I Blog With Joomla: Selecting Web Hosting for Joomla
We hope you've found our post about choosing the right domain name useful! Next, you will need to select which web hosting providers that support your project -- starting the blog in Joomla.
There are thousands of web hosting companies out there and it could be nerve wrecking as to which one to choose. While it also takes time to do some research for the right hosting provider, it's pretty easy to justify which provider stands out as we already know what we want for setting up a blog in Joomla -- a web hosting company that supports Joomla, of course.
(Image credit: Hanson Inc.)
Over the years, the web hosting arena has seen some changes where most companies are moving from dedicated or shared servers and now in the clouds. Cloud hosting is usually preferable as servers are prone to technical glitches and it may not be feasible to host heavy dynamic sites.
With cloud hosting, your site is more secured, loads faster and significantly reduces down time. For further reading, you can refer to the comparison of cloud and traditional hosting.
Which Web Hosting for Joomla Should I Choose?
Hardware requirements
Before we recommend some great Joomla hosting providers, make sure you follow the hardware requirements as they are important in ensuring your blog and Joomla itself work smoothly.
Seasoned web hoster
When considering for a reliable solutions provider, make sure that they are long in the business and has a good reputation from customers by googling about them and see what others are saying about their services.
Technically supports Joomla
I find it convenient to subscribe to web hosting services from companies that support Joomla. It is convenient because when you need any technical support related to Joomla, you will be in good hands as these companies can easily understand your situation and give spot-on solutions. Some of the Joomla supported web hosting companies are Rochen, SiteGround, RackSpace, CloudAccess and HostGator.
I have saved all the research work for you as I have shortlisted 2 great companies that you can trust -- CloudAccess and SiteGround
SiteGround has several hosting plans suited for different sizes and needs. While we are starting a blog in Joomla, you can opt for the lowest hosting plan for $3.95/month. It includes a free domain name registration, 24/7 technical support and lots of other geeky goodies. The SiteGround team goes all out to ensure your site from hacks and promises loading speed of over one hundred times faster, a customised service that you can enjoy.
You would expect something different from CloudAccess. You don't get a free domain name when you sign-up for their hosting plan, instead, you can get a free subdomain to start your website. I think it's a great idea for users who are starting out on a new Joomla site on a subdomain for them to work on the development stages. Once the site is completed and ready to go live, you can buy the domain from CloudAccess itself for $10.
Keeping your Joomla site safe and secured
Hackers usually take this route to intrude a website and the last thing you never want is your site to be hacked. This happens to even the simplest form of site, so you can never take chances with your Joomla blog. Restoring a hacked website can be really frustrating and time consuming, so please take extra precaution and not regret it later.
The single most important thing in securing your site that is more important than lunch is to always backup the whole site!
You may refer to the following security tips in safeguarding your Joomla website:
- Joomla Official Site : Security Checklist / Hosting and Server Setup
- DeanMarshall Consultancy : Top Ten Joomla Security Tips
- HongKiat blog : Web Hosting Consumer Guide - 9 Tips You Should Know
If you have some personal tips or experience to share about securing web hosting, do share them in the comments below.
Once you got the domain and web hosting all set up, next we will be installing Joomla!
To be continued ...