College Hosting with WordPress: How to Select the Best Hosting Service for You
If you are in the process of choosing a WordPress hosting service for your college blog or website, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss some of the most essential factors to keep in mind when searching for the perfect host for your needs. We will cover topics like pricing, features, functionality, and more!
Pricing
Pricing is always a major consideration when shopping for any product or service, and it is especially important when selecting a hosting service. You will want to ensure that you are not being charged extra fees simply because you need to utilize more resources as a result of the increased traffic to your site. In most cases, you will want to go with a free plan or a very affordable one to start with. This way, you avoid any risk of running into financial issues in the future.
The price of a WordPress hosting service will vary from company to company, and it will depend on several factors. However, generally speaking, the cost will be based on the number of websites hosted, the amount of monthly traffic, and the region of the world in which the server is located. Keep in mind that the cheaper the better when it comes to host prices, but you should still expect to pay less than $2.95 per month for an acceptable level of service.
Features
Features are aspects of a product or service that make it more convenient for a consumer to use or buy. In the case of a WordPress hosting service, you will want to pay close attention to the features available in order to decide whether or not they are worth the cost. Some of the most essential features are discussed below.
SSL/TLS Security
When someone visits your site, they will normally see a lock symbol in the corner of their screen. This is what gives your site the green bar that indicates a secure connection. In most cases, the secure connection is made using SSL/TLS, or Transport Layer Security. This is a security protocol that prevents hackers from accessing your personal information as it travels from the user’s browser to your site. Without this security measure, all of the information that you enter, including your email address, credit card details, and more, is at risk of being captured.
In most cases, the SSL certificate will be included in the price of the hosting service. However, if you do not have SSL/TLS security enabled on your site, then you will have to purchase it separately. When you purchase an SSL certificate, you will often be asked to provide the name of the domain that the certificate is associated with. You can enable the security on your site by following the simple instructions provided by the website owner. Once this is done, you will see the green bar appear whenever you visit a secure site.
Even if you do not plan on accepting credit card payments on your site, you will still want to ensure that your personal information is secure. With so much of our personal data stored online, it is essential that we protect our information as best as possible. Enabling SSL/TLS security on your site is the simplest and most convenient way to ensure that your information is protected.
Scalability
Scalability is the ability of a product or service to accommodate an increased amount of usage. When selecting a WordPress hosting service, you will want to make sure that they can handle the increased traffic that your site will generate. To do this, you will want to look for a service that has a large enough infrastructure to accommodate your site’s needs. The cost of scalability will depend on how rapidly your site increases in popularity, but it is generally not free. Some services that are scalable charge a premium for this feature.
The best way to find out how scalable a host is is to open up a support ticket and ask the tech support representative. They will be able to give you an insight into how well their infrastructure can handle a sudden spike in traffic. Of course, you must be careful when choosing a host that is scalable, as you don’t want to end up with a service that cannot handle your site’s increased popularity. Another important factor to consider is whether or not the host is PCI DSS compliant. This is a standard that ensures that your personal information is kept secure at all times. If a host is PCI compliant, then you can rest assured that your personal information will not be stolen by hackers. However, not all PCI compliant hosts are created equal, so you must do your research before making a purchase decision.
Reliability
Reliability is the ability of a product or service to perform its stated function without fault or failure. When selecting a WordPress hosting service, you will want to look for one that is highly reliable. This way, you can be sure that all of your blog posts will be uploaded and appear on your site without issue. In order to determine the reliability of a host, you will want to contact their support team and ask about their uptime guarantee. This is the amount of time that you can expect your site to be up and running without experiencing any errors or glitches. Most companies will give you a guaranteed uptime of at least 30 days, and this is usually included in the price of the hosting service.
Support
Support is the responsiveness of a company to issues or complaints. The better the support, the less likely you will be to experience any issues or glitches with your site. When selecting a WordPress hosting service, you will want to look for one that has excellent support. You can contact their support team and ask about their response time or open up a support ticket and see how quickly they can solve your problem. The better the support, the less likely you will be to experience any issues with your site.
Functionality
Functionality is the ability of a product or service to perform its stated function effectively and efficiently. In the case of WordPress hosting, you will want to pay close attention to the functionality offered in order to ensure that you are not paying for features that you do not need. Some of the most essential functionalities that you will want to have on your website are discussed below.
FTP/File Transfers
FTP, or File Transfer Protocol, is the way that you will usually upload files to your site. Most hosting services will provide you with FTP access, and this is something that you will want to take advantage of. FTP is the simplest and most convenient way to upload files to your site, and you will want to use it whenever you are able. As a result of utilizing this feature, you do not need to rely on the host to upload files to your site for you. This saves you time and hassle since you will not have to search for the file and then re-upload it once it has been changed.
Domain Name Registration
A domain name is the address of your website, and it is something that you will want to purchase for your blog or website. You can find many different domain name registrars, and you will want to make sure that you are purchasing the domain from a reputable company. In most cases, you will want to go with a free domain name, and this is usually what most companies will offer you. If you have the budget, then you can purchase a premium domain name that is dedicated just to you.
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
SSL, or Secure Socket Layer, is the successor to the classic HTTP Secure. It is a security protocol that is used to encrypt information that is transferred between the user’s browser and the website. This is especially important when accepting payments through credit cards or using an e-commerce store. Without this encryption, all of the information that you enter, including your email address, credit card details, and more, is at risk of being captured by hackers. Enabling SSL/TLS security on your site is the simplest and most convenient way to ensure that your information is protected. In most cases, the cost of the SSL certificate will be included in the price of the hosting service.
Database Management
Database management is the process of setting up and maintaining databases on your site. If you are just starting out, then it is recommended that you use a free database like Blogger’s built-in database. This will save you the trouble of setting up a separate database and ensure that your content is available whenever you want it. You can also use a service like Google Sheets to store and organize your content.