How to Find Cheap Hosting for a WordPress Site
There is no denying that Domain Names are more expensive than they’ve ever been before. Whether you acquired your Domain Name for free or paid a pretty penny for it, one thing is for sure – it’s worth more than ever before!
While this might be a great opportunity to invest in a new house or car, consider using the extra funds to invest in your business. One place you can do that cheaply is Hosting. Now is a great time to be in the Hosting business, especially as more and more people are realizing the benefits of having a WordPress site.
In this post, we will teach you how to find cheap Hosting for a WordPress site so you can invest in your business.
The Lowdown On Web Hosting
Before we begin, it’s important to understand what Hosting is and what it isn’t. Essentially, Web Hosting is where you’ll find the space on the Internet to operate your website. Like the platform you use to build your site, the Hosting determines the type of content you can create and how you can interact with your audience.
That being said, there are a lot of different hosting companies out there, all with their perks and quirks. Some Hostings are better than others when it comes to speed and reliability, so be sure to research any potential Hosting deals before making your decision. We’ll also cover some of the best Hostings for WordPress below.
The Best Value For Money In The Industry
At the time of writing, Bluehost is one of the best value for money Hostings in the industry and with good reason. For just $2.95 per month, you’ll get a free domain name with installation and you can install WordPress to create a fully functioning site in under a minute.
Not only that, but you’ll also get free backups, free domain privacy, free parked domain names, free weekly website updates, and free WordPress upgrades.
Even better, it’s a great choice for people looking to learn how to build their own websites. They have a step-by-step tutorial to help you along the way and even have in-house WordPress gurus available for one-on-one help via their live chat service.
An Introduction To VPS Hosting
If you’ve been following our blog or social media platforms, you might have noticed we’ve been promoting a product called VPS Hosting. What is VPS Hosting and why should you care?
A Virtual Private Server Hosting is a type of web Hosting that provides you with a physical server where you can install WordPress and launch your site instantly. While there is no shortage of shared Hostings, in theory a VPS Hosting environment can provide you with better performance and more flexibility than a shared Hosting.
As the name suggests, a virtual private server takes the concept of a private server and brings it to the digital realm. In other words, it lets you take advantage of the benefits of a private server – without the need to own or operate one.
When you host your site or blog on a VPS Hosting, you’ll be able to take advantage of features such as daily backups, free security updates, and more.
Shared Hostings: The Popular Choice
Shared Hostings are one of the most affordable types of web Hosting and with good reason. What is a shared Hosting and why should you care?
Simply put, a Shared Hosting provides you with a physical server where you can install WordPress and launch your site instantly. As the name suggests, a shared Hosting is shared among many customers (generally larger corporations) so there is ample room to operate your website. In fact, with a shared Hosting, you won’t even know you’re running a website unless you manually check for updates or setup automated backups.
As great as shared Hostings are, they do have their limitations. First, if you want to create a completely custom design for your site (i.e.no templates), you’ll need to do some research into web template platforms. Second, if you’re looking for features, you’ll have to pay for them. Finally, shared Hostings are always a temporary solution. One day, you’ll get sick of paying for web hosting and move to a self-hosted solution.
Resellers: The People Behind The Scenes
Nowadays, many web Hostings are built on a reseller model. What is a reseller and why should you care?
A reseller is someone or some company that provides web Hosting to multiple customers (generally larger organizations) and earns a commission for doing so. In other words, if you purchase a hosting plan from a reseller, you’re not alone – the vendor will probably have thousands of other customers who are also using that plan at the same time.
Many Hostings are built on a reseller model because it’s highly profitable for the vendor. Essentially, you’re getting the vendor’s hardware and bandwidth in exchange for paying for hosting. While this might not be the most economical solution, it can be highly economical for individuals and small businesses who need a bit of a hand holding.
Features You’ll Need To Look For In A Good Hosting Plan
Just like with any other type of business, there are features you’ll need to look out for in a good hosting plan. Below, we’ll cover some of the more important features to consider.
1. Speed – Regardless of whether you’re hosting a business site or personal blog, you’ll need a reliable web host that is configured correctly.
2. Security – It would be best to choose a host that is already configured to provide you with maximum security by default. In other words, you don’t need to worry about installing additional plugins or doing complicated configurations to make sure your website is safe.
3. Cost – You’ll want to choose a host that is as close to free as possible. In fact, some web Hostings even offer a special discount if you pay annually and in advance. The more you pay, the more you’ll get.
4. Features – A reliable web Hosting plan should come with enough features to suit your needs. The more you need, the more you’ll have to pay. Some features you may need are an SVN repository, free domain privacy, free backups, free WordPress installations, etc.
With that being said, now that you have an idea of what Hosting is and why you should care, let’s move on to the good stuff. Below, we’ll cover five ways to find the best value for money in the Hosting industry.
1. Look For A Deal
The first and most important step to finding cheap Hosting is to look for a deal. It’s important to do your research first and find out which deals are worth pursuing and which ones are just sales fluff. A great place to start your search is the host’s website. On most host’s websites, you’ll find a link to their current special offers. If you’d like, you can also contact the host directly via email and ask them if they have any special offers – they may be able to hook you up with a great deal.
2. Join Their Email List
As we’ve established above, it’s important to do your research before buying anything. This is especially important when it comes to Hosting because it’s such an investment. Once you’ve discovered a great deal, it’s time to move on to the next step.
The second step is to join their email list. There is no point in getting special discounts if you don’t know about them. When you join their email list, you’ll be notified whenever there is a new offer or a special deal they’re running. You can also add this email address to your contacts so you can receive notifications whenever they have new offers or deals via text message or WhatsApp.
3. Consider Their Support
Just like with any other type of business, you’ll want to choose a host that has the best possible support. While there are many one-off-shoots in tech support, you can be sure that the more you pay, the better the support will be. If you need assistance, it’s preferable to go with a host that provides 24/7/365 live support via phone or email. Not only that, but you can also choose a host that offers specialized support for WordPress.