
Getting found
How search engines understand you.
SEO
Search engine optimisation. Setting up your site so search engines understand what you offer and where.
Keywords
The words people type into Google, like "couples therapy Leeds". Your specialisms and town are your main ones.
Page title & meta description
The headline and short summary that appear in search results. We write these from your answers.
Alt text
A short written description of a photo, read aloud by screen readers and used by Google.
Sitemap
A list of your site's pages that tells Google what to look at.
Google Business Profile
Your free listing on Google Maps and in local search results. Separate from your website, and well worth setting up.
Staying compliant
The legal basics, in brief.
UK GDPR
The UK law on handling people's personal information. It applies whenever someone contacts you through your site.
Privacy policy
A page explaining what information you collect and why. Every Guided Sites site has one.
Cookies
Small files a website stores in a visitor's browser. Your site only uses the ones needed for it to work.
Analytics
Anonymous counts of how many people visit and which pages they look at.
Getting found on Google
The part everyone worries about, handled honestly.
No guarantees, no magic tricks. Just the boring, effective things that make search engines understand what you do and where you do it, and the honest truth that some of it takes weeks and some of it is yours to do.
Amelia Hart, Counselling for anxiety in Leeds
www.guidedsites.com/ameliahart
I support adults with anxiety, burnout and life transitions from my practice in Headingley, Leeds. Free 15-minute introductory call available.
What we handle
✓ Titles and descriptions written for you
Built from your specialisms, town and bio, so search results say what you do.
✓ Business details Google can read
Your name, location, services and prices are added behind the scenes in a format search engines understand.
✓ Sitemap submitted
Google is told your site exists on the day it goes live.
✓ Fast loading
Photos are compressed and pages are kept light. Slow sites rank lower and lose visitors.
✓ Works on every phone
Google checks the phone version of your site first.
✓ Secure padlock and photo descriptions
HTTPS is on from day one, and your photos get alt text automatically.
What you do
→ Set up a free Google Business Profile
This is what puts you on Google Maps for searches like "therapist near me".
→ Ask happy clients for a review
Reviews on your Business Profile are one of the strongest local signals.
→ List yourself in your directories
Your professional body's register and trusted directories in your field, each linking back to your site.
→ Add your link everywhere
Your email signature, social profiles and any printed cards.
→ Keep your answers up to date
Current prices and specialisms help visitors and search engines alike.
Before you launch, the checklist
Tick these off as you fill in your form. Every one is a small thing that makes a real difference to how your site reads, and how it ranks.
A clear, recent photo of you
People want to see who they'll be talking to. Natural light and a plain background work well.
Your town and where you work
In person, online or both. This is one of the main things Google uses to match you with local searches.
Your specialisms, in the words clients use
"Anxiety" rather than "generalised affective presentations". Write what someone would type into Google.
Prices, or at least a starting price
Visitors are far more likely to get in touch when they know roughly what it costs.
Credentials and professional body
Include your membership number if your register lets clients look you up.
Contact details you check every day
An email address or phone number you'll actually see. Send yourself a test message once you're live.
Read it on your phone
Most visitors will. Open your site on your own phone and read it through once, top to bottom.