Every day, thousands of new WordPress blogs and website are created. It’s understandable that so many people use WordPress since it is one of the most reliable, trustworthy, and intuitive options on the internet. There are also very few technical skills required, making it the best website building platform for beginners. And of course, it’s free to get started, which makes it even better for those just dipping their toes into the world of online business.
But what you might not realize is that while the free hosting offered by WordPress is great on its own, it’s not enough for those who really want to look professional and ensure that their online presence gets the attention and reach it needs. That’s why finding the best WordPress hosting plans will be so important, especially for those of you attempting to become affiliate marketers.
What Rookies Should Know About WordPress Hosting Plans
The first thing you need to know is simple – what is hosting, and why does choosing the best WordPress hosting plans matter so much? In short, hosting is just what it sounds like – it’s the computer server that your website resides on. When somebody types in a web address, the site they are viewing resides on a computer. Due to costs and complexity issues, only large companies have their own web servers, and the rest of us rely on outsourcing that task to web hosts. Here is a quick and dirty 1 minute video with some additional information to help you understand that a web host does…
- A professional, independent domain name that helps your business look its best
- Numerous security features
- Quick site speed & load times
- File storage space
- Automated webite backups
- And more
In short, good WordPress hosting plans help your online presence be everything that it can be, while also providing great SEO benefits to help your site rank in Google as well as other search engines. With that in mind, it’s well worth taking the time to choose the right one for your business.
If ranking highly in search engines is important to you, I very highly recommend WPengine. They provide some of the fastest and most secure web hosting available which leads to a boost in search engine rankings. If are currently using WordPress on another web host, you can compare site speed by clicking the banner below:
Choosing Between The Different WordPress Hosting Plans
Before you start taking a look at specific WordPress hosting plans, you also need to briefly review the simple fact that there are dozens of different companies out there offering WordPress hosting. These include sites like GoDaddy, HostGator, and my personal favorite, WP Engine.
Each hosting service offers the same basic thing, but with different plans, packages, and features. For instance, GoDaddy is one of the most well-known and offers the lower prices, but that comes with more restrictions, difficult to reach customer service, and other corporate hassles that only come from larger scale enterprises.
Sites like WP Engine may cost a bit more, but you get cutting edge technology, more scalability, friendly and easy-to-reach customer service, and other benefits. It’s ultimately up to you which company you go with, but it’s well worth taking the time to really do some research before you commit to one. Paying extra for many is well worth the increased security and better features they get. That way you can sign up and start your account with confidence and start helping your business grown in a big way.
At any rate, once you’ve chosen your host service, the next step is figuring out the right option from the different WordPress hosting plans that are available.
Choosing From The WordPress Hosting Plans
In some instances, a hosting service may actually only offer you a single plan. They might have a flat rate, with specific guidelines for what kind of hosting, bandwidth, speed, and support you’ll get from your monthly price.
But in other cases, you’ll be able to select from different WordPress hosting plans that are designed with different uses in mind. Think of them like the television packages that you would order from a satellite or cable TV provider – you’ll pay more for more features or reach. These WordPress hosting plans let you pick the package that is best for your company.
In general, there are a few basic things you need to consider including:
- Speed
- Features
- Storage space
- Security
- Support
- Ease of uploading WordPress
- Price and overall value
Here’s a look at some examples of the kinds of packages services like WP Engine offer to their clients. Review them and you’ll likely be able to quickly get an idea of which one your business needs at the moment.
Personal
These WordPress hosting plans are for those just wanting to operate a single site and is a perfect choice for those just starting out their online presence. In general, you’ll get a single WordPress site hosted along with as much as 10GB in storage, free SSL certificates, solid security, and good bandwidth.
Professional
Those who need multiple smaller sites or who want to manage one large one will want the pro packages. These include the ability to host multiple websites and greatly increase storage spaces and bandwidth.
Business
When our business grows to the point that it is receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors each month, upgrading to a business package might be needed. It provides, even more, bandwidth and storage space.
Once your business grows, you can upgrade to a more advanced, powerful plan when you’re ready. The beauty of this is that you only pay for what you need – nothing more, nothing less. If you’re looking into WordPress hosting plans, this flexibility can make the early months and years much easier to handle.
As you can see, WordPress hosting plans largely scale in price and power based on the bandwidth, server storage space, and even the speed that your visitors receive. For those who are just starting out in the online world, choosing one of the personal plans is a great option. It lets you get the hang of things, build a basic site, and learn how to manage it.
The Bottom Line
Best of all, with hosts like WP Engine, you can scale your WordPress hosting plans when needed. This means that when your business grows to the point that it needs more bandwidth, storage space, or something else, you can easily upgrade your service and evolve it right along with your business.
The right WordPress hosting plans have a tremendous impact on the future of your business.
Be sure to keep the information above in mind and look for the one that is the best fit for you.