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Web hosting and new media support policies and guidelines

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The communications department of the diocese provides webspace and new media support to parishes, church house departments and other organisations closely associated with the diocese.

There is no extra charge to host a website on the diocesan web server and we will do our best to provide you with the tools and support you need.

If you wish to set up a new domain on the diocese of Oxford web server you should, in the first instance, discuss your requirements with the diocesan new media manager.

Subject to approval we offer:

  • Unlimited webspace (base package of 500mb can be increased on request)
  • Unlimited bandwidth (monitored for responsible use)
  • Unlimited subdomains
  • PHP / MYSQL databases
  • CGI (Perl, Python)
  • Email Support (if needed) including mailing lists, email forwarding etc.
  • DNS support (if needed)
  • FTP access
  • Cron (on request)
  • Nightly Backup
  • Error Logs
  • Control panel to manage the hosting package

You are responsible for:

  • Registering and renewing the domain name for your organization (to search for and register a domain name visitwww.123-reg.co.uk)
  • Ensuring scripts run correctly and do not place unnecessary load on the server.
  • Ensuring all software and executable scripts are kept up to date (e.g. security patches).
  • Informing us if your contact details change.
  • Exercising caution in the distribution of FTP passwords and other account details.
  • Not storing unnecessary, irrelevant or inappropriate files on the server

Support includes

We have limited resources but will help you with all reasonable support requests.  For example:

  • Advice and best practise tips to help you set up and maintain your website
  • Making and restoring backups
  • DNS management (if required)
  • Setting up email and databases etc.
  • Using the online control panel

Support does not include

  • Designing, constructing or maintaining your website
  • Installing software on your virtual server 
  • Domain registration and renewal

Logos
Domains accepted for diocesan web hosting or otherwise supported by the diocese must display the current official diocese of Oxford logo with a link back to the diocesan website in a prominent location on their home page. Optionally you may also display other logos such as the Living Faith logos. These logos may be downloaded from the diocesan website.
The official Diocese of Oxford logo is the only logo that should be used in reference to the diocese (no unofficial or unapproved logos should be used).

'Official'Websites : Departments within church house, other offices and diocesan companies.
Church house departments, bishops’ and archdeacons’ offices, other administrative offices and diocesan companies should where possible use the diocesan website for official online publication. There may be circumstances that require additional or alternative web hosting. Please discuss your requirements with us at an early stage. This will ensure clarity and consistency of approach.

Ongoing review
We will periodically review hosted websites to ensure that they comply with these guidelines.  Sites that cause unacceptable load, are found to contravene the above policies, or are in any way disrupting the smooth operation of web services may be suspended until the issue is resolved.

Process
If we approve your site for hosting we will create an account for you.  You will receive an account username and password which is used for FTP.  You will also receive login details for the web hosting control panel called "Plesk".

Some Top Tips

  • Define a policy for your site
    Church websites are often set up by enthusiastic people with the knowledge to create a site.  But equally often these people move away taking all the knowledge, passwords and account information with them.  You should define an agreed policy regarding the ownership of the site elements.  
    • Who has day-to-day responsibility for the site?
    • Who owns the domain name and will renew it?
    • Create a contingency plan to cope if any of the circumstances that ensure the smooth running of the site change,
  • Email
    Use email forwarding instead of mailboxes.  Mailboxes are available if needed but it is simpler and more reliable to set up Gmail or Hotmail accounts and forward your mail to them.  Typically you will set up email forwarding from your domain name control panel not the web hosting control panel.  Only create email addresses that you actually intend to use.  Do not set up catch all email addresses, instead reject email that is not sent to a specific address.  Do not place email addresses in plain text on your website.  To minimize the risk of attracting spam obfuscate email addresses with javascript or use an email form.
  • Content Management
    Download an off-the-shelf Content Management System (e.g. Wordpress, Joomla etc).  A CMS will allow different people in your organization to update the site, they require less technical knowledge and the software is regularly updated taking into account emerging security issues, new features etc. 
  • Videos
    If you want to include videos on your website upload them to Youtube and embed them.  Don't put the video on our server.
  • Search engine optimization
    The search engines take many factors into consideration when ranking your web page.  But your ranking is critical to whether or not people will find your site via a search engine.  Ensure your pages have relevant titles, have a consistent page structure (headings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and content rich paragraphs).  The key terms within the title should also appear in your headings and content (and ideally in the URL itself).  Try to obtain direct links into your site from other sites that are high ranking (e.g. the DIocesan website, A Church Near You, etc.).
  • Site Design
    Try to put yourself in the position of a visitor to your website and ask yourself:
    • is the content is relevant, accessible and informative?
    • is the site optimized for visitors with impaired vision?
    • is the content up to date? (don't publicize last month's events!)
    • is there a straightforward point of contact?
    • does the site offer things it does not deliver? (no 'under construction'pages please)

If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact us.

Philip Hind 
New Media Manager
01865 208262

 

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