How to Buy Web Hosting
Once you’ve bought your domain, you are going to need to find someone to host your lovely new website. These hosts will allow you to build and then run your website from their servers for a cost. It’s a bit like renting a building to run a shop.
These costs can vary depending on what you require. Most hosting companies will throw in a few free email accounts so you can have a personalised email address for your website. It is more professional to have yourname@yoursite.com than yourname@hotmail.com. Allowing you to use WordPress will make your website building journey a lot easier too. Depending on the package you buy, you can also host several websites for the same cost, which could be useful if you write under multiple pen names or genres.
Domain providers usually offer hosting too, so for ease of use, you can always take out a hosting package at the same time as you buy or domain. You can also do this after you’ve bought your domain. Do check the cost of renewal, as some companies will charge a very low introduction fee and then hike the cost later on.
For this post, I will use Namecheap. Other hosts include Bluehost, GoDaddy, SiteGround and 123-reg.
After deciding on your hosting provider, you’ll need to look at the packages they provide. If you just want to run a basic website (i.e. not including a store) then aim for a package that is cheap and includes WordPress and an email address as the minimum. You also want to make sure you are comfortable with either yearly or monthly billing.
Once you’ve selected your package, you’ll be prompted to enter your domain name or buy one if you don’t already have one.
On this occasion, I added a domain name I already had with Namecheap, but I could also have added a domain name from another domain provider. When you have made your selection, add your hosting to your cart.
The next page will be a confirmation of what you are purchasing. At this stage, I wouldn’t worry about the additional extras offered. You can always add them on if you feel you need to. If you are happy, proceed to payment.
And that’s it!
Check out my other posts on how to finish setting up your website.