We want you to feel comfortable managing your website. We provide training and guidance to help you keep it running smoothly. Here is some information about what to do in the unlikely event that your website shows only a blank screen or a 501 error message. If your website goes down, please contact your hosting provider. This situation is usually caused by a server issue.

A hosting provider (also called a “host”) creates servers on which people can place their websites. Another way to think about it is, a host creates the space where your website can live. Hosts sell space and maintain servers that house this space. Although we help clients set up hosting for their site, Checkerboard is not a host.

If you encounter server issues, the first step is to reach out to your host. We are more than happy to make this call for you, but you can save time and money by contacting your host yourself.

Sometimes your host will fix the issue right away and your website will be restored. Or, your host may give you more information about what caused the issue. At that point, please enlist our help.

Knowing what to do if your website goes down can make an unsettling situation much better. We provide training and information to help our clients have peace of mind about managing their websites. We also provide hosting login information to our clients. If you can’t locate yours, reach out to us and we can give it to you.

While website crashes are most often caused by server issues, we should mention that some other website problems have been caused by viruses or attackers exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated WordPress plugins. To keep your website running smoothly, we recommend that every website receive regular maintenance and plugin updates.

Whether it’s through training, information or maintenance, our goal is to help you keep your website running smoothly. If you need your hosting information, give us a call. If your website needs maintenance, give us a call, too. You can reach us at 952-697-5211 or by completing our contact form. We’ll discuss your situation and take the next steps to take care of your needs.