How to Host a Website for Beginners (Locally and/or Publicly)

Starting a new website requires a lot of decision-making, not the least of which concerns hosting. If youre new to website ownership, figuring out how to host a website can quickly become both confusing and overwhelming.Fortunately, once you learn about the options available to you, determining what your site needs in terms of hosting is pretty straightforward. Figuring out the basics should set you up to make smart decisions and choose the type of hosting thats best for you and your audience.This post will provide an overview of some web hosting basics, including an explanation of what it is and why its important. Then well discuss the differences between local and external  hosting and go over some important considerations for using each. We have a lot to cover – so lets get to it! setting up a website – without it, you have no way to make your site public.Its important to note that there are two ways to host a website: (1) locally, (2) externally/publicly.A locally -hosted website is stored on your own machine, while an externally-hosted site is stored on a providers server.If you already know how you need to host your website, you can jump to more in-depth information now:👉 How to host a website locally👉 Host to host a website externallyWhile you may wish to forgo external hosting to save money, local hosting isnt typically powerful enough for even a small website. Your users will experience extremely slow loading times, and your own resources will likely be stretched thin.Instead, local sites are typically used for testing and development or staging and are only seen by the sites owner and/or developer. An externally-hosted copy of the site is then made public for users, backed by a hosting providers much more powerful server.Local and external hosting are often used in conjunction.  However, if you just need a private site for development, you may only require local hosting.  Likewise, if your website is very small and simple,  you can often go without a staging site  and only use external hosting.Go to topHow to host a website locally (2 methods)There are several methods available for hosting a site locally. Which is best for you will depend on the needs of your particular site, so lets look at two popular options.1. Create a site using a local web stackA local web stack, such as XAMPP, is software that provides several components needed for local development, including a web server. The main benefit of using this method is that it gives you the most control over your site:Additionally, XAMPP keeps your local site completely private, and unavailable to other users.  The downside is that its a bit difficult to set up. Youll need to install XAMPP and manually install WordPress in order to get it up and running.Also, its important to note that, while you can use a WordPress site hosted via XAMPP to test drive plugins or practice coding, you cant use it to create a true staging site. Due to di fferences in hardware configuration, features that work on a XAMPP WordPress installation wont necessarily work on a live WordPress site.2. Sign up for a virtual sandbox environmentA much easier way to create a local WordPress site – and to stage your live site – is to use a virtual sandbox environment. These platforms, including  Local by Flywheel, enable you to easily create local WordPress installations:Local by Flywheel is completely free to use. All you have to do is sign up, download the app, and start creating sites. However, youll want to make sure to configure your settings so that your sites arent visible to search engines.Also, keep in mind that while your sites will be hosted locally, youre still technically relying on a third-party resource. In the event that Flywheel stops supporting the platform, you would have to find another solution (although theres no indication that this might happen any time soon).Go to topHow to host a website externally (5 key considerations)When hosting a website externally, everything boils down to one significant decision: which provider to choose. Below, weve outlined five primary aspects to consider when making this choice.1. Determine the best type of hosting for your siteFor WordPress users, there are five main types of hosting to consider:SharedVirtual Private Server (VPS)DedicatedCloudManaged WordPress hostingEach has its pros and cons. Very small sites can often do just fine on a shared hosting plan. However, the other types will give your site plenty of room to grow, and likely provide better performance and more uptime.A WordPress-specific hosting plan can be very useful since it takes some of the work of maintaining your site off your hands. It also usually provides tools or services you would need for your WordPress site anyway, saving you from having to make additional purchases.2. Examine additional features available from various providersIn addition to hosting your website on one of its servers, many hosting providers – especially those with managed WordPress plans – offer handy features you may want for your site. Some common ones include:Domain name registrationContent delivery network (CDN)SSL certificatesSecurity features such as firewalls or regular scansAutomated backupsExternally-hosted staging areasEmail servicesWordPress hosting plans sometimes also offer access to premium themes, automated WordPress updates, and WordPress-related customer support. Its definitely worth considering which additional features you might need or want for your site.3. Look at different providers customer support optionsCustomer support is a key element of any hosting service. Your relationship with your hosting provider will likely be a long-term one, so its important that its able to provide any help you may need related to your account, server, or even WordPress itself.Self-service support options such as user forums, documentation, or even blog posts can help yo u quickly get past bumps in the road. 24/7 availability is also handy for putting you in touch with support quickly, and helping you  reach someone from your hosts company in the event of a server-related error.If youre looking for more guidance related to customer support, our 2018 WordPress Hosting Survey contains valuable data that you might want to consider. Over 800 WordPress users scored several popular hosts on both their overall and WordPress-specific customer support, so youll know what to expect.4. Set a hosting budget and find a price that works for youHosting is an ongoing expense. Most providers require you to pay monthly fees, although some offer annual plans. Either way, its important to consider what youll be able to afford on a regular basis.There are many affordable hosting options out there. However, as we touched on earlier, the cheaper options sometimes come with other problems. Web hosting is often a you get what you pay for situation.Every sites budget is di fferent, so we cant decide exactly what type of plan is best for you. Our best recommendation is to look for plans that are low cost, while still providing a wide range of features and high performance scores.5. Figure out how youll install WordPress on your providers serverFinally, its always a good idea to consider how youll install WordPress on your new hosting account. While this may seem unimportant at first, your WordPress installation options can make a big difference in the ease of setting up your website.No matter which hosting provider you choose, youll always be able to install WordPress manually. This involves accessing your server via File Transfer Protocol (FTP), using a client such as FileZilla.Some managed WordPress hosts also offer a one-click installation option that enables you to quickly install the software on your account. There are even plans that come with WordPress pre-installed, which is the easiest solution.Go to topConclusionWhen it comes to web hosting, you have a lot to think about. Learning the basics of what hosting is and how it works can help you make informed decisions about how to host your WordPress site. Do you have any questions about how to host a website? Ask them in the comments section below!Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips.