How To Host Your Own Website Guide – Forbes Advisor

If you haven’t yet decided which platform you’re going to use to build your website, the first step is to choose a content management system (CMS). The reason is that the way you host your website depends on what platform your website is built on. For the average person building a website, the decision comes down to two main types of platforms: WordPress or an all-in-one website builder like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify.

The main differences between WordPress and website builders are ease of use, customization options, and cost. Although WordPress is a free, open-source CMS, it requires third-party web hosting. It’s much more flexible and gives users the ability to create almost any type of website with almost any functionality. However, it is much more complicated to use and involves a fairly steep learning curve. Whereas website builders are designed to make website building easier. They include web hosting so you don’t have to buy and connect web hosting from a third party.

If you choose WordPress, the next step is to choose a web hosting service. There are a number of web hosting providers such as Bluehost, DreamHost, Hostinger and IONOS, all of which offer similar but slightly different features (e.g. storage and bandwidth caps, uptime guarantees, speed, contract length and price).

If you’re hosting a new website, it pays to choose a web hosting plan that comes with features like a free domain name, free SSL certificate, and one-click WordPress install like Bluehost. On the other hand, if you’re hosting an existing website, it’s worth finding a web host that offers a free WordPress website migration service, e.g. B. Hostinger.

For more insight and help in choosing the right hosting service, see Best Web Hosting Services.

If you don’t already own a domain name, get your domain directly from one of the best domain registrars like Namecheap, Domain.com or Google Domains. Alternatively, you can register your domain name with any registrar, but your web hosting provider may provide you with a free domain name included with your account. This means that you do not have to pay any registration fees for the first year of your activity.

It is generally advisable to get your domain name from your web hosting provider as this will save you time as you no longer have to manually connect your domain to your web host. If you’re not sure where to start, learn more about how to register a domain name.

The process of connecting your domain name to your web host depends on where you got your domain name from. For example, if you received a domain name through your web hosting provider, it will automatically connect to your web host. If you already own a domain name, you’ll need to manually connect your domain to your web host.

To do this, navigate to the site you purchased your domain name from (such as Namecheap or GoDaddy). From there, go to your domain name settings to point your domain to the hosting server. Within your web hosting account, you should have been assigned name servers known as domain name servers or DNS. These are the addresses you point your domain name to, so when people type “www.yourdomain.com” they end up on the content you host on your chosen server.

Once you’ve found the nameservers, you need to log into your domain name settings and click on the DNS Settings tab. You then simply replace the current domain name servers with those provided by your web host. If you save this, your domain will point to your host server within a few hours, but it can be fairly instantaneous.

The last step in this process is to either install WordPress on your domain through your web hosting account. Most of the leading web hosting providers offer a free WordPress one-click installation that allows users to connect their domain and web hosting plan to WordPress with just one click. How you access the one-click install feature depends on which web hosting provider you’ve chosen, but you can usually access it through your web hosting account or cPanel.

If you already have an existing WordPress website and are connecting to a new hosting provider, the easiest way to connect is to use a WordPress migration service. This is often available for free through your web hosting provider. However, some hosts charge an additional fee for this migration service.

The idea of ​​hosting your own website might seem daunting at first – especially if you’re not particularly experienced in web development. However, web hosting providers have come a long way and are now doing a good job of helping users host their own websites easily. If you run into problems along the way, most hosts offer comprehensive help centers as well as live support, so your host is generally the first line of defense if users run into problems.

For more information, see the step-by-step guide to creating a website.