Your website is a business record.
We treat it like one.
If a regulator can examine your firm, your website is part of your books and records. Our hosting archives every change, automatically: what changed, when, by whom, with before and after copies your compliance officer can hand to an examiner as a clean PDF. No vendor emails, no scrambling, no gaps.
Why this exists
It started with a real exam question.
During a Massachusetts Books and Records examination, the compliance officer of an SEC-registered investment adviser we host asked us a simple question: do you retain copies of the website before and after each update, in a form we can hand to a regulator? Most hosting companies would have no answer. Within days, ours was a feature, and their compliance officer now pulls her own regulator-ready reports without emailing anyone.
How it works
Archived. Fingerprinted. Reportable.
01
Every change captured
Each update to your site is recorded automatically: the files that changed, the date and time, and who made the change. Deleted pages are recorded too, because a removed page is a material change.
02
Tamper-evident copies
Archived copies are kept in versioned storage and each file carries a SHA-256 fingerprint recorded at capture time, so anyone can verify a record has not been quietly altered since.
03
Regulator-ready reports
One click produces a PDF: what changed, side-by-side wording comparisons with deletions struck through, and the archived source in an appendix. Or a full snapshot of the site as of any date, for "show us the site as of the exam date".
See a change report
The document you hand the examiner.
An excerpt from a change report, exactly as the PDF renders it: what changed, when, by whom, and the wording comparison with deletions struck through and additions highlighted.
Website Change Report
| Client / Site | Sample Advisory Group · sampleadvisory.com |
|---|---|
| Change date/time | March 12, 2026 · 2:47:15 PM EST |
| Change made by | Sippican Digital (S. Vicino) |
| Files in change | 1 modified (fees.html) |
fees.html: visible text changes
SHA-256 (archived copy): 3f8a91c2e47b6d0a5e92f1c8b4d7a3e6f0c9d2b5a8e1f4c7d0a3b6e9f2c5d8a1
Illustrative excerpt with sample content. Real reports include every changed file, full-page context, and an archived source appendix.
Self-service for compliance
Your records, without asking us.
Regulators expect firms to hold their own records, not depend on a vendor's goodwill. So your compliance contact gets a login to a read-only archive: the full change history of your site, with a downloadable change report for every update. Prefer inbox delivery? We can email the PDF report to your compliance officer automatically every time the site changes, so your file is complete before anyone thinks to ask.
Who this is for
Built for regulated businesses.
Investment advisers
SEC and state-registered RIAs face books and records requirements (SEC Rule 204-2) that reach advertising and communications, and your website is both. Examiners ask for before and after copies; you produce them in minutes.
Insurance agencies
Marketing statements, carrier representations, and licensing disclosures on your site change over time. A dated archive of exactly what your site said, and when, is cheap insurance for an insurance business.
Healthcare and professional practices
Counseling practices, medical offices, law firms: anywhere published statements carry professional accountability, a verifiable record of your website's history protects you.
Honest scope note: this covers websites we host. Social media archiving (LinkedIn and similar) requires a dedicated archiving vendor, and we will tell you so rather than let you assume it is covered.
Common questions
Compliance hosting, answered plainly.
Does SEC Rule 204-2 apply to my firm's website?
Generally yes. Books and records requirements for registered investment advisers reach advertising and communications, and your website is both. State examiners routinely ask for copies of the site as it appeared at specific points in time, including before and after changes. Confirm specifics with your compliance counsel; we provide the records side.
What does a regulator actually ask for during an exam?
In our direct experience with a Massachusetts Books and Records examination, the question was: do you retain copies of the website before and after each update, in a form that can be handed to a regulator? Our archive answers with a PDF per change (what changed, who, when, side-by-side wording comparisons) and a full-site snapshot as of any date.
How far back does the website archive go?
Coverage begins the day your site enters our versioned hosting, and every report states its coverage start date plainly rather than implying records that do not exist. From that day forward, every change is retained with no expiration.
Can our compliance officer access records without going through the vendor?
Yes. Your compliance contact gets a read-only login showing the full change history with downloadable PDF reports, and we can also email each change report automatically on every site update, so your firm holds its own records independently.
How do we know an archived copy has not been altered?
Every archived file carries a SHA-256 fingerprint recorded at capture time and printed on the reports, so any copy can be verified against the fingerprint. Storage is versioned and archived copies are never overwritten.
Does this cover our social media accounts too?
No. This covers websites we host. Social media archiving (LinkedIn and similar) requires a dedicated archiving vendor, and we say so plainly so nothing is assumed covered that is not.
Hosting that stands up to an examiner.
Compliance archiving is available on our managed hosting for regulated clients. Tell us what regulator you answer to and we will tell you plainly what your website records should look like, no charge.