Updated September 2026 · Written and maintained by the Progression Agency strategy team
An FTP client is a program for moving files between your computer and a web server. The honest starting point is that plain FTP is obsolete and insecure — it sends credentials in clear text — and almost everyone searching for an FTP client actually needs SFTP or FTPS, which the same programs support. This page covers which clients are worth using, what the protocol differences actually mean, and when file transfer is the wrong tool entirely.
The short answerThree things settle this quickly. First, do not use plain FTP: it transmits your username and password unencrypted, and every mainstream client supports SFTP instead at no extra cost or difficulty. Second, pick a client on the platform you actually use — FileZilla and WinSCP on Windows, Cyberduck and Transmit on macOS, and the built-in tools if you are comfortable at a command line. Third, and most important: if you are transferring website files by hand on a regular basis, the transfer method is not your problem. Deployment is, and that is a different and better-solved thing.
Client capabilities described here reflect each product’s own published documentation as of August 2026 and the free or paid tiers stated on their own sites. Pricing and features change; confirm against the vendor before purchasing. Progression Agency has no affiliate relationship with any product named and receives nothing from these recommendations.
Progression Agency runs Web Development and Website Maintenance as separate divisions, and this page reflects what the second one spends most of its time undoing: sites edited directly on the server with no version history. We are a New York City firm working across the United States. We have no affiliate relationship with any product named here.
What is an FTP client?
An FTP client is a program that moves files between your computer and a remote server. The name has stuck even though the protocol it refers to should no longer be used: modern clients primarily connect over SFTP or FTPS, which are encrypted, and support plain FTP mainly for compatibility with old servers.
This matters more than a naming quibble. Plain FTP transmits your username, your password and everything you transfer without encryption, so anybody positioned between you and the server can read all of it. It was designed before that was a realistic concern and it has not changed.
FTP, FTPS, SFTP and SCP, briefly
FTP is the original unencrypted protocol. FTPS is FTP wrapped in TLS, which encrypts it. SFTP is a different protocol entirely, running file transfer over an SSH connection, and is what most hosts and most people should use. SCP is an older SSH-based copy mechanism, still fine inside scripts.
The practical rule
Use SFTP. It is supported by every client on this page, by essentially every modern host, and it requires no extra cost or meaningful additional effort. If a host offers only plain FTP, that is worth treating as information about the host.
Which FTP client should you use?
FileZilla if you want free and cross-platform, WinSCP if you are on Windows and want the best scripting, Cyberduck if you want something simple, Transmit if you are on macOS and will pay for polish, and the command line if you are comfortable there.
| Client | Platforms | Cost | Strongest at | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FileZilla | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free | Being available everywhere | Read the installer screens carefully |
| WinSCP | Windows only | Free | Scripting and directory sync | No macOS or Linux version |
| Cyberduck | macOS, Windows | Free, donation prompted | Simplicity | Also connects to cloud storage |
| Transmit | macOS only | Paid | Interface polish and sync | macOS users only |
| Command line sftp | Everywhere | Free | Automation and scripts | No interface to learn or misuse |
| Rsync over SSH | Everywhere | Free | Transferring only what changed | The right tool for large syncs |
| Host control panel manager | In the browser | Included | One quick edit | Poor for anything repeated |
The ‘worth knowing’ column carries the practical differences. FileZilla’s installer has historically offered additional bundled software on some platforms, which is worth reading rather than clicking through; and rsync is the correct answer to ‘this transfer takes too long’ far more often than a different client is.
Free is not the deciding factor here
Most of these are free and the free ones are genuinely good. The paid option earns its price on interface quality rather than capability, which is a legitimate reason to buy it and not a functional necessity.
The command line deserves more consideration than it gets
The built-in sftp command and rsync are available everywhere, need no installation, and are the only options that script cleanly. For anybody doing the same transfer repeatedly, learning two commands removes the client entirely.
How do you connect securely?
Ask your host for SFTP credentials, connect on port 22 rather than 21, use key-based authentication if offered, verify the host key fingerprint on first connection, and store credentials in the client’s encrypted store.
Verify the host key once, properly
The first time you connect, the client shows a fingerprint and asks whether you trust it. That is the moment the connection becomes trustworthy for every subsequent session, and clicking past it without checking removes the protection SSH was providing. Ask your host for the fingerprint and compare it.
Key authentication is easier as well as safer
A key pair removes the password from the process entirely: nothing to type, nothing to leak, nothing to rotate when someone leaves. Most hosts support it and the setup is a one-off task of a few minutes.
Never store credentials in a plain text file
Server credentials pasted into a text file or a shared document are among the most common sources of compromise for small websites. Every client on this page has an encrypted credential store, and a password manager is the right home for anything shared across a team.
Why should you probably not be transferring website files by hand at all?
Because manual transfer has no version history, no review step, no rollback and no record of who changed what. If you are doing it regularly for a website, the transfer client is not the problem — the absence of a deployment process is.
This is the most useful thing on this page and it is not what people arrive looking for. Choosing a better client makes a manual process slightly more pleasant; moving to deployment removes an entire category of website outage caused by a half-uploaded file or an overwritten change nobody can recover.
What deployment gives you that transfer does not
- A record of every change, who made it and when.
- The ability to roll back to any previous state in seconds.
- A review step before anything reaches a live site.
- Consistency: the same process every time, not whatever was dragged where.
- A staging environment where breaking something costs nothing.
- Automatic transfer of only what actually changed.
- No half-finished uploads leaving a site in a broken state.
None of that is available from any FTP client at any price, because it is a different problem. The transfer is the easy part; knowing what changed and being able to undo it is the part that matters when something goes wrong at an inconvenient time.
The migration timeline puts the free win first deliberately. Switching from FTP to SFTP takes one connection setting and can happen today; the rest is a genuine project worth doing and worth planning, and the first step should not wait for it.
When is manual file transfer the right answer?
For genuinely one-off tasks: retrieving a log file, uploading a single image, pulling a database backup, or inspecting something on a server you do not otherwise control. Those are legitimate and a client is the right tool.
| Task | Best method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Retrieving a log file | SFTP client or command line | One-off read, no risk |
| Uploading a single image | SFTP client | Fine; nothing to version |
| Downloading a database backup | SFTP or command line | Watch file size and integrity |
| Deploying website code changes | Git-based deployment | History, review and rollback |
| Syncing a large media directory | Rsync over SSH | Transfers only what changed |
| Editing a live configuration file | Deployment, or with a backup first | Direct editing is where outages start |
| Migrating a whole site | Scripted transfer plus a checklist | Manual dragging loses files silently |
The last row is where most website migrations go wrong. Dragging a site folder from one server to another silently omits hidden files, permissions and anything the transfer interrupted, and the omissions are discovered afterwards by users rather than by the person migrating.
What about the host’s built-in file manager?
Fine for one small edit, poor for anything repeated. It is convenient because it requires no setup, and it shares every weakness of manual transfer plus a browser session that can time out mid-save.
Do you need an FTP client for WordPress?
Occasionally, and less than most guides suggest. Plugins, themes and updates are handled inside the admin, and the times a file connection is genuinely needed are usually recovery situations — a plugin that has broken the site, or a file that needs removing when the admin is unreachable.
That recovery use is a good reason to have a working SFTP connection set up before you need it. Configuring one during an outage, without the credentials to hand, is considerably less pleasant than doing it on a quiet afternoon.
What file permissions should you set?
Follow your host’s documented recommendation rather than a number from a forum. Permissions that are too open are a genuine security problem and permissions copied from an unrelated setup are a common cause of a site that suddenly stops working.
Why is a transfer slow?
Usually many small files rather than total size, because each file carries connection overhead. Rsync solves this by transferring only differences, and archiving a directory before transferring it solves the small-file problem directly.
Is FTP being removed?
It has been progressively removed from places it used to be supported — browsers dropped built-in FTP support some years ago — and dedicated clients continue to support it for legacy servers. The direction of travel is clear and it argues for moving to SFTP now rather than when something forces it.
What should a team standardize on?
One protocol (SFTP), key-based authentication, a shared password manager rather than shared credentials in a document, and deployment for anything touching a live website. The client each person prefers matters far less than those four.
Common mistakes
Seven, and the first two are the ones that cause actual damage.
| Mistake | Consequence | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Using plain FTP | Credentials sent in clear text | SFTP; same client, no extra cost |
| Editing live files directly | No history, no rollback, real outages | Deployment with a review step |
| Clicking past host key warnings | The protection is removed | Verify the fingerprint once, properly |
| Credentials in a text file | A common source of compromise | Encrypted store or password manager |
| Uploading a whole site for one change | Slow, and it can leave a broken state | Transfer only what changed |
| Dragging a site folder to migrate | Hidden files and permissions lost silently | Scripted transfer plus a checklist |
| Copying permissions from a forum post | A site that stops working | Your host’s documented recommendation |
For the wider picture, our website maintenance page covers what a properly maintained site actually needs, and the web development page covers how the deployment side of this is set up in the first place.
A decision table: which client, for which person
Answer first: the client that fits you is decided by platform first, then by whether you script anything, then by whether you will pay for interface quality. The table below runs those three questions in order.
| Your situation | Use this | Why | What you give up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows, occasional transfers | WinSCP | Free, strong sync, easy to learn | Nothing on Windows |
| Windows, also uses Mac or Linux | FileZilla | One tool on every platform | Less polished sync |
| macOS, wants simple | Cyberduck | Free, clean, connects to cloud storage | Fewer advanced features |
| macOS, will pay for polish | Transmit | Best interface and sync on the platform | Cost, and macOS only |
| Comfortable in a terminal | Built-in sftp | Nothing to install, scripts cleanly | No visual file browser |
| Large media directories | Rsync over SSH | Transfers only what changed | Command line only |
| One quick edit, no setup | Host control panel | Zero configuration | Poor for anything repeated |
Notice that the last row is the only one where convenience wins, and it comes with the strongest caveat. A control panel file manager is genuinely the fastest way to make one small change and genuinely the worst way to make ten.
What a secure setup actually looks like, end to end
Answer first: SFTP on port 22, key-based authentication, host key verified once, credentials in an encrypted store, and a backup taken before anything is overwritten. Five things, all one-off except the last.
| Setting | What it prevents | One-off or ongoing |
|---|---|---|
| SFTP rather than FTP | Credentials readable in transit | One-off |
| Port 22, not 21 | Accidentally using plain FTP | One-off |
| Key-based authentication | Password leakage and reuse | One-off |
| Host key verified on first connect | Connecting to the wrong server | One-off |
| Credentials in the encrypted store | The most common small-site compromise | One-off |
| Local and remote start directories set | Uploading to the wrong place | One-off |
| Backup before overwriting | Losing a file with no copy | Every time |
Six of the seven are configured once and then protect you indefinitely, which is an unusually good return for about fifteen minutes of setup. The seventh is the habit, and it is the one that saves you on the day something goes wrong.
Still moving website files by hand?
Tell us how your site is currently updated and we will tell you what a deployment process would look like for it — including when the honest answer is that switching to SFTP and taking a backup before each change is enough for the size of site you are running.
Video: servers, deployment and web infrastructure
Three talks covering servers, deployment practice and web infrastructure. Everything relevant to protocols and clients is written out in text above, so nothing here depends on watching them.
Weekly Report: PepsiCo's AI agency review signals a shift from experiments to infrastructure
Ad Age · 2026-08-20This AI Tool Does Keyword Research For You
Ahrefs · 2026-07-08How to get your product data holiday ready on Google Merchant Center
Google Ads · 2026-08-19Claude Cowork for Marketing: Turn Customer Data Into Copy That Converts
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-08-03The Only Marketing Strategy You Need To Master This Year
Neil Patel · 2026-08-20Frontier Brief: What to do now that marketing has lost the plot
Think with Google · 2026-08-24Weekly Report: Dollar Tree shifts to emotional branding as it eyes $1 billion in untapped sales
Ad Age · 2026-08-13I Used AI Agents to Replace Our Marketing Agency
Ahrefs · 2026-06-10How to measure store visits and sales in Google Ads Performance Max
Google Ads · 2026-08-10How to Use Instagram Instants for Business (Step-by-Step Guide)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-07-29The Only Marketing Strategy That Is Working In 2026
Neil Patel · 2026-08-12The New Era of Agency Partnerships: What Marketers Want in 2026
Think with Google · 2026-08-06Why marketers chase active demand and miss the passive majority, with Indeed's CMO
Ad Age · 2026-08-12Why I Switched from ChatGPT to Claude
Ahrefs · 2026-06-03How to set up Performance Max for store goals in Google Ads
Google Ads · 2026-08-10How to Set Up Your LinkedIn Profile in just 10 Minutes (Using AI)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-07-27I'm Betting My Entire Marketing Strategy On This One Shift
Neil Patel · 2026-08-05Why Marketers Have Lost the Plot in the Age of AI
Think with Google · 2026-08-06Turning consumer signals into campaigns that work, with Kayak's senior VP of brand marketing
Ad Age · 2026-08-05Your AEO Strategy + Action Plan Checklist | 4.2. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-18Community Q&A: August 17 bidding update
Google Ads · 2026-08-05I Built a Complete AI Email Marketing System in 16 Minutes (Prompts Included)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-07-21The TikTok Shop Strategy Nobody Talks About
Neil Patel · 2026-07-15Frontier Brief: What it takes to lead marketing at Google during the AI revolution
Think with Google · 2026-08-03Meet the Calvin Klein CMO using 'entertainment mentality' to turn culturally resonant campaigns i…
Ad Age · 2026-07-29How to Track AI Traffic in GA4 and Ahrefs Web Analytics (ChatGPT & More) | 4.1. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-18Google Ads Spending Limits: Master Your Daily Budget [Tutorial]
Google Ads · 2026-08-035 Social Media Trends Actually Working in 2026 (HubSpot Report)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-07-14The One-Person Marketing Era Has Officially Begun
Neil Patel · 2026-07-08Inside Nescafé's Global YouTube Creator Strategy with Zach King | Nescafé
Think with Google · 2026-07-29Lessons from America's Hottest Brands
Ad Age · 2026-07-22YouTube SEO for AI Search: How to Rank your YouTube Videos | 3.3. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-13Fix disapproved Google Ads: A guide to Personalized advertising compliance
Google Ads · 2026-08-03The Free AEO Tool Stack to get Your Brand Promoted By AI
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-07-08How I Would Master Social Media in 2026 (If Starting From Zero)
Neil Patel · 2026-06-03Best of Frontier CMO: The Audience is in Charge with Colin and Samir
Think with Google · 2026-07-23Weekly Report: Starbucks' Culture Play, Predictive AI Targeting, Emmy-Nominated Ads
Ad Age · 2026-07-16Brand Mentions for SEO: How to Get Cited by AI (3 Tiers) | 3.2. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-13Google Call Ads: Supplemental Terms & Compliance
Google Ads · 2026-08-03How to Create a WhatsApp Chatbot for Your Business (No Coding)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-07-065 Signs Your AI SEO Strategy Is About to Take Off
Neil Patel · 2026-05-27Frontier Brief: Liquid Death’s unexpected recipe for marketing success
Think with Google · 2026-07-202026 ad budget check-in: where media money’s moving, with Brandon Doerrer
Ad Age · 2026-07-10How to Optimize Content for AI Search Engines | 3.1. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-13Google Ads Asset Studio: AI Tools & Asset Management Guide
Google Ads · 2026-08-03I Charge $2,000 for This Content Strategy (Copy Me)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-06-29The Old SEO System Is Collapsing. Here's What Replaces It.
Neil Patel · 2026-05-20Lightning in a Can: Liquid Death’s Killer Creative
Think with Google · 2026-07-09Why data, not AI, is driving local travel marketing decisions, with Vrbo's VP of marketing
Ad Age · 2026-07-08Keyword & Prompt Research for AI SEO (AEO) | 2.2. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-06Create effective Search ads: Responsive search ads for success (2026)
Google Ads · 2026-08-03How to Run ChatGPT Ads: The Complete Tutorial
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-06-225 AI CEOs Said the Same Thing About 2026 (Marketing Changes Forever)
Neil Patel · 2026-05-13Frontier Brief: What CMOs can learn from McLaren’s race to the top
Think with Google · 2026-06-29Why retailers should sell experiences, not products, with Macy's CMO
Ad Age · 2026-07-01How to Run a Brand Gap Analysis | 2.1. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-05-05How to Link accounts to your Google Ads Manager Account – Step-by-Step process
Google Ads · 2026-07-30How to Optimize Your Profile for LinkedIn's New AI Algorithm
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-06-17The Marketing Opportunity of a Decade (But Not for Long)
Neil Patel · 2026-04-22Will AI take the soul out of creative? 🎬
Think with Google · 2026-06-29What brands are missing in sports sponsorship, with Just Women's Sports Founder
Ad Age · 2026-06-24What Is AI Visibility? The 3 Types Every Marketer Needs to Know | 1.3. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-04-29Community Q&A: Measurement in the AI era & AI Max
Google Ads · 2026-07-29From Apartment Startup to Luxury Tech Brand
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-06-15How to Save Your Marketing Job (Stop Reporting Traffic)
Neil Patel · 2026-04-03Exclusive look at Google’s Cannes Creative House 🚪✨
Think with Google · 2026-06-25From instinct to evidence: Solving marketing's growth paradox
Ad Age · 2026-06-22How AI Search Engines Work | 1.1. AEO Course by Ahrefs
Ahrefs · 2026-04-29Google Ads: Sexual content policy guide (What’s allowed?)
Google Ads · 2026-07-226 AEO Trends To Get Your Brand Recommended By AI (2026 HubSpot Report)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-06-10You Don't Have an SEO Problem. You Have a "Brand Entity" Problem.
Neil Patel · 2026-03-25Frontier Brief: Marketing is a hot mess right now—and Mark Ritson is actively tearing it apart
Think with Google · 2026-06-24CMOs on CMOs: Hippo and Solo Stove on AI and grassroots marketing tactics
Ad Age · 2026-06-19Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) Course by Ahrefs: What is AEO?
Ahrefs · 2026-04-29Community Q&A: The bidding & budgets special
Google Ads · 2026-07-22How to Use Substack as a Complete Beginner in 2026 (Full Tutorial)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-06-08Why 98% of Websites Don't Make Money (It’s Not the Design)
Neil Patel · 2026-03-12Mark Ritson on Why the Fundamentals Still Win
Think with Google · 2026-06-04How the Cadillac F1 team is racing to define its brand and fan strategy
Ad Age · 2026-06-17How This Site Beat Amazon in Google Search (3 Step Strategy)
Ahrefs · 2026-04-01GCLID Explained: What is a GCLID?
Google Ads · 2026-07-16How to Scale a Skincare Brand (Marketing Breakdown)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-05-28You're Wasting Money Trying to Get B2B Clients
Neil Patel · 2026-03-04Philipp Schindler at Google Marketing Live 2026
Think with Google · 2026-05-21Best World Cup campaigns and the new sports marketing playbook, with Tim Nudd and Jon Springer
Ad Age · 2026-06-12How to Pick a Niche If You’re Just Starting Out (SEO)
Ahrefs · 2026-03-04How to use Google Keyword Planner: Find the Best Keywords for Your Business (2026 Guide)
Google Ads · 2026-07-15How to Build Your First AI Agent (Step-by-step Tutorial)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-05-26Amazon Just Became the Google of Streaming Ads
Neil Patel · 2026-02-25Evolving a media network to meet growing advertiser demands with Marriott's Chris Norton
Ad Age · 2026-06-10Keyword Research Tutorial for Google and AI SEO
Ahrefs · 2026-02-18Paid Search Association AMA: AI Max Q&A
Google Ads · 2026-07-15How to Dominate AI Search in 2026 (Complete Tutorial for Business)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-05-20Why Google LOVES Reddit (And How Marketers Can Exploit It)
Neil Patel · 2026-02-19Publicis-LiveRamp deal: what to know and how to react, with Garett Sloane
Ad Age · 2026-06-05I Outsourced our Digital Marketing to AI. Here's What Happened
Ahrefs · 2026-02-04PPC Chat Q&A: Ads in AI Search, QFC & Creator Partnerships
Google Ads · 2026-07-096 B2B Marketing Strategies Replacing the Old Playbook in 2026
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-05-11You're Wasting Your Money on Influencer Marketing
Neil Patel · 2026-02-11Top SEO Experts Build Me an AI Search Strategy (GEO)
Ahrefs · 2026-01-21Streamline your workflow with Ask Advisor in Google Ads
Google Ads · 2026-07-0922 Genius Marketing Campaigns You Can Run Without a Big Budget
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-05-06Everything you know about Marketing is changing (2026)
Neil Patel · 2026-02-05How to Transfer Google Ads Account to a New Agency (Billing Transfer)
Google Ads · 2026-06-24Do Reddit Ads Actually Work? I Ran a $100 Experiment (Full Results)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-05-04You’re Wasting Your Time Creating Social Media Content
Neil Patel · 2026-01-29Ads Data Hub: Privacy checks explained [Tutorial]
Google Ads · 2026-06-233 Creator Economy Trends Every Brand Needs to Know in 2026 (HubSpot Report)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-04-27Google Ads Data Collection Policy: Avoid Account Suspension (2026)
Google Ads · 2026-06-22Anatomy of a Viral Campaign: How We Built Loop Marketing
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-04-22Google Ads Other Restricted Businesses Policy [Avoid Disapproval Guide]
Google Ads · 2026-06-16Claude AI for Business: The Complete Marketing Tutorial
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-04-20Google Ads Limited Ad Serving? How to Fix It (2026 Guide)
Google Ads · 2026-06-155 NEW Email Marketing Trends That Actually Work in 2026
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-04-15Google Ads Bidding Update: How to Maintain Predictable Performance (2026 Guide)
Google Ads · 2026-06-12How to Make Professional Video Ads on Any Budget (AI Finally Made It Possible)
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-04-13Google Ads for Crypto: How to Get Certified & Avoid Bans (Tutorial)
Google Ads · 2026-06-10The Marketing Playbook That Helped This Gym Beat Equinox
HubSpot Marketing · 2026-04-08Google Ads Editorial Policy: How to Fix Ad Disapprovals
Google Ads · 2026-06-09How to Dispute or Change Google Ads Invoices
Google Ads · 2026-05-28Google Marketing Live: Backstage with our product experts
Google Ads · 2026-05-28
Getting found in search
AI, AEO and what is changing
Paid media and lead generation
Websites and design
- Bankruptcy lawyer website design
- Web design in North Carolina
- Web design in Seattle
- Ecommerce web development
- Ecommerce development services
- Squarespace customization
- Consulting websites
- Beauty stores on Shopify
- Content commerce
- 404 and bad request errors
- Website design and development
- Design, development and management
- Creating a gallery
- Custom CSS
- Summary blocks
- Website maintenance services
- Web design agency, San Jose
- WordPress outsourcing
- StoryBrand website framework
- StoryBrand websites
- StoryBrand website design
- Squarespace logos
- Product configurators
- Web development services
- How much does a website cost?
- What to include on a homepage
- Website redesign services
- Website maintenance
- Shopify ecommerce agency
- Ecommerce website design
- BigCommerce vs Shopify
- Service business website design
- Healthcare website design
- Websites for restaurants
- Squarespace design services
- Squarespace vs WordPress
- Wix vs WordPress
- Web design in Queens
- Web design for small business
- Shopify agency
- Shopify checkout optimization
- Headless commerce and Hydrogen
- Shopify pricing guide
- Shopify checkout extensibility
- Squarespace pricing
- Publishing a Squarespace site
- What Squarespace is
- Learning Squarespace
- Squarespace dropdown menus
- Domain vs website
- Videography websites
- Ecommerce product configurators
- Negative space in design
- YouTube channels for web designers
- How to back up a Squarespace website
- Best dental websites
- Website dimensions and image sizes
- Web design in Charlotte NC
- Web design in Nashville
- Web design in Seattle
- Web design in Atlanta
- Retail consulting
- Product design agencies
- Digital product agencies
Choosing and working with an agency
Social, content and brand
By industry and by situation
Frequently asked questions
What is an FTP client?
Is FTP secure?
What is the difference between FTP, FTPS and SFTP?
What is the best free FTP client?
Is there a good FTP client for Mac?
What is the best FTP client for Windows?
Which port does SFTP use?
Should I use key-based authentication?
Why does the client ask me to verify a host key?
Where should server credentials be stored?
Should I be transferring website files manually at all?
What does deployment give me that an FTP client does not?
When is manual file transfer the right tool?
Do I need an FTP client for WordPress?
Should I set up SFTP before I need it?
Why is my file transfer so slow?
What file permissions should I set?
Is FTP being phased out?
What is rsync and when should I use it?
Is the host’s file manager good enough?
What should a team standardize on?
What is the most damaging file transfer habit?
Sources and further reading
- Google Search Essentials — SEO starter guide
- Google: creating helpful, reliable, people-first content
- Google: intro to structured data
- Google: LocalBusiness structured data
- Google: FAQPage structured data
- Google: Article structured data
- Google: Product structured data
- Google: title links in search results
- Google: control your snippets
- Google: robots.txt introduction
- Google: sitemaps overview
- Google: consolidate duplicate URLs
- Google: redirects and Search
- Google: JavaScript SEO basics
- Google: multi-regional and multilingual sites
- Google Search Central Blog
- Google: get started with Search Console
- Google: how local search results are determined
- Google Business Profile: prohibited and restricted content
- Google Business Profile: address and service area guidelines
- Google Business Profile: review policy
- Google Business Profile: add or edit categories
- Google Ads: location targeting settings
- Google Ads: about negative keywords
- Google Ads: about Quality Score
- Google Ads: importing offline conversions
- Google Ads: about Smart Bidding
- Google Ads: about Performance Max
- Google Local Services Ads: eligibility and screening
- Google Ads: keyword match types
- Google Analytics 4: about conversions
- Google Analytics 4: attribution models
- US Census Bureau QuickFacts: New Jersey
- US Census Bureau: American Community Survey
- US Census: Statistics of US Businesses
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: New Jersey data
- BLS: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
- NJ Department of Labor: labor market information
- New Jersey Business Action Center
- US Small Business Administration: New Jersey district
- USA.gov: business resources
- web.dev: Core Web Vitals explained
- web.dev: Largest Contentful Paint
- web.dev: Cumulative Layout Shift
- web.dev: Interaction to Next Paint
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- Google Rich Results Test
- Google Search Console
- W3C Markup Validation Service
- Schema.org: LocalBusiness type
- Schema.org: Service type
- Schema.org: FAQPage type
- Schema.org: HowTo type
- W3C: WCAG 2.2 quick reference
- FTC: CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide
- FCC: telemarketing and robocall rules (TCPA)
- FTC endorsement guides — reviews and testimonials
- FTC: rule on consumer reviews and testimonials
- HHS: HIPAA guidance on online tracking technologies
- New Jersey Courts: attorney advertising guidelines
- New Jersey DCA: construction codes and permits
- New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor registration
- New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
- TikTok for Business
- TikTok Creative Center
- TikTok Ads Help Center
- TikTok Community Guidelines
- TikTok Terms of Service
- TikTok Privacy Policy
- TikTok Safety Center
- TikTok Transparency Center
- TikTok Creator Portal
- TikTok Newsroom
- TikTok for Developers
- TikTok advertising solutions
- TikTok Creator Marketplace
- TikTok Business Center
- TikTok for Business blog
- TikTok Creative Center: top ads
- TikTok Branded Content policy
- TikTok Shop for sellers
- Instagram for Business
- Instagram for Creators
- Instagram Help Center
- About Instagram
- Meta Business Suite
- Meta Business Help Center
- Meta Transparency Center
- About Meta
- Meta: Instagram platform docs
- YouTube Creators
- YouTube Official Blog
- YouTube Shorts help
- How YouTube Works
- YouTube Studio
- LinkedIn Marketing Solutions
- LinkedIn Help
- Pinterest Business
- Pinterest Business Help
- Snapchat for Business
- X for Business
- Reddit communities
- Reddit for Business Help
- ASCAP
- BMI
- SESAC
- Global Music Rights
- PRS for Music (UK)
- PPL (UK)
- SOCAN (Canada)
- APRA AMCOS (Australia)
- GEMA (Germany)
- SACEM (France)
- SIAE (Italy)
- JASRAC (Japan)
- IFPI
- RIAA
- National Music Publishers Association
- Harry Fox Agency
- SoundExchange
- Music Reports
- Epidemic Sound
- Artlist
- Soundstripe
- PremiumBeat
- AudioJungle
- Free Music Archive
- Creative Commons
- Incompetech
- FTC: advertising and marketing
- FTC: disclosures 101
- FTC: endorsement guides
- FTC: consumer reviews rule
- FTC: advertising FAQs
- US Copyright Office
- US Copyright Office: DMCA
- US Copyright Office: music FAQ
- US Copyright Office: fair use FAQ
- USPTO: trademarks
- UK Advertising Standards Authority
- ACCC (Australia)
- Competition Bureau Canada
- GDPR overview
- California Consumer Privacy Act
- COPPA
- FTC: children’s privacy
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
- W3C: WCAG
- W3C: captions
- W3C: making audio and video accessible
- ADA.gov
- WebAIM
- Epilepsy Foundation
- Pew Research: internet and technology
- DataReportal
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Interactive Advertising Bureau
- Think with Google
- Google Trends
- Nielsen insights
- Schema.org: VideoObject
- Schema.org: SocialMediaPosting
- Schema.org: MusicRecording
- Schema.org: HowTo
- Schema.org: FAQPage
- Schema.org: Organization
- Google: video best practices
- Google: video structured data
- CapCut
- Adobe Premiere Rush
- DaVinci Resolve
- Canva
- Descript
- VEED
- Kapwing
- Otter.ai
- Later
- Buffer
- Hootsuite
- Sprout Social
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics developer docs
- GA4: events and conversions
- Matomo
- Plausible Analytics
- Similarweb
- UK Information Commissioner’s Office
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Australian OAIC
- European Data Protection Board
- EU data protection
- EU Digital Services Act
- Ofcom
- FCC
- AIGA
- Nielsen Norman Group
- Smashing Magazine
- web.dev
- MDN: web media
- MDN: the video element
- ISO 21001 (reference)
- Buma/Stemra (Netherlands)
- STIM (Sweden)
- Teosto (Finland)
- Koda (Denmark)
- TONO (Norway)
- IMRO (Ireland)
- SGAE (Spain)
- ZAiKS (Poland)
- KOMCA (South Korea)
- MCSC (China)
- CISAC
- World Intellectual Property Organization
- TikTok: creating videos
- TikTok: exploring videos
- TikTok: privacy settings
- TikTok: growing your audience
- TikTok Creator Academy
- TikTok Effect House
- TikTok for small business
- Instagram: Reels help
- YouTube: Shorts best practice
- How YouTube recommends
- Pinterest Predicts
- Snapchat for Business
- Hootsuite blog
- Social Media Examiner
- Marketing Week
- Adweek
Get a free marketing proposal
Tell us what you are trying to grow and we will come back with a plan, not a pitch deck. Same-day reply on weekdays.
