So, after yesterday's introductory post, we are moving on to where should you host your new website?
Of course, you may already have a hosting platform, and wish to stay with it. Many people here use WPX, and are very happy with them. I have used them previously, and it was a great experience, especially the support team, who are friendly and resolve problems immediately.
Their business plan costs $249.99 per year, or $24.99 per month, and you get the following:
250 GB redundant storage
9 GB RAM, 1 vCPU
250 databases
Unmetered bandwidth
1-click WordPress installation
Free domain & SSL certificate
Professional email
24/7 customer support
Everything so far has been straightforward, so if you want to build a new site very cheaply, you could give them a try.
Free platforms are often the first temptation. They look simple and safe. A site on WordPress.com or Blogger seems good enough at the start. But you quickly realize the limitations.
You can’t control the design, you can’t install the plugins you want, and you may not even own the domain name. You’re building your online presence on borrowed ground. The host makes the rules, and you can’t always take your content with you if you decide to move. That’s fine for a hobby blog, but if you’re building a business, it’s like renting a space with no lease. You never feel secure.
To help you with your decision, here is a checklist.
- [ ] Research self-hosted vs. free platform options (WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com, etc.)
- [ ] Compare hosting providers based on uptime records, customer service reviews, and scalability
- [ ] Read hosting contract fine print for renewal rates and overage fees
- [ ] Verify hosting supports analytics, caching tools, and email marketing integrations
- [ ] Confirm hosting includes SSL certificates, daily backups, and malware scanning
- [ ] Purchase domain name that reflects your brand
- [ ] Set up hosting account with room for traffic growth
- [ ] Install chosen platform (WordPress.org recommended)
- [ ] Test site loading speed and basic functionality
And if you want ChatGPT help, here are a couple of prompts you could try. Obviously, change the options in the square brackets to suit your own needs.
Hosting Requirements Analysis: I'm starting a blog in the [niche] space and expect to [describe traffic goals and timeline]. I plan to [describe monetization strategy - ads, products, affiliate marketing, etc.]. Help me create a detailed requirements list for hosting providers, including technical specs, security features, scalability options, and integration capabilities I should look for. Also suggest specific questions I should ask potential hosting companies about uptime guarantees, support quality, and hidden fees.
Platform Comparison Matrix: I'm deciding between [list 2-3 platform options] for my [niche] blog. My technical skill level is [beginner/intermediate/advanced] and my main priorities are [list 3-4 priorities like ease of use, customization, SEO capabilities, monetization options]. Create a detailed comparison matrix showing the pros and cons of each platform specifically for my situation, including long-term scalability, cost implications, and any limitations that might affect my ability to [specific goals like sell products, build email lists, etc.].
Next time, we are going to look at how to Research Competitor Blogs to Identify Gaps and Positioning.
I was just going to ask a question here about hosting. I'm hosted on WPX, and I get weekly updates about my site health.
Should I still look into those errors? or 'nevermind, it's a waste of time to do so'
Like for my mini site, it goes like this:
"
•everythingverysmall.com
↳ High error rate: 4274 4XX errors "
That's not too bad, but I won't copy-paste here, the issues I have according to WPX with my other site, it's horrific and dramatic, to say the least, hahahaha
@ohnoo_not_her I started to take a look at those, but I noticed that when I updated some things they suggested, they showed me the same errors the next week! So I'm not sure how much of their reports are legit. I think it's worth it to look over them to see if anything is indeed wrong, but I haven't done enough deep-diving in everything they say to give you a solid answer on the 4xx issues you're receiving.
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