After securing your Domain Name, the next step on your website journey is to acquire your Website Hosting.
Think of your hosting as the area of land you would rent if you wanted to build a bricks and mortar store. In the online world, it’s the place where you “build” your website
Part 2 of my Free E-Guide; The Straight Talk Web Guide explains the different types of Website Hosting on offer and what you need to look out for, but on this page I want to share with you the steps I follow.
How To Set Up Your Website Hosting
Step 1 – Select Your Website Hosting Provider
There are plenty of companies that offer Website Hosting and a quick Google on the interwebs will provide you with a list of the main players. My preferred choices are BlueHost and SiteGround. Both offer the type of hosting I need together with simple one or two click website builder options ( more about that later).
My site is currently hosted with SiteGround. I have run other sites on BlueHost for a number if years with no issues, but on this occasion my decision to switch was based partly on price, and because the company I work for had it’s website with SiteGround and I liked the way it operated.
You, as always, can select who you choose. However, as I explain in the E-Guide, make sure your hosting provider supports the popular website builders like WordPress and Wix. Also have a gander round their Social Media platforms to get an impression of what folks say about them and how they (the website hosters) respond.
Step 2 – Make Your Purchase
Buying your Website Hosting is pretty much the same for all the top 10 providers, especially if they support WordPress as a website platform.
These are the steps I follow when using SiteGround.
When you land on their homepage, SiteGround offers you 4 options.
As I work with, and recommend, WordPress as a website platform, I would select WordPress Hosting by clicking the Get Started button.
After you click the Get Started button, you are given some pricing options.
At the time of writing, their hosting plans are pretty standard. Your choice will depend on how many sites you plan to create and how big you think they’ll get.
For most folks, the StartUp option will be fine, especially if you are, erm, just starting out with a single site. You can always upgrade whenever you need if your situation changes.
My choice was the GrowBig option. I plan to run a few sites and I liked the option of ‘staging’ my site in a development area. This way I can work on my website, then upload it to a live setting.
When you have made your choice, click the Get Plan button to proceed.
The next step is to tell SiteGround what your Domain Name is.
They will give you the choice of registering your Domain Name with them if you haven’t set one up already.
I keep my Domain Name and Website Hosting separate (you don’t have to) so for my hosting plan, I chose the second option.
Enter your Domain Name and click the PROCEED button to continue
Almost there,
If you do not have an existing account with SiteGround, then here is where all that magic happens.
You’ll be asked for your name, email and billing details.
This is all pretty much standard online set up stuff. Again, if you’ve ever done any Ebaying or Amazoning then this part will be no problems for you.
A couple of things to note here are:
- The time period for your hosting – choose the same as you did for your Domain Name registration
- SG Site Scanner – a useful service that lets you know if your site has been tampered with by unwelcome visitors
Once you are happy with your options, have ticked the Terms of Service checkbox, you are good to go.
Click on the PAY NOW button to make your purchase.
Congratulations!
Once your payment has been confirmed, you’ll be taken to a confirmation page and the good folks at SiteGround will send you an email like this one.
You should now have a Domain Name and some Website Hosting.
Which means, you are ready for the next step on your website journey and that is to install a website platform.
Don’t forget you can read up on Website Hosting in my free E-Guide (if you’ve not grabbed your copy already).
CLICK HERE for the guide.