How can I choose the ideal hosting alternative for my blog?

If you are trying to start your own blog, but you cannot yet figure out how to select the ideal blogging platform for you, keep on reading. This is a tough decision because there are a number of different platforms to choose from. So the question is: how can I know which one is right for me?

The very first step in picking a blogging host is making a decision about your particular wish to produce a blog with free hosting or invest a little in a paid blog hosting provider. In case you just want to create a personal blog to keep a small audience updated, or keep in touch with your friends and family, a free blog hosting will most probably be sufficient for your needs. Free blog hosting like WordPress.com or Blogger offer very simple interfaces that make it very easy for users with limited IT skills to start a blog. There is no installation or database configuration involved: the blog software is already set up and ready to use.

The typical free blog hosting alternatives also provide a very limited selection of templates for you to alter the feel and look of the blog. Also, you can’t remove ads from the website, since this is the main way free blog hosts make money.

For blog writers who are looking to turn their blog into a source of income, it is definitely best to invest a little in a paid blogging hosting. After a small investment, with a paid account you will be able to have your own domain name and many more options for customising your blog. In case you would like to display ads on your blog or website, you are the one who keeps the generated income. You can also accommodate large amounts of data and traffic.

Selecting the ideal hosting option for your blog is a difficult and often confusing process, generally speaking. There is an overwhelming amount of options, so many possible upsells and many opinions based on experiences and anecdotes. And of course there is no such thing as the “best blog hosting” – there is only the blog hosting that is perfect for you.

Aspects you need to take into consideration

Different hosting providers have different weaknesses and strengths, and they all offer different opportunities. Some of them focus more on their customer support; some on providing a great pricing; some go for an increased value; and some add-in several bundled features. Some of them focus primarily on beginners; some of them are particularly good for people who want to run several blogs at once; and some of them go for big budget bloggers who value security and uptime.

Is a great web hosting really important?

Think that if you are actually building your blog or business online, there are just a few upfront expenses that you need to make. That said, there is definitely one area where it is worth investing a little bit of money: this is your hosting.

Your hosting is actually the foundation for your whole business. If the hosting goes down, your entire blog or online business goes down. In case it’s too slow, users will simply look elsewhere. If it doesn’t offer the features you need, you will get frustrated and stressed.

Therefore, it is generally worth investing a little time figuring out and making a decision on which hosting provider is ideal for you.

What shall I be looking for?

It is essential to fully understand what you should be looking for in a blog hosting platform. You definitely want a blog hosting platform that makes it easy for you to set it up, with a low learning curve, and it shouldn’t require pretty much any coding skills at all. You need to consider what sort of blog you wish to run, now and also in the future.

As your site grows, you probably will need to change the look and feel of your blog and add more complex features for your growing audience. This actually means that it is important to select a flexible blogging platform, with plenty of room to grow. Getting started with the wrong platform will certainly make it extremely difficult for you to switch later on.

Price

Well, obviously everyone loves a good deal. However, defining your budget from the very beginning really helps narrow down your realistic choices. Another aspect to consider when it comes to the price of blog hosting is how long you will be locked in for. Some hosting providers require that you prepay for an entire year while some will allow you to pay month by month.

Conclusion 

Creating a blog and sharing it afterwards with the rest of the online world is definitely a fun and exciting experience. Once you are done with all that hard work of creating your blog, you surely do not want to ruin the whole thing by picking an untrustworthy hosting provider. Once your blog gets popular and attracts more and more visitors on a daily basis, you will need options and flexibility to work with your hosting provider in order to make sure that the hosting solution adjusts perfectly to your needs.