Please make sure you have read Registering your domain name before you continue with this page.
This is the partner post to registering your domain name and it explains all that you need to know about hosting so that you don’t fall into any traps by buying the wrong hosting package or by using an ISP that isn’t quite up to scratch.
Click the tabs to continue reading
Introduction
Once you have settled on your domain name you need to turn your attention to purchasing a hosting package. Like domain names, you can pay all sorts of prices for hosting, and again cheap is bad. To install WordPress you need a MySQL database, normally databases aren’t a feature of the cheaper hosting packages so by default you won’t be looking at the bargain basement options.
When you are shopping around for hosting take a look further than just the feature list, look at the backup mechanisms they are offering (more frequent is better) look at the support facilities they offer (do they offer telephone lines, online chat etc) and check out their server up time if you can find it. Go for quality here because this is what is going to power your site, if you go for an ISP that hasn’t got good facilities your site will suffer and of course so will you. Try and go with a provider that hosts as close to the main internet backbone for your country, the least amount of hops through nameservers they have to do before they connect to the main trunk the better.
continued…
Typical Hosting Spec
There is no real minimum spec for hosting but as a rough guide, here is a list of basic requirements:
- FTP access <– only really need one FTP account
- 100mb server space <– this is more than enough to be starting with
- 10gb server bandwidth <– this is enough to start with but a busy site will need more in future
- POP3 email mailboxes <– enough to cover your needs most packages come with unlimited
- 1 x MySQL database <– WordPress only needs one – but buy an account that has more in case you want to expand your blog with forums etc
- PHP <– PHP is the web language that WordPress is written with, ensure the build of WordPress you are using will run on the version of PHP your ISP is offering
- Stats package <– very useful for tracking your traffic
- Cpanel <– very useful for admin
Your hosting package will come with a lot more stuff than I have listed above, most of it you won’t need but sometimes it’s nice to know the options are there.
Tip: Don’t buy a hosting package that serves form a Windows webserver. Windows servers are the first point of call for hackers. While any webserver can potentially be hacked, it seems that Windows is the most probed and got-at platform out there. It’s my advice to take a Linux server where possible.
continued…
Host Local in Your Own Country?
There are rumblings around the net at the moment that Google, and others, but Google especially are looking to localise their search results, which means if you are in the UK and you search for something then UK websites served from UK servers will rank higher in the results pages than UK websites served on servers based in other countries. I have mixed feelings about this because my findings at the moment (as of August 2008) is that it’s a load of hyped up nonsense. I own a website business (www.designconscious.com) and right from the word go I hosted in America, my site is a blog and is optimised for the key words “website design telford” here is what google thinks of my site using that key phrase
The internet is such a big place and website design is such a big market place I reckon it’s better to compete locally so my site is optimised for where I live and even though I’m hosting in America Google seems to like me anyway. But that said – this might not always be the case, so to save yourself hassle in the future it might be better to err on the side of caution and host your site in your country of origin. Best advice and future proofing – that’s what you should do.
But….
If you are like me and think it’s all a load of bullshit, then why not think about hosting at Hostagor? Hostagor are an enormous American ISP with a 24/7 online chat support team and a wealth of features that go way beyond what you really need. Take a look – and of course if you are reading this in America, you won’t go far wrong if you take one of their packages.
END.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Hostgator is okay, but I prefer MediaTemple. Better support and more value for your money.