Getting a Web Site Can Be Fast, Easy, and Inexpensive When You Know Your Options
Many people want to start a website but don’t know where to begin. There are options, though – and knowing what those options are can save you time, money, and stress. Learn about the steps and issues for starting a website as well as how to keep your costs low through various services such as free web hosting plans.
It's not always easy to set up a website when you're just getting started. Luckily, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offer alternatives that often cost less than building your own infrastructure or hiring an IT specialist. The key to a successful website, though, is in the planning and attention you give it.
Choose Your Provider Wisely
The first step in determining your website’s online home is to decide who will provide the service for you. The leading providers of web hosting services include GoDaddy.com, Hostgator.com, and Bluehost.com. The first two offer multiple plans that are quite affordable, starting at $3 per month for a domain name and $8 per month for 20GB of storage space and unlimited bandwidth. Bluehost may have limited options but offers a great deal at only $4 per month for a domain name and 25GB of storage space. If you choose GoDaddy, Bluehost, or Hostgator, you will have to create an account and complete verification procedures before beginning your website's creation process.
Although each provider has similar offerings and plans, each offers its own advantages as well as disadvantages. For example, if you choose Bluehost, you cannot host files on your personal computer and must use their servers. This provides the option of more bandwidth with less storage space but means that other websites hosted by their servers may be slower than those on a dedicated server. GoDaddy, as mentioned above, offers a web hosting service for a domain name only rather than hosting multiple sites on the same server. This provides less storage space and limits you to a single domain name. Another service that can help with this is through shared hosting. Shared hosting allows one or more websites to be hosted on the same server, often at less cost than dedicated servers.
As with any investment, it is important to ask the provider how they will protect your data and what kind of encryption they offer to keep your information secure.
Choose Your Hosting Server Wisely
Once you decide who will host your website, you must then decide where it will go. Internet Service Providers often offer free web hosting but do not provide the ability to host a website. While not as popular or affordable, dedicated servers can often provide greater space and better security than shared servers. You may want to consider a dedicated server if your site has significant search engine optimization or e-commerce requirements, as this will allow you to use all of the power of the server and its ability to host graphics and programs.
A dedicated server can be purchased for a few hundred dollars for an entire year and will typically be offered through your Internet Service Provider or other related service provider. Shared hosting generally costs less than dedicated hosting, though it will be limited to the performance of the server.
Decide Whether to Upload Program Files or Just Have a Site
After you have decided on the provider and host, you can begin making your website. There are two options for uploading files: uploading through the ISP or by placing your files on a web server. With shared hosting, you can upload and download files directly from your computer. When using dedicated servers, there may be a charge to upload and download files within that domain space but they do not have limitations on which types of files and programs can be installed on the server.
Uploading files is generally the preferred method of hosting a website because it takes less time and can be accomplished more easily by someone who does not have expertise with coding. However, some developers and people who just want to try out their new site may decide to use a web server. The advantage of using your ISP is that you can upload all sorts of files without having to worry about security issues or loading time on the web server. The down side is that you cannot install any programs without an additional fee, you must wait for it to load, and the security of your files may not be as solid as with a dedicated server.