resources
From website hosts to email marketing providers
and more, here’s what I recommend …
This page uses affiliate links, and I may receive a commission on purchases made, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I think are truly fabulous, and I use most of these myself. Please don’t feel any pressure to use my links. If you do, it’s appreciated, but regardless, these are the services I recommend.
Website Hosts
Choosing a quality host is an important part of setting up your WordPress site. A poor hosting provider can have a significant impact on your site’s performance (and your sanity!). The hosts I recommend below were chosen based on performance, customer service, and security.
I have used Flywheel on many of the sites I have designed, as well as my own site for many years. They make it a breeze for me to set up everything and then just transfer ownership of the site to you. Their support is always extremely helpful! Flywheel specializes in WordPress hosting only, so they do not offer domain registrations or email hosting. This isn’t a problem at all; it just means you’ll need to take care of those services elsewhere.
This site is hosted on WP Engine! WP Engine offers a WordPress hosting platform backed by a team of WordPress experts who are available 24/7 to make things easy for you. Like Flywheel, WP Engine is built with WordPress in mind, so you’ll experience superior performance and quality. You’ll also need to register your domain and host your email elsewhere. The price is higher than some hosts, but it’s usually worth the investment. Click here to receive your first four months free.
Shared hosting is the most affordable option if you have multiple websites, though site performance will not be as good as the other recommendations I have made. SiteGround is currently the option I consider to be best for shared hosting. They usually have a significant discount for the first year, followed by regular pricing after that. SiteGround hosting also includes email. Their support services, while more limited than the other options I have included, are generally reliable.
PLEASE NOTE: There are some hosts that I do not recommend based on both my own experience and that of our clients. I don’t post a list of those hosts here, as I’d prefer not to publicly drag their names through the mud, but if you’re working with me and considering a different host, please let me know before you sign up for services. Making a good choice where hosting is concerned will save hours of frustration down the road.
Domain Registration & Email Hosting
Depending on which hosting company you choose, domain registration and email hosting may be available at your hosting provider. If not, I recommend the following …
Namecheap (for Domain Registration)
For domain registration only, I recommend Namecheap. They include free WHOISGuard Identity Protection with each domain registration purchase. There is no need to purchase hosting or any of there other add-ons.
Google Workspace (for Email Hosting)
Google Workspace (formerly known as G-suite) is an excellent choice for email hosting. Their service includes Gmail Business Email using your own domain ([email protected]), as well as other features such as online storage and live support.
Email Marketing
I really can’t overemphasize the importance of building an email list. It has the potential to be the your most powerful marketing tool, and it’s a tool you control, rather than one you have to share with a social media giant such as Facebook. You can read more about the benefits of email marketing in this article from ConvertKit.
MailerLite
MailerLite provides a user-friendly dashboard with a drag & drop editor and beautiful templates to make your emails stand out. It’s very affordable (free up to 1,000 subscribers and reasonably priced above that). I use MailerLite personally and have been very happy with their service.
Flodesk
Flodesk makes it easy to design beautiful emails and forms for your subscribers. There is no free plan option, but their flat $38/month fee includes unlimited subscribers and emails.
ConvertKit
ConvertKit is viewed as one of the best professional level email marketing solutions. Their emails are less design-focused and more focused on getting your content into your reader’s inbox. They do not offer RSS to email (which is required if you want your blog posts to be sent to your subscribers automatically), so this is something to keep in mind.
