If you have set up a website for your company or as a blog, you will be looking to find the best hosting options. Many sites that you create your website on will let you host with them as well. However, you might not get the best deal that way, so it is worth looking around.
You have various options when it comes to web hosting, here are a few ideas to help you decide.
Free Hosting
Third party hosting is usually used by sites that also help you design your site as well. If you have chosen to use a site like WordPress or Wix, then these will offer you free hosting as part of the deal.
The problem with this hosting is that you won’t have your own domain name. It will usually be your site name plus (.wordpress), (.wix) or whatever site you have chosen. You will also get limited web space and bandwidth; if you have a large site, or one that will have a lot of content, you may struggle.
Self-Hosting
You also have the option to host your site yourself on your computer. It is not a straightforward process, and there are a few things you need to know before you start. You need to check that your Internet Service Provider or ISP, will allow you to host your own site. There are many ISP’s that restrict this function.
You then need to alter your internet settings on your computer so that your router has the correct IP address from your ISP.
Although it can be a good way to host your site, there are many things that can complicate the process, and you have to do your own support if things go wrong.
Third-Party Hosting
The third option is to use a third-party host to handle your website and domain name. Even if you have designed your website elsewhere, you can still transfer it to your new host. Many companies such as www.certahosting.co.uk will transfer your site for free.
You can also set up a business email account that will have your site name as part of the email address. It will give your site a more professional look and also allows you to separate your business and personal emails.
There is usually the option to choose the plan you want to buy, depending on the usage of your site. You can start with a basic plan and upgrade as your site grows.
The other benefit of a hosted site such as this is that you get 24/7 support from the customer service teams. That means if your site goes down in the middle of the night, you will still be able to arrange for it to be fixed.
Although these are the most popular ways to host your website, the third-party option is the most popular one that most people will choose. Not only does it offer good technical support when you need it, but it also gives you more options as your site gets bigger.
