How to Select a WordPress Hosting Provider with Image Hosting in Mind
When launching a new blog, the first thing you’ll want to do is find a suitable location for publishing content. While there are plenty of free blogging platforms like blogger.com, you’ll ideally want to move towards a more robust solution that can take your hobby and turn it into a source of revenue. To do this, you’ll need to consider several factors including cost, functionality, and hosting performance. In this article, we’ll discuss some tips on how to select the best WordPress hosting provider for your needs.
Features You Need
When choosing a web host for the blog that you’re planning on launching, you’ll want to consider several features that can make your experience more enjoyable. Some of the features that you might want to look out for include the following:
- Free backups
- Free domain privacy
- Free domain upgrades
- SSl security
- Pro-level support
- x86 or x64 options
- Image hosting
- Spam filter
- Money back guarantee
- Free updates
- Free domain transfers
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all your blogging needs, then you might want to consider looking into the dedicated WordPress hosting plans from a reputable provider. These plans usually feature all of the above and more. They are generally more expensive than the cheaper shared hosting plans, but you’re getting what you pay for.
Cost
One of the first things that you’ll want to consider when comparing WordPress hosting providers is the cost. The cost of a good hosting plan will vary from one provider to another, but you can expect to pay anywhere between $2 and $5 per month for a reliable service. As a beginner, you can get started for free with the minimalist plan from Bluehost, for example. You’ll also want to bear in mind that shared hosting plans feature limited resources which can increase the latency of your site when millions of visits are being made per day. A reliable and trustworthy WordPress hosting provider should offer you the option to upgrade your account at any time should you reach a certain threshold of usage. This is usually done either via a credit card on file or via a direct mailer. The cost of a typical dedicated hosting plan ranges from $5 to $10 per month. To put this into perspective, it’s usually cheaper to buy a domain with a hosting provider than it is to purchase one independently.
Performance
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a WordPress hosting provider is the performance of their service. To put it simply, you’ll want to make sure that their infrastructure is able to handle the amount of traffic that you’re expecting to receive within a reasonable timeframe. The moment that your site begins to experience any kind of hickup, you’ll want to consider moving towards a different provider. This is important because every time that you move your site to another hosting provider, you’ll have to go through a rigorous testing and optimization phase to ensure that it functions at its best. This can be a time-consuming process which you’ll want to avoid if possible. As a general rule of thumb, look for web hosts that feature a money-back guarantee should you experience any form of hickup.
Security
Finally, you’ll want to consider the security of your blog’s landing page should you choose to host it on a WordPress platform. This is important because WordPress is one of the most popular open-source content management systems which is currently being used by more than 35.8 million websites around the world. As a result, it’s one of the most targeted platforms in existence. This means that you’ll want to make sure that your hosting provider is taking the security of their platform seriously and is utilizing top tier security software to protect you and your blog’s content from outside attacks. Luckily, this is a field in which most web hosts excel, so you can rest assured that they’ve got your back should an incident occur.
To help you find the best WordPress host for your needs, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular WordPress hosting providers along with a few of our favorite reliable brands. Keep reading for more information on each provider or visit the links below to learn more.