For those of you who have your own domain or WANT to have your own domain, but have no idea where to host your site, then you may want to read on.

What Does Web Hosting Mean

First, let’s be clear. Web hosting is defined as a type of internet hosting service that permits you to make your website accessible via the World Wide Web.

Typically, web hosts are different companies that allow you to have space on a server that is owned or leased by them.  If you have purchased your own domain then you must pay to have it hosted (or accessible to the web).

It’s amazing how many people will purchase a domain without realizing that they need to also purchase web hosting services.

If you have a wordpress or blogger site then your site is being hosted on their server (for free). The only downfall…you don’t have your own domain or the flexibility to really take your site to the next level.

In the Beginning

To say that I was clueless when I first started blogging is a major understatement.  I literally had no clue where to begin, what to do, or who to even reference for help.  Recognizing the fact that I knew nothing, I went to a local proprietor to set up my site and also have them host it.

When I first signed up I was paying roughly about $15 a month for the hosting package.  At the time, it didn’t seem like a lot, which is isn’t, but I found comfort in knowing that I had a local support team to take care of me in case something happened.  However, when I started adding other sites to the mix, they too were also $15 a pop; so when I had four sites I was trying to manage, $60 a month was starting to add up. Quick. Especially since I wasn’t making a single penny from my websites yet.

Keeping My Options Open

I knew there were cheaper options, but didn’t really know where to go.  Luckily, I’d met some other bloggers along the way and hit them up.  I ask them for suggestions on where the best place to host your site was.  A buddy of mine was using a hosting company named Lunar Pages.  He said it would run anywhere from $5 to $10 a month, and I could host as many sites as I wanted. Yes, he meant that each additional site would NOT cost me ANY extra. It didn’t take me long to realize the math on that one (I am a financial adviser people).

Choosing Your Web Host

This was a no brainer for me. Word of mouth is sometimes the best form of evaluation. If it’s working for someone else and they have good things to say about it, then I usually will give it a chance. Not to mention it saved me $10/month initially!

I signed up for Lunar Pages immediately.

I will say that the company has been great for the several years I’ve been working with them. There have been a few occasions where my website was down, but the longest it lasted was about 5 hours each time and it honestly hasn’t happened at all in 2 years. I think you will deal with that no matter what hosting company you choose. However, remember that if you are making an income from your website…each minute that your site is down is lost revenue. It is important to pick a company that has minimal down time. I would classify Lunar Pages in this category.

If you ever need anything or have questions all you have to do is fill out a support ticket, and they’ll typically contact you within the hour. Definitely some good bang for your buck!

Savings Tip

One little savings tip that I stumbled upon: I went to set up my Lunar Pages account, entered in all my information as if I was going to pay, and then I got busy doing something else (go figure). I never finalized my transaction.  The next day, I got an email from them saying that they had noticed I had started the transaction process but never completed it. They offered me a coupon as a token for becoming a new customer (incentive for me to go ahead and finish my transaction). I went ahead and prepaid for a two-year plan costing me roughly $120, or $5 a month.  Currently, I host eight websites on their platform, and like I said, have been very satisified.

I Like Options

Just recently, I wanted to start a relationship with another hosting company; not so much because I was dissatisfied with Lunar Pages (like I said, I have been very pleased), but more from a strategic stand point (this is a little bit more in depth and is something that I’ll get in to in more detail at a later time).

I decided to try out Liquid Web.

I am paying $15 a month and can host up to five domains.  Right now, I am only hosting three sites through them.  I have been VERY impressed with their customer service thus far.  If you’re looking for a hosting company, I would suggest either one, depending on what your budget is.