Getting Your Site Online

I’m often asked how to take a website that you’ve created on your computer and make it publicly available on the web. The answer is to use a web host to serve your pages to the world.

What is a web host?

A web host company maintains a computer that you send your website files to, and the web host leaves that computer on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so the world can access your website around the clock. My recommendation for web hosting is DreamHost, especially if your site is running on WordPress.

The Middle of the Road is usually the best!

There are web hosts that are cheaper than DreamHost, and there are web hosts that are more expensive than DreamHost.  I’ve found that you truly get what you pay for when it comes to web hosting (more money = faster page loads).  Like most purchasing decisions in life I believe the best value typically resides somewhere between the two extreme ends of the price spectrum; and this is precisely where DreamHost is positioned.

WordPress

The official WordPress.org website includes only three recommendations for web hosts and DreamHost is one of them! wordpress-logo-stacked-rgbI specifically recommend their “Shared Unlimited” plan because for one affordable price you can host an infinite number of different WordPress sites.

In the name of transparency I do receive benefits for referrals, but I would not recommend a service that I did not believe in.

My Hosting & Update Guide

I recently filmed a tutorial on the exact hosting plan that I personally use, and also how I use Git to make updating existing websites super easy.

About the Author

Brad Schiff

Brad Schiff is a front-end developer, designer, and educator who has been building user interfaces for over a decade. He’s done work for Fortune 500 companies, national political campaigns, and international technology leaders. His proudest achievement is helping people learn front-end web development.

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