Pick Web Hosting

Your website is the foundation of your web business. Regardless of the online income model you choose, you’ll want your own little home on the web. Choosing web hosting is part of setting it up.

Once you have your domain name, your web host gives you a place to set your website up. It also enables you to have a professional email address that matches your domain name (so you@yourdomain.com). Some hosts give you tools to build your site,

It’s not always easy to sort through the many choices you have in setting up your site, however. I’m going to share with you my advice and experiences so you can make the right choice for this important decision.

Hosting: WordPress or Static Pages

The first option is to purchase web hosting and then set up your website on your own. You can choose setting up “static” pages, using HTML and CSS coding, or use a blogging software like WordPress (these are called Content Management Systems or CMS).

This site was created using WordPress.

Though many people use blogs as a hobby, a WordPress-driven site can also be an effective business. WordPress is versatile enough for you to do that, especially if you use the right strategy.

You can also put up a static site and code your site by hand, or use an editor like Dreamweaver. This takes a little more work and know-how, but can give you a solid base for an income-generating website.

The big advantage with this kind of hosting is cost — it’s usually very inexpensive to get shared hosting and set up a blog.

Bluehost

If you want to go with a shared hosing plan, I highly recommend you use Bluehost. They have excellent, inexpensive packages that even a beginner can get started with. You get generous space and bandwidth, and some plans let you host more than one domain!

You can quickly and easily install a blog or set up a static website with Bluehost, so it’s ideal for either option. Choose a quick click to install WordPress, use their built-in site builder, or code your own using HTML and CSS.

Media Temple

If you’re looking for a premium web host with more space and options like a virtual server or a dedicated server, I highly recommend Media Temple. Their tech support is very good and their servers are robust and stable.

If you’re creating a high-traffic website that you feel you’ll need to scale up, Media Temple is a great option for you. They’re built for enterprise-level needs.

I’ve used Media Temple for various server needs and though their prices are premium, I feel their hosting is as well. You can really do a lot with one of their virtual or dedicated servers. If you’ll need a lot of custom work done on your server, you’ll have the freedom to do it.

Site Build It!

I first discovered having an online business in a round about way… a friend went to a hotel presentation about building an online business using the presenters way, way overpriced system. I was really skeptical about the information he showed me after the presentation, but I was intrigued by the idea of building my own website and making money from it.

I had three young children and really needed extra money. I stayed up late into the night researching and I came across a book (Click Here to Download It). I read the book over the next few days and it made a lot of sense. It seemed completely viable, even for a mom like me. That was my introduction to how to build a website that really makes money. The book also talked about Site Build It!, a web hosting solution that also provided step-by-step information on how to build a successful web business.

The money to pay Site Build It!’s hosting fee was not there (at that time there was no monthly option), but I took the information from the book and started writing my website… in my word processor!

A few weeks later I received a check in the mail — inheritance from my grandmother passing away earlier that year. I immediately invested my inheritance in Site Build It! and my first website was born.

The system works. I built a thriving website that I still love working on today. The hosting is rock-solid (my site has never gone down). More importantly, I got all the tools I needed to build a great site. I also got step-by-step instructions and full access to helpful support forums to help me.

If you want a step-by-step solution with everything you need to start a great website, Site Build It! is my top recommendation.

In Summary

If you’d like complete freedom with server-side scripting, or if the WordPress platform appeals to you, hosting and an WordPress install can be a good way to get started. Shared hosting will help you get started inexpensively and you have a lot of options for “one-click” installations. If you’re a beginner and need one-click WordPress or a site builder, Bluehost is for you.

If you plan to need a heavy-duty site that can scale up, consider Media Temple. With Media Temple’s virtual or dedicated servers you get a lot of space. You also have the freedom to run and modify your server how you see fit. You get plenty of space with all of these hosting options, but Media Temple can scale nicely for you.

If you want to make a money-making site, I recommend you start with Site Build It! You can’t go wrong with a complete system — and a money-back guarantee. Site Build It! takes work. You have to put effort into your site. If you’re going to read step one, make a half-hearted effort, and then give up after only a couple of days, it’s not for you. Go ahead and get cheap hosting and throw up a blog. It will cost less and take less effort. But if you’re dedicated to making this work, SBI! is a great option.