How to Find Free WordPress Hosting for Students
If you are a student looking for a way to publish your creative writing, art, or other work, then you have probably considered using WordPress as a blogging platform. After all, it’s one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) around. And the good news is that you can find a wide range of hosting plans that are geared toward students, from personal sites all the way up to large-scale multi-author blogs. So no matter what your needs, you’re bound to find a perfect solution with which to meet them. Here’s a guide to help you find a suitable WordPress hosting provider for your unique situation.
Decide Between Free Or Paid Hosting
WordPress comes with two primary hosting options: standard and premium. While the standard option allows you to create a free blog with the software, the premium option gives you access to advanced features and removes some of the limitations imposed by the free version. Naturally, the premium version costs you money, but it’s totally worth it. You should opt for the paid option if your needs are beyond the basic capabilities of a free blog. For example, you might want to install a commerce platform like Shopify on your site, or you may want to use the WordPress platform to create a news website or a magazine. In these cases, the premium version of WordPress is the clear choice due to its more extensive feature set.
Decide Between Static Or Dynamic Content
WordPress also includes a feature called “Live Publishing” that makes it easy to post articles, stories, and other content on your site as soon as you finish writing them. With this feature, you don’t have to worry about publishing schedules because your content is automatically saved and made live whenever you log in to the dashboard of your blog. This can be beneficial if you have a lot of content to share, or if you’re just starting a blog. However, if you’re looking to establish a serious blog that will be regularly updated, then you should opt for the static option. With this option, you will need to manually save content as soon as you publish it. But other than that, the live publishing feature doesn’t exist. Thus, if you want to have a regularly updated blog, then static blogging is the way to go.
Decide Between Linux-Based Or Window-Based Engines
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a web host is the engine used to power your blogs. There are two options here: one is called “Linux-based” and the other is “Window-based”. If you go with Linux-based, then your blogs will run efficiently and won’t have any compatibility issues with most web browsers. However, if you opt for the Window-based option, then you will need to ensure that your web host is supported by IE9 or higher, as well as Firefox and Chrome. In this case, your blogs will work fine but won’t look the same as if you were running them on a Linux-based hosting plan.
Decide Between Apache Or Nginx
Apache is a free software license that allows you to run a web server. If you are looking for a Linux-based solution, then you should opt for the Apache license. This will ensure that you can run your site using the Linux OS without any additional fees. With Nginx, on the other hand, you will need to pay a one-time fee of $15 to $20 per month to use its proprietary software. This is the default web server on most Linux distributions, so you’re sure to have it installed on your system. If you go with Nginx, then you should make sure that your web host offers 24/7 customer support since this is undoubtedly the most common glitch that you are likely to encounter. If not, then you’re better off looking for another solution.
Decide Between Dedicated Or Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is where a number of websites share the same server. This creates a lot of overhead since all of the sites will be competing for its limited resources. However, dedicated hosting is just what it seems like: you get to use a specific server that is solely dedicated to your needs. This means that you will not have to worry about resource issues because there will be no other site that is consuming the server’s resources. Naturally, dedicated hosting costs more but it’s totally worth it if you’re trying to establish a stable and professional-looking blog. If you opt for dedicated hosting, then you should go for the smallest plan that you can find; the more resources you need, the more you will pay. And last but not least, make sure that your web host offers backups and restores. Without them, you will be taking a huge risk if you are sharing your blog’s content with the world.
Decide Between Free Domain Registration Or Paid Domain Registration
One of the most essential aspects of having a successful blog is having a domain name that is both recognizable and easy to remember. Luckily for you, we have compiled a list of the best free domain name registrars that allow you to get a.com,.net,.org, or.biz domain name for your blog. At the time of this article’s publishing, GoDaddy offered some pretty sweet bargains if you are planning to purchase a domain name.
To get started, visit this special link that will take you to the GoDaddy Promotions page. From here, you will need to choose a plan that suits your needs. You can register a.com or.net domain in 30 seconds for free, or you can opt for a paid.org or.biz domain for just $12.95 per year. Plus, they provide free domain privacy protection and free domain privacy redirection so that you don’t have to worry about unintentionally exposing personal or confidential information on your site.
How To Find Free WordPress Hosting
So you decided to go with WordPress as your blogging platform and you are looking for a way to host it. But where do you start? Where do you choose? First off, you should look for a free option since this will ultimately save you money in the long run. However, you also need to look for a reliable provider that is dedicated to serving the needs of bloggers. And most importantly, you want to make sure that they offer 24/7 customer support in case you have any questions or problems. With so much information available online, it is quite possible that you can find yourself in an uncomfortable situation if you don’t know how to resolve a problem yourself. It’s always advisable to call customer support if you are stuck, and many providers offer live chat capabilities via a messaging platform. This way, you can get help from someone on-hand in case you have trouble executing a particular feature on your blog. To keep things simple, let’s start with the best free blog hosting options that you can find. Keep reading for more information about these hosting providers.
1. Bluehost
When we talk about free blogging platforms, the name Bluehost immediately comes to mind. This is because Bluehost is a popular choice amongst WordPress users who want to get started with a blog or a small website. Not only does Bluehost offer some of the best prices for shared hosting available, but it’s also a reputable company that is well-versed in taking care of its customers. We recommend Bluehost because it is a reliable option for those who are just starting out, as well as for experienced bloggers who want to monetize their content.
2. WordPress.com
If you are looking for a free blogging platform, then you should opt for WordPress.com over WordPress.org because the former offers a number of compelling benefits. First off, you don’t need to have a WordPress.org account to use the WordPress.com platform. This means that you can create a blog in less than 10 minutes using the WordPress.com app. Once you have a blog up and running, you can manage all of its functions, including content and design, from within the app. You can also create multiple blogs from the same account using the app’s Multi-blog feature.
3. Google Compute Engine
Another great option for those who are looking for a free blogging platform is the Google Compute Engine. This is a product that is officially supported by Google and it allows you to run a web server for free. The good thing about this option is that it provides you with your own custom-built server which you can use to store and process your blog’s data. Another perk of using this service is that you do not need to purchase a domain name. Doing so via the Google Compute Engine is almost free, and this way, you can get started blogging without any financial constraints.