How to Choose Web Hosting (Without the Jargon)

Hosting is where your website lives. The right host keeps your site fast, secure and online. The wrong one can make even a great website feel slow and unreliable.

Types of hosting, simply explained

• Shared hosting: your site shares a server with many others. Affordable and fine for many small sites.
• Managed WordPress hosting: tuned for WordPress, often with built-in caching, backups and security.
• Cloud or VPS hosting: more power and control, useful for busy sites and online stores.

What to look for

• Speed: modern servers, caching and data centers close to your visitors.
• Uptime: a reliable track record of staying online.
• Backups: automatic, easy to restore.
• Security: firewalls, malware scanning and free SSL certificates.
• Support: fast, helpful support when something goes wrong.
• Room to grow: easy upgrades when your traffic increases.

Red flags

1. Prices that jump a lot after the first year without you noticing
2. No backups included
3. Support that’s hard to reach
4. Hosting your website and email with no clear plan for either

Keep it in your name

Your hosting and domain should be in your business’s name, with your login. Your developer can have access, but you should always own the account.

Not sure which to choose?

Domain and hosting aren’t included in my website prices, but I’ll recommend a reliable option for your budget and set everything up for you.