How To Find A Good WordPress Host

If you’re planning on making your own WordPress website then there a few things you need to consider before finding a WordPress host.

With hosts offering so many different packages with so many different features it’s important to know which package is the best suited to your needs. There’s no point paying hundreds a month for features you will never use. Here are the top things to consider before your choose a host.

What to Look Out for When Searching for a Good WordPress Host…

Domain Names

The first thing to check on your WordPress host is if they include a free domain name in the package or not. Domain names are very important for your website as it helps with your Google ranking and gives you a professional look. If you already have a domain name registered then don’t worry you can easily transfer it over to your new WordPress host.

If you are making a new website and you don’t have one then it’s essential you get one. The domain name will last for 1 year before you need to re-register it. You will be able to choose from a selection of popular domains such as .co.uk, .com, .net, .org and .info. For most people these will be suitable for their website. If you’re looking for a more unique domain extensions then you’ll need to register them separately from somewhere else.

Web Space

Depending on the size of your website will determine how much web space you should consider going for. Content heavy websites that have a lot of images, documents and videos will require a lot more web space.

Regularly updated website might use a 500 limit within a few months where as popular WordPress sites with lots of content could require 2GB space or more. If you’re not sure how much space you will need then it’s best to start off small as you can always upgrade in the future.

Bandwidth

Bandwidth is also an important factor that links in closely with web space. Bandwidth is the monthly amount of data your web host will provide you on a monthly basis. Every time a user visits your website they will use some of your bandwidth.

If your website is very small and is mainly text and a few images then you shouldn’t require a lot of bandwidth. On the other hand, if your website attracts thousands of visitors a month then you might to consider getting a higher bandwidth limit. You can always start off small and if you reach your quota in less than a month you can always upgrade packages.

Location of Server

Servers can be located in many different countries all over the world so it’s important to pick the right one. If your website is based in the UK and the majority of your visitors are from the UK then it should be obvious where your website should be hosted. By hosting it in the same country as the majority of your visitors it will increase the speed and responsiveness of your website.

Although this won’t have a dramatic effect on every website it’s still best to think of where the majority of your visitors will come from. This will help you decide on the appropriate server location. UK visitors trying to access a website hosted in the US might be waiting a lot longer than usual.

Monthly Vs Yearly Payments

Many WordPress hosting companies will offer your two types of payment for their services. The first is the monthly payment option where you are billed every month for the use of their services. The second payment option is the yearly payment where you pay a lump sum that covers the service for the whole year.

If you can afford to pay for the web hosting in one transaction then this is the best way. Not only do you normally receive a discount but it will make sure your website is prepaid for the next 12 months. This stops you from forgetting to pay for the hosting, if you do forget your website will be taken offline until the payment is received. Obviously you don’t want your website to be offline for any amount of time so paying in advance makes sure this will never happen.

Shared Vs Dedicated

If you have a really large website with thousands of visitors a month then you might need to consider a more powerful WordPress hosting package. Many hosts have two types of hosting, shared and dedicated.

Shared hosting is when your website is hosted on the same web server as other websites. This means the server’s resources are shared between many different websites. Shared hosting is the cheapest option and is great if your website isn’t very demanding.

Dedicated hosting on the other hand is more appropriate for larger websites that are more demanding. If you receive thousands of people on your website at the same time it can greatly drain the server’s resources. By having dedicated hosting your website gets the whole server to itself.

Here at Purplebox Digital we offer a wide range of WordPress services including design, creation and hosting. If you need a unique WordPress website that stands out from the rest then you’ve come to the right place. We specialise in custom built WordPress websites tailor made to suit your every need. Contact us to see how we can help build your ideal website.