Hosting

The right answer depends on how often the site changes and who will be responsible for it in two years.

Static hosting

Files are served from a CDN, there is no database and no admin login to compromise. Updates mean re-publishing the files. For a site with a handful of pages this is the least fragile option available.

Managed platforms

Site builders trade control for convenience. Worth knowing before you commit: how you export your content if you leave, and whether the pages are readable without JavaScript.

Your own server

A VPS is flexible and it is also yours to patch. If nobody in the business will be applying security updates, this is the option that quietly turns into a problem.

Domains and certificates

Keep the domain registration in an account the business controls, not a contractor's personal one, and make sure renewal notices reach an address somebody still reads. Certificates renew automatically on every host worth using — if yours does not, that is the signal to move.

• SpeedImages, fonts and third-party scripts — the three things that make small business sites slow.
• AccessibilityContrast, keyboard navigation, alt text and form labels — the practical checks that catch most problems.
• AboutNotes on building and running small websites.