Welcome to Heart Internet! You’ve made a smart choice—reliable hosting is the foundation of every great website. But we know that starting out can feel a bit overwhelming. Where do you begin once you’ve signed up?
Don’t worry. This simple, 5-step launchpad will guide you from setup to success, helping you build a website that’s secure, fast, and ready to welcome visitors. Let’s get started.
Log In and Explore Your Control Panel
Your first stop is the Heart Internet Control Panel. This is your mission control for everything hosting-related.
-
How to get there: Go to
heartinternet.ukand click “Login” in the top right. Use the credentials you created when you signed up. -
What to do: Take 10 minutes to explore. Key areas to find:
-
Your Services: Lists your hosting packages and domains.
-
Website Manager: Your hub for managing websites.
-
Email Accounts: Where you’ll set up professional email addresses.
-
-
Pro Tip: Bookmark the login page! Make this your first habit for smooth management.
Claim Your Digital Address (Domain & Email)
A professional online presence starts with your address.
-
Connect Your Domain: If you bought your domain elsewhere, you’ll need to point it to Heart Internet. Look for “Domain Names” in the Control Panel and follow the guides to update your nameservers to Heart Internet’s.
-
Create a Professional Email: Nothing says “legit business” like
yourname@yourdomain.com. In the Control Panel, go to Email Accounts and create your first inbox. You can access it via Webmail or set it up on your phone or computer.
Build Your Website (The Easy Way)
Now for the exciting part—building your site. We recommend using WordPress, the world’s most popular website builder, for its flexibility and ease.
-
Install WordPress: In your Control Panel, find Website Manager or the One-Click Installs section. Look for the WordPress icon and click to install. The wizard will guide you through selecting your domain and setting up your admin login.
-
Choose a Theme & Customize: Once installed, log into your new WordPress dashboard (
yourdomain.com/wp-admin). Go to Appearance > Themes to browse and install a free, professional theme. Then, use the Customiser to add your logo, colours, and menu.
Fortify Your Site’s Foundation (Security & Speed)
Before you launch, make sure your site is secure and fast—critical for visitor trust and Google rankings.
-
Activate Your Free SSL Certificate: This encrypts data and gives you the vital padlock icon in the browser bar. In your Control Panel, look for SSL/TLS Manager and enable it for your domain.
-
Set Up Automatic Backups: Go to Website Manager, find your site, and look for the backup or snapshot feature. Schedule daily or weekly backups. This is your safety net.
-
Enable Caching (For Speed): Install a simple caching plugin like WP Super Cache from your WordPress dashboard. This creates a static version of your pages, making them load much faster for visitors.
Launch and Connect with the World
Your site is ready! It’s time to open the doors and start driving traffic.
-
Publish Your First Pages: At a minimum, create and publish an engaging Homepage, a clear About/Contact Page, and a Blog Post to start building content.
-
Connect Google Analytics: Sign up for a free Google Analytics account. Then, install a plugin like “MonsterInsights” to connect it to your WordPress site. This lets you see who visits and what they do.
-
Share It! Share your new website link on your social media, in your email signature, and with friends or colleagues. The journey has begun.
Your Success Checklist:
-
Logged into the Control Panel
-
Domain connected & professional email created
-
WordPress installed and themed
-
SSL activated & backups scheduled
-
First pages published & analytics connected
Remember: You’re not alone. Heart Internet’s 24/7 UK-based support is there if you get stuck. Use the live chat or help centre in your Control Panel for any questions.
Welcome to the community. Now go build something amazing.