In my last post “The 6 Phases of Website Development”, I mentioned the intricacies of the development to deployment process. To keep things streamlined, I only gave an overview of the process. In this post, I wanted to dive deeper into the functional side of web development.

Choosing a Hosting Plan

Not to be mistaken with choosing a domain, the host provider is where you are storing the website. The way I illustrate hosting is through renting property. When you are choosing a host provider you are renting out a digital apartment where you can “store” your website. You select the size of the apartment, what company you are leasing from, and whether you are sharing an apartment building with other leasers. The domain in this instance, would be a rented property number/address that directs people to your apartment room.

Regarding hosting providers, I recommend either doing up to date research or getting counsel from your web developer. At the time of this writing, web hosts that I would recommend are Hostinger, Scalahosting, Bluehost, Dreamhost and Siteground. That said prices and services tend to fluctuate with each company so I wouldn’t necessarily go in blind without doing your research. As a side note, I used to look for the best service at the lowest price. However, from what I have learned, due to the fluctuation of prices year to year, I no longer recommend this practice. It is better to find a hosting provider that has a track record of consistency.

As far as the exact hosting package, consider your growth plan. Buy a plan that suits your need for that year. You can always upgrade later, so it is better to start small and upsize as your business grows. Most small businesses thrive on an economic package, however, consider all that will be on your website as specific businesses will need more server space. Your web developer should be able to assist in guiding you through this process if you are lost.

Whatever you do, avoid GoDaddy. It is a popular hosting provider known for scummy business practices. I have worked with them several clients and have yet to have a good experience. If you already have GoDaddy and are happy with your service, that is fine, but as a new customer looking for any kind of web service, you can do better anywhere else.

Choosing a Domain & Email

Your domain and email do not have to be purchased from the same provider as your hosting. If it fancies you best your email, domain, and hosting can all be from different companies. How you point your domain or email to depends on the Domain Name System setup on the domain, which your web developer can help you with. You may be able to save money by purchasing your domain or email from a different company, but I find most companies prefer to have their domain, email and hosting through one company for accessibility. It should be stated that for most companies you can transfer your domain, email, etc. through their services. However check to see if that option is available and the cost of transfer before you consider that as an option.

Choosing a CMS

Content Management System (CMS) is the interface that allows for easy management and modification of digital content. Examples of a CMS would be Wix, Shopify, Content Hub, or Joomla. Without a CMS, you are looking at uploading content through direct HTML/CSS. This can be an option, but without prior coding knowledge it puts more pressure on the business to rely on a web programmer for future maintenance. Having a CMS removes that limitation and presents the backend in an assessable manner.

Of the different CMS that are available, WordPress is easily the most popular and proven. As of Nov 2024, 43.6 percent of websites use WordPress. This is due to a few factors: it is free, open source, adaptable, and has the largest supportive community with over 12,000 free themes and 59,000 free plugins available for the platform. Speaking on a personal level, most of my client websites use WordPress with a custom-made theme. From my experience, this allows the most freedom in design without losing any functionality. To this date, most web hosts provide specific tools to allow easy onboarding for WordPress, which makes it a relatively easy CMS to setup.

That said WordPress isn’t always the best option. For instance, if you are looking to start an ecommerce website, you could use WordPress powered with WooCommerce. WooCommerce has more flexibility in its design, but it is also not as secure as Shopify. When discussing what CMS you want to utilize, consider what you are trying to accomplish and what are the non-negotiable line items.

Configuring the Environment

In addition to setting up the Hosting, Domain and CMS, the web developer may find the need to purchase various plugins for the functionality of your website. This is completely dependent on your CMS as some CMS packages will include the cost as part of their initial service. However, for malleable services like WordPress, you will need to consider additional factors that could add to the cost of the website. Your web developer should let you know what additional prices to expect from additional plugins utilized.

Balkhi, Syed “15 Best and Most Popular CMS Platforms in 2024 (Compared)” Wpbeginner, 15 Oct 2024 https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/best-cms-platforms-compared/

“What is a content management system (CMS)?” Kinsta 6 May 2024 https://kinsta.com/knowledgebase/content-management-system/

“Everything You Need To Know About Web Hosting” Codecademy 19 Oct 21 https://www.codecademy.com/resources/blog/what-is-web-hosting/