Appendix 2: FileZilla

Here’s a typical FileZilla screen. It’s very similar to Windows Explorer, but can show your website in one of the panes (no matter where in the world it’s located). You can easily copy files from your local hard disk to your website and vice versa.

First of all, let me explain what FileZilla is.

It's a simple (and free) means of uploading a file from your computer to a folder on your website, using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). It's a fast interface that looks a lot like Microsoft's File Explorer, so you should feel right at home with it.

But why do you need to upload files to your website?

Well, in the early days of your website creation, you probably don't. But as you build it up, you will find the need arises. Here are two scenarios where you could need to do this:

1. You've engaged a 3rd party platform such as GSC (Google Search Console) and they've asked you to verify your site by uploading a file they've given you to your website's root directory. The easiest way to do that is to use FileZilla to upload the file from the Downloads folder on your hard disk to the public_html folder on your website.
2. You've created an opt-in page on your website and need a simple, cost-free way for your visitors to claim the free gift you've promised them. You load FileZilla, connect to your website and create a new folder. Upload your freebie to the new folder and you now have a url link to give your opt-in. When they click on it, the file will download to their computer if it’s a zip (compressed) file or open up, ready to be read online or downloaded, if it’s a PDF.

How Do You Get FileZilla?

Go to filezilla-project.org. Click on Download FileZilla Client and go through the installation process.

Getting Your FileZilla Credentials

To connect FileZilla to your website, you will need

• Host Name
• User Name
• Password

You can get these from your web host, but it's different for each host. Go to your host’s website. They are usually in an obvious place and will be called something like FTP setup. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.

Setting FileZilla Up

Load FileZilla, then click on Site Manager. This is where you will connect your website to FileZilla.

Connecting to Your Website

Click the New Site button and give the new site a name. I always simply use the domain name.

Fill in Host, User and Password. Click the Connect button.

The left-hand panel should show folders from your local hard disk and the right-hand panel folders from your website.

You can navigate up or down.

Transferring (Copying) a File

The FileZilla screen looks similar to the Windows File Explorer screen and operates in much the same way.

In the left-hand pane, navigate to the folder containing the file(s) you wish to transfer and in the right-hand pane, navigate to the folder on your website that you wish to transfer the file(s) to. Remember that the folder public_html is your website's root directory. Everything else is a sub-directory off it.

To transfer a file from your local hard disk, you can click and drag it or you can simply double-click it.

You don't have to wait until a file has finished transferring to start another. They will queue.

FileZilla will show you the process of the transfer and tell you when all have completed.