Hosting my Website - Am I making an informed decision?
Anyone who is considering, where to host their Wordpress Site, needs to read this post by Kyle!
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/kyle/blog/some-much-need-perspective-on-wa-hosting-and-comparisons
Do not allow yourself to be tricked by low first year offers of $3/Mo hosting or Free Hosting for a year ... the renewal rates are usually 4 times the discounted rate ... and you get extremly limited bandwidth and must upgrade soon after your website gets traffic! You must pay extra for the features provided in your WA membership!
I have been there and the lowcost plan ended up costing hundreds of dollars per month after a couple of years! These discount plans do not include the same level of service or features offered here at Wealthy Affiliate ...
Read the earlier blog post I did on Objective Thinking ... this is one of those decisions that needs to be made objectively and not under the influence of the marketing pitch!
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/allancurtis/blog/how-to-avoi...
Object review will point you in the logical direction ... and success!
Allan Curtis
Recent Comments
43
This is going to be an interesting thread, following.
When it comes to hosting always a topic to elicit, debate, for users it can be hard to wade through the, misinformation, fake news and marketing hype.
One of the annoying aspects of this industry is that champagne offer as a taster, to get you through the door, The renewals, can cause issues.
I have to agree with Glen,
Read the fine print.
Just a side note, any issues I have experienced, have been more about user error,
I was the issue expecting functionality that was compromised because of compatibility issues, created from the build.
Hosting here in is an excellent opportunity, never had any complaints, support has been excellent.
I think at the end if the day, we need to be thinking about fitness of purpose.
Good posting, Allan.
Thanks, Alex, I totally agree with your comments ... it is unfortunate when some hang their laundry and divert attention away from the topic of discussion.
There is no "One Size Fits All" solution ... I believe WA comes as close as I have seen anywhere ...
The focus on helping the newcomers is commendable, and those who have helped others through the maze deserve a huge pat on the back!
Best wishes ...
Allan
When it comes to hosting services, it really pays to read the fine print and terms of service.
The marketing guys at the web hosting services companies make it difficult to compare the different plans between companies.
That's why I also recommend deciding what features/benefits are important to you AND your business before looking at different hosting plans. Factors like customer service (ticket system, telephone, or live chat or combination of these), security, speed, bandwidth, storage, type of service, etc.
I use a checklist to track features among the different providers. It tough enough without the marketing guys playing games with the terminology. For example, there is no standard as to what comprises "managed WordPress hosting."
I could write a book on my webhosting experiences over the years which include having 3 websites hacked.
But I think I have conveyed the idea that it is important to read the fine print.
Oh yes, Glen ... the mumbo jumbo marketing landing pages are enough to make you scream! So many are misleading and emphasize services that are not needed! It is a trap, once you are hosted it is such a hassle to move, they have you!
Best wishes,
Allan
Allan Curtis just put me onto this previous posting of your's Kyle.
Wow, I didn't know any of this.
One day I just happened to trip across Mike Lambert's referral to WA, when I was beginning my exploration of online marketing, and it's been the luckiest day of my business career to land here and build a website and be a part of this great community!
I'm still learning so much....no monetary ROI yet BUT just learning, learning, learning, AND getting closer....I can feel it!
All the best to you and your team,
John 😁👍
Allan, I intended to send that note to Kyle on his 2017 posting which is also open in my tabs !!! lol I'll just clip and paste it over to that and send. Thanks again for this amazing referral to that post, and your input today!
LOL, you are very welcome, John ...
I found Kyle's post to be very helpful as well ... of course, it is not totally unbiased but there are important facts to consider.
Those who host elsewhere may have valid technical requirements for doing so ... which is totally ok!
For the majority of members, the WA package is excellent!
At least that is how I see it! :)
Allan
Such great affirmation of WA platform Allan - thank you for shedding light on the matter from your direct experience!
That's what I love love love about WA community!
John 😁👍
Hi John, sharing is what community is all about ... I too love the Community ... hosting is a side benefit! LOL
Allan
Couldn't agree more. I had a blog a few years ago and actually couldn't afford to keep it up. So I didn't. Recently found WA and started building the free site, then once I realized all you get (including privacy) it really does pay for itself...and needless to say I bought two domains!
Good to hear that I have company on this ... there can be many reasons why it makes sense ... this community has value and the services are perfect for beginners .. when your site and traffic grows a dedicated server at another host may make sense!
Allan
I would assume that anyone reading this post is a Wealthy Affiliate member.
That being said...Why on earth would a WA member go shopping around for a hosting site?
Kyle and Carson offer FREE domains and hosting, up to 50 if you are a premium member.
It is cheaper to be a premium member than to pay for hosting by a company like GoDaddy...which I understand is deplorable in their service and what they offer .
Just a thought.
Marion
Not everyone values the services, community and support levels offered by WA ...
Those who consider themselves IT Guru's will find all kinds of technical reasons to go elsewhere if they are beyond the "Need" for the services offered.
For those starting out or wishing to use the WA services, membership is a huge bargain!
Allan
interesting take on things. My personal opinion is if you are serious about running a business you look at all options and not put all your eggs in one basket.
I tried WA hosting but it wasn't for me. I now have hosting elsewhere and is a lot cheaper and i have more control over it.
WA hosting is great for the new business startup as its included in the price, but what happens if you need to cancel your membership for whatever reason. You then have the hassle of transferring your site (and possibly your domain).
I prefer to have my hosting from a web-host company, after all they are the experts in that field.
My domain is from a domain registrar as they are experts in that field.
My training is with WA and a few others as they specialise in that field.
Keep your options open is all I would say
Yes, everyone has these options ... I have done the reverse and found moving all my sites to WA hosting has saved me a ton of money! I have used all of the big web hosting platforms over the past 15 years ... in every case, the costs went up and the service levels went down!
An informed decision will lead you to the proper solution for you ... works every time.
completely agree with you there. Some people find WA hosting suits them and that;s fine. But imo its not what i need for my business.
@allancurtis I dont use any of the big boys in the webhosting business, i refuse too as i now how bad they become the bigger they get. Instead i support a local hosting company where you receive a much better individual experience. Support is second to none, blows WA support out the water.
I guess it all depends on what you need. As your business grows, the needs change with it.
Yes, I agree ... when your volume of traffic grows, you may need to find a different IT solution that will better meet your needs!
However, for low volume affiliate sites, hosting up to 25 personal domains along with all the member services, for the cost of a WA membership, is a great deal!
In terms of the support, I have found WA support to be excellent ... every question I have had has been responded to promptly and resolved quickly!
Allan
agreed. Its one of the reasons i didn't use hosting here in the end. I'm not keen on having out of date software on servers. I've had one of my sites hacked before because of this. Once bitten twice shy.
I can now choose when to upgrade my php version etc so its down to me.
I know support will upgrade it if we ask, but its not good practice to be reactive to problems instead of being proactive. Isn't that why we pay for the service?
I'm happy just paying for the training and community now. Others are welcome to use hosting it they feel its right for them.
p.s. I'm not sure about using an anonymous account here either, just be honest, as long as you don't come across as "attacking" WA it will be fine. Everyone has their own opinions.
i see, then i guess you are right to be cautious. but that re-enforces my point about all your eggs in one basket. Having hosting else where to start with wouldn't have mattered being banned so much.
Affiliate marketing is to be treated as a serious business so we need to make decisions for ourselves and not just because others say its the "right" way of doing things.
I personally do not have a problem with open discussion, as long as it is on topic!
You obviously feel you were not treated well ... it would be far better to deal directly with those involved. Presenting a personal issue to the entire membership, using a fake account, is not a professional approach ...
Let it go ... if you wish to deal further, please do so on your own post!
Thanks
Allan
I have deleted your recent comments ... you are not welcome on this discussion as you are using a fake account and are repeating yourself over and over ... please open your own thread!
Allan
No .. it is because I have asked you three times to move on ... you had your say and obviously have an issue with WA
It should be dealt with privately ... there is quite likely a very good reason why you were banned ...
Open your own thread and say what you want ... don't poison the discussion on this thread .... you have made your point!
Allan
Hi Jerry .. yes it is so important to understand all the implications .. if a deal is offering a service at a huge discount, you can be sure it is a timed offer! Too good to be true? LOL
Allan
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I personally believe you get what your paying for. If it's $3 per month or $50 a month or more. Hostgator is one of the good ones now this is my first business adventure so, I don't know personally only from friends who have used various hosting. As far as WA hosting to me is the best and then maybe because, i am a newbie and not a lot of experience however,I would think you need support most importantly. I had click funnels before coming here as a trail and I swear you couldn't get anyone on the phone. They only responded via email so, if something is not working from a business standpoint you need more than being able to speak to someone via email.
Also being able to have a blog on your site even if you do not blog at this time. I have seen many websites that have great blogs and it helps their traffic. and also a good back up service.