What is the best web hosting for WordPress and how do you find it. Peter Hanley takes you on a journey of discovery for fast, reliable and secure hosting.
What do you get with web hosting that matters
As a long term internet marketer, I have tried all sorts of hosting plans, some good, many OK and some really bad.
It is an interesting subject but it does not start with Hosting.
It starts with a subject, what is it you will want to host?
Next, is what Keyword will you use?
Do you want to use WordPress?
Is a domain available?
A good hosting site should be able to help you with all of this information.
Why WordPress hosting anyway
First of all, over a third of all websites in the world are built on WordPress.
WordPress was developed as a free template to help anyone that wanted to blog in any way.
Initially, a lot of coding was required but with growth and change, no coding is ever required as you build a site to match the best.
This is a fairly heady list so if they can use WordPress what is stopping you?
WordPress and Guttenberg
WordPress failed to meet with the web builder sites because the structure in building a page lacked some elements.
Mid-2018 they introduced a new program called Guttenberg. This name refers to an old printing machine of the same name. They were great machines and my brother a printer just adored his big press and how good it was.
Well, WordPress started what we call block building and each section has its own block which included:
Headings of all sizes
A paragraph as long or short as you wish
Lists, quotes, pictures, Predone code. columns etc.
As usual, most people were reluctant to change but I took an early step to achieve this.
If you are a new user this is very easy to manage and you can be producing great content in hours and not weeks or months.
Site support is my WordPress wish
We all live in varying parts of a big world with a lot of time differences. When I am working I don't want to be met with a “please ring during working hours” message or just as bad send an email and we promise to respond within 48 hours. It is not good enough.
We all have the occasional issue with a web page. A plugin won't work, site down a myriad of things that are there to really mess up your day.
There are several types of support and one will be better for you.
Live chat lines
Chatline is okay if you are online with someone with a degree of knowledge and not issuing stock statements.
Gee, I have had some bad ones that test you with stupidity.
Live email
This is when you can fully explain a problem and wait for a response. This is my favourite because the reader has time to consider an answer and respond appropriately.
Forum response
This is another form of support that sometimes works best. Particularly when it is not really a hosting problem. You will generally find someone that has experienced a similar issue and is ready to help out.
Website speed is important
We are an impatient lot and a couple of seconds can make a big difference. No matter how well you structure your page, if the host is slow so are you. It's just a fact of life.
However, it is not acceptable in this stage of technology when speed is paramount and customer response is dependent.
Furthermore, you can do a speed test either with your carrier or an on market site.
Under this subject are also other carrier inputs
This affects your site.
Daily Backup
Site Health Report
Free SSL security. ( a must-have)
Bandwidth and capacity
To name the important ones
Comments on WordPress are important
You should not underestimate the value of comments and feedback to your SEO. Google loves the interaction and this is a really good area to gain a better place in the market.
Suggest a good website host
No better hosting for WordPress than Wealthy Affiliate
I have listed above what you can achieve either for free or a small monthly payment to run as many sites as you wish. When you check-in you can see a report on every aspect of hosting and how it will affect you.
The support is there on all three levels and it runs 24-7. Wealthy Affiliate is based in Canada and I am in Australia so we don't have many similar working hours. I have never had a problem getting support from all three tiers.
Training for WordPress web sites
Let's face it your site will be different to everyone else so you need to understand what you are doing. With the best of intentions, your Domain host is not responsible for helping you with your site so you are on your own. Yes, you can go to the web and search for answers or pay for training in different subjects or use a Module at Wealthy Affiliate.
Here is an example of the Training provided at Wealthy Affiliate
Here you can learn from the very start to the most advanced training available without paying any money or committing yourself to any commitment.
Just Hosting a Website is only one tiny part of a whole package that helps you be successful as you enter an exciting part of your life.
SEO is important in website hosting and site-building
When you understand what you want a site for and gather your Keywords you are ready to take off, well almost anyway.
SEO and Search Engine optimization is preparing your web page for the best possible chance of being visited on the web.
WWW is a massive host of billions of sites all wanting to be seen, so what do you think makes yours stand out?
It is also an address book that guides people to see what you have and without instructions, your visitors are not going anywhere.
I liken it to a satnav in your car or hand. A wonderful piece of work but unless you turn it on it may just as well be a brick.
Even when turned on it still needs instructions to do what you want to achieve.
Your website is no different.
It must be turned on or registered with a Google search to be found.
Then it needs instructions to gather up all those lookers and bring them to you.
The good bit is that it is not all that hard.
The modern days of SEO
In the olden days, SEO was handled by experts that charged an arm and a leg to get you a position on the web.
I can personally remember paying $800 a month for the privilege and not always achieving what I wanted.
Now you can do it all with a few easy to follow rules that can get you to page one and keep you there for the long term.
I can't cover everything here because it takes a bit of time and it is all included in the training at Wealthy Affiliate but here are some things you need to do;
- Your Keywords are the beginning.
- Your Meta profile is important
- as is your site name.
- The length of your page or words included
- and paragraph headings in the correct sizes
- Time spent on the site
- Lots of appropriate pictures with Alt tags
- Internal and external links
- Customer comments
- Attention to your site for being relevant
Now that may seem a long and strange list but with a simple instruction template, it is very easily achieved.
Other SEO requirements
Now we have said that being seen in Google is important, and it is, but there are
Bing and Yahoo
Excitement
Ask.com
Yandex for Russian territories
Baidu for China
And remember AOL first and still going
While these have some relevance in today's market, the second biggest is now one you will have missed.
I just did a quick Google research stroll and almost missed this completely.
YouTube is now the second biggest search vehicle
That's correct YouTube is used for so many searches that it is becoming a dominant force in the market.
What's more, American and world businesses are ignoring it.
Preparing YouTube videos for business has traditionally been expensive but like anything else, technology jumps ahead of the market and makes life easy. So easy in fact a common I.phone or Samsung can be your producer, camera, sound recording and transport to YouTube.
You do need to be a bit careful and again follow some rules of engagement to get the best result
This is something everyone should have in their pocket.
Furthermore, the best web hosting is just the start of the journey
I hope we have provided you with information that will lead you to greater discovery and learning and provide you with a chance of success on the World Wide Web.
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