01/09/25

A strong social media presence is great for visibility, but it can’t replace the stability, credibility and control that a well-built website gives your business. In this post, I explore why your business still needs a website as its home base, even if you’re active on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. You’ll learn how a website protects you from algorithm changes, builds trust with customers, and supports long-term growth through SEO, structure and clear user journeys. I also share practical tips, examples and guidance to help you build a site that works harder than your socials.

01/08/25

Choosing the right web design partner can feel overwhelming when you’re faced with freelancers, large agencies, DIY platforms, and bundled hosting providers all promising results. This post explores each option honestly — their strengths, common pitfalls, and what business owners should look out for before committing. Drawing on CMS Live’s experience, it highlights why a personal, long-term partnership delivers better results for growing businesses. You’ll come away with practical insights to help you choose a web design partner who genuinely supports your goals.

01/07/25

If your website hasn’t had a proper refresh in a few years, it might be quietly holding your business back. This blog post explores why the middle of the year is the perfect time to reassess your website’s design, performance, and content. You’ll learn how to spot common signs that your site is outdated or underperforming, understand the benefits of a mid-year website redesign, and get actionable tips to move forward with clarity. We also share a real-world before-and-after example and a free checklist to help you get started.

01/06/25

If your website isn’t converting visitors into customers, poor design might be the reason. In this post, Gemma Starkie highlights seven common website design mistakes that can quietly cost your business leads — from slow loading speeds and confusing navigation to outdated visuals and missing trust signals. Backed by real-world experience at CMS Live, the post offers practical solutions that are easy to understand and act on. Whether you’re thinking about a full redesign or small improvements, this guide will help you spot what’s holding your website back and how to fix it.

01/05/25

If your web designer has disappeared, you’re not alone — and you’re not stuck. This blog post walks you through exactly what to do when you’re left without support, login access, or updates for your website. From understanding why this happens to recognising the risks of an unsupported site, you’ll get clear, practical advice on how to regain control and avoid further damage. We also share how CMS Live has helped other businesses recover from similar situations and outline how we provide the long-term support and reassurance many small businesses are looking for.

01/04/25

A well-structured website design brief is essential for ensuring your project runs smoothly and meets your business goals. In this post, we break down exactly how to write a website design brief that helps you communicate your vision clearly to your web designer. You’ll learn what key details to include, such as your business background, target audience, website goals, design preferences, and required features. We also cover important factors like SEO, website performance, and ongoing support to help you get the best results. By following these steps, you’ll set the foundation for a successful website that looks great, performs well, and delivers real value for your business.

01/03/25

A web design project should be an exciting step forward for your business, but what happens when things go wrong? Delays, poor communication, unexpected costs, and an unfinished or underperforming website can leave you feeling frustrated and stuck. The good news? A failed project doesn’t mean starting from scratch. In this post, we cover the key warning signs of a struggling project, what to do if you’re facing issues, and how CMS Live’s web design project rescue service can help get your website back on track.

01/02/25

Not sure if your website needs a full redesign or just a few tweaks? This post helps business owners decide whether to invest in a brand-new site or improve their existing one. It covers common website issues, such as poor navigation and outdated design, and explains how strategic fixes—like improving mobile usability and SEO—can give a website a new lease of life. If you’re unsure what to do next, CMS Live can help you make the right choice without unnecessary expense.

01/01/25

Setting up an eCommerce website for small business is a powerful way to grow sales and reach more customers. This blog post explores how CMS Live designs high-performing, customer-focused online stores that make shopping easy and drive conversions. From clear product listings to seamless checkout and analytics, we ensure your eCommerce website is optimised for success. Whether you’re launching your first online store or improving an existing one, CMS Live provides expert guidance, hosting, and ongoing support to help your business thrive.

01/12/24

Many business owners assume their web company handles their domain name, but losing access can be a nightmare. This post explains why owning your domain is crucial, the risks of leaving it in someone else’s hands, and how to take control. If you’re unsure who manages your domain, CMS Live can help you secure and manage it properly.

01/11/24

A well-designed website is essential for business success in 2025. If your site is slow, outdated, or not mobile-friendly, you could be losing customers. This post explores why a modern new business website is crucial – covering first impressions, speed, SEO, security, and scalability. At CMS Live, we create high-performing websites that help businesses grow. If your current site isn’t delivering results, it’s time for an upgrade!

01/10/24

If you’re a freelance web designer, your time is best spent creating stunning designs – not dealing with server setup, security updates, and website migrations. This blog post explores how CMS Live’s White Label web hosting and technical support can help you focus on your craft while we handle the technical side. From fully managed hosting with 99.9% uptime to seamless, stress-free site migrations, we ensure your clients’ websites run smoothly under your brand. Let us take care of the backend, so you can focus on design!

01/09/24

Choosing the right platform for your business website is crucial, and WordPress is a top choice for good reason. In this blog, we explore why WordPress is the best CMS for business owners looking for a flexible, scalable, and SEO-friendly solution. From full control over your website to easy management, mobile responsiveness, and strong security, WordPress offers everything a growing business needs. At CMS Live, we specialise in building and managing WordPress websites that help businesses succeed online. Find out why WordPress could be the perfect fit for you!

01/08/24

In 2025, ensuring your WooCommerce website is secure and compliant with Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) remains crucial for protecting your business and customers from online payment fraud. This blog post explains what SCA is, why it’s still highly relevant today, and how WooCommerce supports SCA compliance through trusted payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Amazon Pay. It also highlights the importance of combining SCA-compliant payments with secure web hosting to safeguard your ecommerce business from additional threats like malware and DDoS attacks. If you’re unsure whether your WooCommerce site meets SCA requirements or if your hosting is strong enough, CMS Live offers expert guidance, secure hosting, and practical solutions to keep your business protected.

01/12/19

CMS Live joins the dark sideJust kidding! Well… kind of. While we haven’t joined forces with the Sith (yet), we have made some small changes to our website recently by

01/08/17

10 YearsexperienceHas taught us a lot…Website HostingWe provide fast reliable business grade website hosting for your website Your website will be hosted on our own Dedicated servers with a 99.99%

01/06/17

CMS Live have helped a lot of different brands in a lot of different ways since arriving on the scene in 2007. We’re intensely proud of our perpetually expanding portfolio

01/02/16

This blog post explains how to output the total number of active products in a Magento category toolbar using a simple code snippet. By adding this to the toolbar.phtml file, store owners can improve user experience by giving customers a clear product count without relying on pagination. The solution is tested in Magento CE 1.9.2.0, and CMS Live offers expert support for Magento web development and design.