Beginner's Guide to Web Hosting for WordPress

WordPress is one of the most popular website creation tools out there, and it is no surprise if even beginner web designers, developers for startup business owners have heard of it. Aside from the design itself, WordPress web hosting is also one of the things that anyone looking to have a website should learn more about.

Looking for web hosting for your WordPress site is relatively easy if you have a clear vision of what you are looking for -- there are numerous options available for you to choose from. The difficulty lies in determining which web hosting service provider and plan can satisfy your needs. Take advantage of all the options available to you by learning what you need, determining your goals, and making an informed decision based on the information that you have gathered.

Understanding the Web Hosting Your WordPress Site Needs

There is no one-size-fits-all option when it comes to web hosting, several parameters play a part in determining the suitability of a hosting service. Every website has different functions, therefore, has different requirements. Understanding these requirements will help you find the right host. Some things you need to review include:

• Current website traffic
• Expected website growth
• Scalability of a web host
• Developer-friendliness of a web host
• Amount of customer support you need
• Your allocated budget for web hosting

Determining and analysing these elements will help you identify the right hosting solution for your WordPress site.

Features to Look for In Your WordPress Web Hosting

Once you have determined the requirements you need from a web hosting service, then it will be easier to narrow down your options. You can then move on to reviewing the features that different web hosting companies have to offer. Some of the features you want your WordPress web hosting to have include:

1. Speed and performance

One of the factors that can affect your web traffic is the speed and performance of your page. You need a web host provider that utilises the right hardware to ensure that they meet your needs. Keep in mind that the memory (RAM), the processing power (CPU), and disk space (HDD and SSD) that a web host will provide you play a significant role in determining the overall performance of your website. Generally, the more expensive a hosting plan is, the larger the traffic it can effectively handle.

2. Customer support

This feature is optional depending on your familiarity with different hosting solutions or the existence of an IT department in your company. For example, if you have an IT department or if you are knowledgeable about WordPress installation, migration, security, caching, site backups and restorations-- then you don't necessarily need a web hosting plan with a customer support feature.

3. Uptime

What does "uptime" mean? Uptime is the amount of time in which a server stays up and running. It is a great way to measure how efficiently a web hosting provider is at keeping their systems running. This feature is vital since web pages cannot keep customers when they are down.

4. Security features

There are some web hosting plans or providers that offer security features, such as:

• Backup and restore
• Secure server capabilities
• Malware scanning
• DDoS Prevention and CDN Support
• Manual reboots

These items are convenient features, especially if you are not as tech-savvy as you hope to be. These features will save you a lot of time and effort if anything goes wrong.

Types of Web Hosting

There are four types of web hosting services that WordPress users can choose from:

1. Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is the cheapest form of hosting. It is also the least flexible and configurable among the four hosting types. This type of hosting works for websites that do not have much traffic and does not consume much server resources. As the name suggests, you will be sharing the server with hundreds of other websites.

2. VPS Hosting

VPS hosting or Virtual Private Server hosting does not give you the complete resources of any one server, it only gives you a certain amount of disk space, memory and processing power. You can modify performance-related components through the root access provided to you as part of the web hosting plan. VPS hosting is highly flexible and scalable; however, it requires a considerable amount of technical expertise. This is not the best option for beginners.

3. Dedicated hosting

Dedicated hosting allows you to rent a server. You will have access to the server's full memory, processing power and disk space. This kind of hosting is recommendable for websites that receive incredibly high traffic. Despite being one of the more expensive types of hosting, you will be handling the server's maintenance yourself. This option will work better for companies with an IT department.

4. Managed Web Hosting

Managed WordPress web hosting is the best option for people who are not tech-savvy. Server management and other technical tasks are taken care of by the web hosting service provider.

WordPress actually offers free web hosting for its users; however, there is a catch. WordPress will ask you to include advertisements on your website. Keep in mind that free hosting services are not as reliable as paid hosting services. Consider investing on your web hosting if you want to achieve a good website and generate revenue from your page.

Signing Up for WordPress Web Hosting

Once you have chosen what type of web hosting you want and which company you want to work with, it is time to sign up. Different web hosting services may have different processes, but this is how it generally goes:

1. Go to the web host provider's website.
2. Look for the tab that contains the hosting plans.
3. Select the plan that you want to proceed with. Choose the plan that can cover your needs. Consider how many websites you plan to manage, how much space and bandwidth you need. Check for items like SSL certificate, domains, and email.
4. After selecting your plan, they may ask for a domain name. You should choose a domain name that effectively represents you or your brand. Some web hosting sites will allow you to skip this step for now, but some would require you to input one then and there. Either way, you should have one ready before working on your web hosting.
5. After deciding on a domain name, you need to create an account and input your payment information. You can hit the Submit button once you are done reviewing and agreeing to the web host's terms and conditions.
6. You will be taken to a dashboard where you can start setting things up and playing around.

Final Thoughts

Design and development are both essential elements when creating a website, but don't forget to spend some time looking for the right web hosting service provider for your WordPress site. It is one of the foundations that makes a successful website. Your web hosting decisions will affect your page's performance, security, and stability.

You should take time in reviewing your choices, as mentioned previously, there are many options available for you out there. There are many great web hosting service providers that you can choose from, and there will always be one that meets all your requirements. This is not only true for people or companies who are just starting their journey to creating a WordPress site, but this also applies to anyone who is not satisfied with their current web host. So go ahead and make good decisions in life-- start with your WordPress web hosting company.