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1. Domain Name Registration
You can grab a great deal on domains at Namecheap. Don’t worry, domains are very affordable at about 9 bucks a year, and some hosting plans even include one with their plan. I have always had great customer service for myself and my clients with Namecheap.
2. Hosting
These are 2 of the shared web hosting companies with which I have had great experiences (prices may vary due to special promotions throughout the year):
SiteGround – I LOVE SiteGround, and their customer service cannot be beat! The intro pricing is as low as $3.95/mo. with the regular price of $11.95/mo. (for the 36 month plan) after your signup period. They also have monthly, quarterly, and annual plans available. Click HERE for SiteGround.
A2 Hosting – They are great for affordability, the customer service is excellent, and I like how easy it is to navigate. The intro pricing is as low as $4.46/mo. with the regular price of $5.95/mo. (for the 36 month plan) after your signup period. A2 Hosting also offers a month-to-month plan if you prefer paying monthly as well offering annual hosting packages.
3. Theme
I HIGHLY recommend Genesis Framework Themes by StudioPress; as a matter of fact, I am now almost exclusively a Genesis WordPress web designer because they are superior to the other themes I have worked with in the past. If you have a different theme you love, let me know and I will be happy to use it or create something with Genesis you like even better. Feel free to send links of website designs you like and we can go from there. I can discuss a customized Genesis theme with you if you would like the best value for your website.
4. Email Hosting
I know it can be tempting to use the email that may be included with your hosting package, but for many reasons, I recommend having your email hosted separately so as not to have ‘all of your eggs in one basket’ – just in case. If your server goes down (although extremely unlikely with the above options), everything goes down and it may make communication with your customers more complicated. Also, it is FAR easier to change hosting companies if you have your email hosted elsewhere. I highly recommend Zoho Mail. Zoho pricing starts at only $12 per year for 5GB of email storage space. In addition, Zoho offers apps that can make your life easier. They do offer a free single domain plan (5GB) with web access only.
5. Let’s Talk About Your Dream Site!
The next steps are a phone, Skype, and/or an in-person consultation to discuss your company’s needs and go over what content including photos, videos, text, etc. you have or need for your site. I’m here every step of the way, so let me know what questions you have!
