So you’ve started your affiliate marketing business up, have a few customers, and are ready to look beyond the basics. Your social media accounts are getting attention and your website is solid, too – easy to navigate, linked up to your social media pages, and generally capable of helping extend your brand identity.
But are you using a hosting service you can trust? Are you still stuck with that .wordpress.com URL? If so, you still have some work to do, and finding the best WordPress hosting sites is incredibly important for your business’ future.
Finding The Best Choice
So what do you need to do in order to choose the best WordPress hosting sites and then narrow those options down to the best one? The key is understanding the main factors that go into a good hosting service. Here are the main variables to pay attention to
- Speed – The longer it takes a page to load, the less likely it is that your visitor will keep waiting. Faster hosting services translate to faster load times, and it’s worth looking at this factor when making your decision.
- Bandwidth – Each of the best WordPress hosting sites will have different limits on bandwidth. This is basically the number of visitors to your site at a time, and with poor bandwidth it’s possible that your site will crash if too many people visit it. Better hosting means better bandwidth capabilities.
- Security – Hackers can take down your page, replace it with something else, or even mine your personal information. The best WordPress hosting sites have cutting edge security protocols that will keep your page and your visitors entirely protected.
- Support – Sometimes, things happen. It’s unavoidable. But when you have a reliable customer service team on your side, it’s much less likely that you’ll have to deal with problems for very long. Cheaper hosting services may have limited customer support. You might not realize it until you have an issue, but once it happens you’ll be glad you chose a service with fast support.
- Set Up – The best WordPress hosting sites make it easy for users to upload their sites, manage them, edit them, and more. Look at the ease of use combined with the support team to make sure you choose a service that will reduce stress and hassle from your efforts and make it as easy as possible to get your page up and running.
- Features – Good hosting services will include a wide range of different features ranging from analytic tools to plugins that improve site optimization and more. Look at what each of the best WordPress hosting sites offer to see what you’ll get for your money.
- Price – Price should really be low on the list of factors that impact your decision. The reason? A low price can quickly lure you in and make you seem like it’s the best option. But sometimes you get more for your money, and paying a little extra may translate to a better experience. In short, the extra money might be worth it.
Keep these points in mind and look at value instead of just the cheapest option.
Think of each point above and then look at the following options, and you’ll be able to determine which hosting service is right for you.
Breaking Down Your Options
With all of this in mind, it’s time to take a look at the best WordPress hosting sites. As I mentioned above, take a close look at what each one has to offer, think about what your business needs, and then choose the one that offers you the best value. Doing so should make it easier to choose from the best WordPress hosting sites and settle on the one that is right for you and your needs.
WP Engine
I’ll start with my favorite option. WP Engine is often overlooked initially because it doesn’t offer the rock-bottom prices that some others might. However, the extra money gets you a lot of benefits that those other services can’t offer.
For example, you’ll get the best customer service in the field, combined with fast and easy to use uploading and management of your sites. Unlike some of the other best WordPress hosting sites, WP Engine also scales easily and painlessly. This way, when your company grows, your website can grow right along with it. All in all, those looking for a solid choice will want to consider this when they’re looking at the best WordPress hosting sites. In my opinion, it’s the best option out there.
HostGator
This is another solid choice, and one that has some of the highest reliability online and fast, easy WordPress installation. Its customer support isn’t up to par with WP Engine, but that’s hard to find. It’s a good choice for small businesses that are just getting started, but it does have some limitations and restrictions on things like databases, storage space, and so on.
GoDaddy
GoDaddy takes the prize for having the slickest, most recognizable marketing campaigns. They also have some of the best prices you’ll find for WordPress hosting. But, there are numerous drawbacks that make me place them low on the list of the best WordPress hosting sites out there.
For example, their customer service is virtually nonexistent when compared to other options like WP Engine or even HostGator. They also have numerous restrictions and a corporate mentality that makes it hard to move your site away from them once you’re locked into their use. As a result, looking elsewhere could be a better option – despite the potential to save a few dollars.
Making Your Choice
These are just three of the best WordPress hosting sites you can choose from, but they’re definitely the three that most will look at first. Take a look at what each of them offers and then choose the one that is best for you. If you want the fullest range of features and the best experience, I would suggest opting for WP Engine. But, of course, the final decision is entirely up to you.
