Website Builder how-tos
How do I get started with the ParsonsHosting Website Builder?
You open the Website Builder from your hosting account: Client Area > your service > cPanel > the Website Builder button. From there you pick the domain, choose a template (or let the AI option draft a first version), and start editing in your browser. Nothing goes live until you click Publish, so you can take your time.
What you need before you start
Gather these first. They make the first session much shorter.
- Your business name and logo (a photo of your sign or truck works for now)
- One sentence on what you do and where, for example "Roof repair in Bend, Redmond and Sisters"
- A phone number and email address you actually answer
- Three to six services you want people to call you about
- A few real photos of your work
If you have not ordered a plan yet, start at the Website Builder plans.
How to open the Website Builder
- Sign in to the ParsonsHosting Client Area.
- Click Services and open the hosting service for your website.
- Click the button to log in to cPanel.
- In cPanel, find the Domains section and click the Website Builder button.
- You will see a list of the domains on your account. Next to your domain, click the option to build or try the builder. If you see an AI option, you can use it to generate a first draft from a short description of your business.
- Choose a template. Pick one that already has the sections you need (services, about, contact) rather than the one with the nicest photo.
- The editor opens in your browser. You are now working on a draft.
Every site also gets a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, so once you publish, your site loads securely at https:// with the padlock in the browser. You do not need to buy or install a certificate.
A quick tour of the editor
The editor has four areas:
- Left sidebar: where you add things (sections, text, images, forms) and open Pages and SEO settings.
- Top menu bar: desktop, tablet and phone view buttons, preview, the Design menu for fonts and colors, and the save and publish buttons.
- Center: your page, shown the way visitors will see it. Double-click anything to edit it.
- Bottom bar: a "breadcrumb" trail that shows which box you have selected. Click a level in the trail to select the bigger container around it.
Save often
The editor does not publish your changes automatically. Save with the disk icon or press Ctrl + S (Cmd + S on a Mac). When there are unsaved changes, the disk icon changes color. Saving keeps your draft. Publishing is a separate step that puts the draft on your live domain.
Pick your template early
You can switch templates, but do it at the start. Changing the template later replaces the work you have done on the pages. If you are not sure, build the home page first and see whether the layout fits before you spend time on inner pages.
What to do in your first hour
- Replace the logo and business name.
- Rewrite the main headline so it says what you do and where.
- Put your phone number in the header or top bar.
- Delete sections you do not need. A short page with real information is better than a long one with sample text.
- Save, then click the preview option to look at it as a visitor would.
If something does not look right
If the Website Builder button is missing from cPanel, or a domain will not let you start a site, contact us at support@parsonshosting.com or 530-710-8726. One common cause is a domain that is set up as a redirect or shares a folder with another domain; we can sort that out for you. We reply the same day, often within an hour, during business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific, 7 days a week).
Want to move an existing site to us instead? Most migrations are free. See the FAQ for details, or read about ParsonsHosting.