How To Host a Website in 2023(4 Easy Steps)
How To Host a Website in 2023(4 Easy Steps)
Web hosting is the first step required to publish any website on the web.
Some of you may have started organizing your content in a CMS platform, but your site won't go live until you figure out hosting.
For starters, the concept of web hosting can be a bit overwhelming. With so many hosting solutions to choose from, unfamiliar terminology to navigate can sometimes feel like learning a foreign language.
Fortunately, hosting websites is easy. This guide will walk you through the process step by step so you can focus on your site and its content and not worry about how the site gets momentum behind the scenes.
Why is web hosting worth it
Web hosting is the only way to publish a website in real-time on the Internet. This is 100% necessary if you want to create a real site that attracts real visitors.
Technically, you can skip hosting and publish your site from the all-in-one Web Builder. There are many options on the web that don't require you to get hosting from a third-party provider because hosting is built into the Web site Builder package.
However, it is usually in your best interest to get web hosting separately and support your site through a CMS. Over time, this will give you more flexibility in what you can do to your site. It adds an extra step to your initial setup but gives you more freedom over the life of your site.
Obtaining web hosting directly from a hosting service provider also makes it easier to accommodate higher traffic as your site grows in size. As more and more visitors come to your site, you can easily upgrade hosting services accordingly.
Web hosting is worth it in terms of speed, performance, and SEO.
The investment required to host a website
Web hosting costs vary widely due to several factors. But in most cases, rates are based on hosting type, server resource, and hosting service provider. Fees can range from as little as a few dollars to more than $2,000 a month.
New sites are often at the lower end of the spectrum, and you may end up with a plan that costs less than $10 a month.
But hosting is only one aspect of your investment. You will also need to register a domain name, secure your website, and perform some other miscellaneous tasks that will add to your total cost. It's also worth noting that most web hosting plans are paid for upfront. So when you first sign up, be prepared to pay for one to three years of hosting. This structure will add more to your initial investment, but the cost will decrease over time.
Regardless of the cost, the time required to host a website is almost zero. You can sign up and start using it in minutes.
Here's a basic overview of what you might like with your web hosting investment:
- Select your hosting type
- Select a web hosting provider
- Select the Hosting Plan
- Registered domain name
4 steps to hosting a website
We simplify the web hosting process into five quick steps. Anyone with any technical experience can follow these step-by-step instructions to host a website.
1. Select your hosting type
Web hosting comes in all shapes and sizes. So the first thing you need to do is learn about the different ways you can host your website.
The vast majority of hosting service providers in the market today offer different hosting options. So when you log on to one of these sites, you need to narrow your search.
Generally, web hosting falls into one of three categories - shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting. But there are other variants, such as cloud hosting, hosted hosting, and WordPress hosting for you to consider.
We will quickly cover the basics of the different types of web hosting so that you can choose the best option for your site.
Shared hosting
Shared hosting is an entry-level form of hosting a website. It's reasonably priced and perfect for new websites just getting started. As the name suggests, you will share resources with other websites hosted on the same server. While this is a great way to save money, it can affect the performance of your site. A spike in traffic to a site on your server can end up slowing down the page loading speed of your site.
VPS host
VPS (virtual private server) is one step above a shared host. You will still share servers with other sites, but your site will have dedicated server resources. While VPS hosting is a bit expensive, it's a great option for growing sites that see traffic increase. VPS helps ensure that your site continues to operate at a higher level, regardless of what other sites on the same server are doing.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated servers are the ultimate product of web hosting. They are expensive and rarely used by new sites. The fact that you've logged on to this article is a good indication that dedicated hosting might not be for you, so you might ignore these package products. This type of web hosting is suitable for high-traffic sites and webmasters who want complete control over their Settings at the server level.
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting is newer compared to other hosting types. It can best be described as a hybrid version of VPS, but it is generally cheaper than a virtual private server. With a cloud plan, your website will be hosted on multiple cloud servers. The advantage of this is that if one server crashes or has a problem, the other servers will resume their slack. Cloud hosting is ideal for sites with different traffic. Most cloud plans enable you to scale or shrink resources on-demand based on traffic.
WordPress Hosting
As implied, WordPress Hosting is built specifically for WordPress sites. These hosting plans usually come preloaded with WordPress and often offer other benefits, such as automatic WordPress backups and automatic WordPress updates. If your site is powered by WordPress, it is always a good idea to use a WordPress-specific hosting solution. In addition to your plan is optimized for the world's most popular CMS, you'll also have excellent support from your hosting provider's WordPress experts.
Hosted Hosts
Hosted virtual hosts can fall into any of the categories listed above. As the name implies, the Web host handles all operations on the back end of the site at the server level. Hosting plans are perfect for people who want to take a hands-off approach to web hosting. Server updates, backups, maintenance, and so on will be handled by your Web host. These packages are a little more expensive than traditional hosting plans, but they have a higher level of support from hosting service providers.
The vast majority of new sites will eventually use shared hosting plans. WordPress hosting is also a viable option. If you think you're going to get a lot of traffic from the gate, consider jumping directly to a VPS or cloud plan.
2. Select the virtual host provider
Once you have a firm grasp of hosting options, you can choose your web hosting provider.
As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of options. But there's no need to feel overwhelmed. We've done the research for you:
3 Best Philippines VPS Hosting Providers 2023 | Compared & Reviewed
Cheap Philippines VPS Hosting Providers 2023: 3 Money-Saving Services
This guide makes it super easy to find the right option for your needs. You just need to make sure the provider has the type of hosting you want at a price that suits your budget.
3. Select hosting plan
Now that you have selected a host, it is time to select your plan between the type of hosting you want. We've done the research for you:
4. Get a Domain Name
Almost every web hosting provider includes a domain name registry in its registration process. Sometimes it is included as a freebie in the plan of your choice. For others, you must pay separately. Alternatively, you can purchase your domain name from a professional domain registrar and link it to your hosting account.
A good domain name is simple, easy to remember, and usually has no numbers. Don't feel constrained by the.com convention either. More and more websites are playing around with atypical top-level domains such as.xyz or. co. As long as it fits your brand, you'll be fine.
If you already have a domain name, simply attach it to the new server. Many hosting platforms include this content during the registration process and handle it for you.
It is worth mentioning that if you change your web hosting company, you will not lose your domain name. They are different services. If you change the Web host, you can always take your domain with you.
conclusion
That's it. Easy, right? Follow these steps to sign up for web hosting services that are ready and waiting for your site.
If you've made your decision with one eye on the future (and you should), the plan you've chosen will be well supported and easy to expand. Now you can focus on what matters - your website!