Make Your Own Website | Search Engine Optimization Tips | How To SEO » Lesson 4 – Your Website Needs A Home: Getting Your Web Hosting Account

Lesson 4 – Your Website Needs A Home: Getting Your Web Hosting Account

As we explained in the previous lesson, the digital files that make your website need to be stored on a web server, so your website can be reached by all internet visitors at any time. A web hosting company provides this service by running web servers with special software to ensure the security, accessibility and functionality of your website on the internet.

What To Look For In A Web Hosting Company?

There are many web hosting companies with a multitude of hosting plans out there, and selecting a good one can be overwhelming when you are new to web design. Here are the most important features your web host should provide:

Uptime guarantee of 99.9%
Top of the line equipment and up-to-date software (cheap web hosting accounts that don’t keep up with the latest are easier to hack and have slower servers!)
24/7/365 US-based support by phone or online chat
Flexible plans in case your business will expand
Unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited email accounts
Easy ‘back-office’, e.g. cpanel where you can see your visitor stats, check your email, etc.
Pre-installed scripts (e.g. WordPress 1-click installation)
In business for a long time and offering money back guarantee

Especially when you are planning on making your own website, it really pays to select a reputable web host with cpanel, 1-click-installations and 24/7, US based support.

After many years of working with different web hosting companies, we recommend Hostgator. Select the ‘hatchling plan’ for one website for currently $6.95 per month (1 year plan), or if you plan on hosting 2 or more websites, the ‘Baby’ plan for $9.95/month. You can also start with the hatchling plan and easily upgrade later.