Should you host with Bluehost?
Heads up: affiliate links ahead
Some links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you use them to purchase Bluehost products, you’re supporting me via commission at no additional cost to you!
I only endorse companies I have experience with and genuinely recommend. My aim is to provide you with honest insights, not to pressure you into a purchase. If you decide this product is right for you, purchasing through my link is a great way to support me, and I’d be incredibly grateful!
Are you considering creating a website of your very own? Is your website looking for a new place to call home?
There are myriad options for hosting out there, so choosing the right one can be tricky. I can’t tell you decisively what is right for you.
What I can do is share my personal experience with Bluehost and hope this will empower you to make the right decision for yourself.
What even is hosting and why do I need it?
A web host is virtually a “land”lord, providing your website a place to live. The Host is responsible for typical landlord things like making sure the infrastructure is sound, and your website stays accessible. Depending on your terms of your lease… er… contract, this may also include services like security or backups.
With location sorted you can truly become master of your domain and start furnishing it with the files, images, and posts that make it your own!
Why toast to Bluehost?
Back in 2018 I found my way back to writing, something I’ve loved to do since I was a tiny baby child. Somewhere in becoming an adult, I’d forgotten that. I truly can lose anything! The internet recommended the best way to begin establishing myself was through a blog. Now despite what you see here, I’m not really a blog person. But sure.
So! I began researching this very topic – how do I go about having a website?
I came across an affiliate post, not completely unlike this one. However, it made all kinds of promises of how the authors would help me along the way. Amazing! Except, “help” turned out to be an occasional newsletter plugging their other articles and products rather than actually providing guidance. Fool me once.
That brings me to my first reason I recommend Bluehost:
- Bluehost customer service
Luckily, the Bluehost customer service team was there for me even though the aforementioned affiliates were not. As I fumbled through learning to use WordPress, Bluehost continually picked up my requests for help and supported me through challenges like attaching my domain name and accidentally deleting some core files. More than once.
Bluehost support is available 24/7 through phone call or online chat. While sometimes it took a few interactions to fully resolve my (mostly self-made) problems, we did resolve them. I couldn’t have built this without the Bluehost customer service team’s help!
The Bluehost platform offers an intuitive layout, acting as a central hub where I can easy manage my sites, domains, email, hosting plans, security, and more. If I can figure it out, you definitely can.
Bluehost is optimized for (and recommended by) WordPress, which is not always the most intuitive platform. But Bluehost knows it and integrates security, performance, and update management into their interface via plugin (that’s a little add-on tool for your site), plus sets you up with some basic tools like Yoast SEO optimization.
There’s also a pretty comprehensive database of basic knowledge to get you started on most topics. It doesn’t provide a lot of in depth troubleshooting, but if you’ve exhausted those suggestions that’s where customer service comes in!
- Scaling with Bluehost
After a few years of figuring out, putting things together, and occasional posts, my needs have changed. I’ve started to build out my presence with regular blog posts and the launch of my online shop Help Me With My Dreams.
Bluehost offers flexible hosting plans to support any number of sites and any level of knowledge. You can purchase basic hosting services and do the rest yourself, or work with their team on a custom website design. It’s easy to adjust your package at any time, so you can grow at your own pace!
You can pick and choose products à la carte – adding on privacy options, back ups integrated with CodeGuard, or security through SiteLock. They also offer comprehensive packages to support creators, influencers, businesses, and e-commerce sites. Whatever your needs, Bluehost has products to fit your level of online savvy, determination, and proclivity for DIY.
And if you’re not sure what you need, well, I’ve already plugged their customer service. They’ll help you figure it out!
- Security
Recently I really began to struggle with malware attacks. Most notably, the day my site was suddenly promoting Australian gambling gambits!
Having no real aptitude or experience with coding, I attempted to solve the problem through research and various plugins. Each time I was partially successful, but the infections kept returning. After months of largely unsuccessful attempts to clear up the problem (and about 1000 connects with Bluehost customer service to give advice and run infection reports for me) I finally opted into their SiteLock services.
Their expert team set me up, promptly rid the site of infected files and are vigilantly monitoring things as you read this. I don’t love the SiteLock ticketing system, as you can’t see those messages directly in the interface. But each time I’ve submitted a ticket to tackle a problem or figure out what information I needed to put where to get it to work, the team has responded promptly via email to resolve my issue. Plus there’s a 24/7 support number if you’re one of those ‘phone call’ people (not me).
Since adding this service, I’ve had no further issues.
The peace of mind this offers is well worth the investment.
Any reason to ghost Bluehost?
In my opinion there are only a couple reasons why one might avoid Bluehost.
- Big corporation
I prefer to support independent and local businesses. Bluehost is anything but this. The company was originally started by Matt Heaton and Danny Ashworth out of Utah in 2003. It has since been acquired by larger and larger corporations and is currently (at time of writing) a part of Newfold Digital. Newfold is an umbrella corporation that encompasses Bluehost, CrazyDomains, HostGator, and many more brands.
A quick search of Indeed calls out that Newfold has outsourced a lot of jobs overseas (though those people need jobs too), and generally doesn’t offer great pay or benefits. None of which I love.
The upsides of hosting with a large company are 1. They’ve been at it for a long time, 2. Are invested in doing it right and 3. Have the resources to succeed. When it comes to keeping my websites online and accessible, Bluehost can do the job (99% of the time anyway, nothing is perfect!)
That said, I’m open to hearing about any independent hosting companies you know and support!
- Price point
While I do think having a website is worth the investment it is an investment. By the time you’re hosting and have added on your security and back up options, you’re not spending an insignificant amount. However, when researching platforms that fit my needs, Bluehost still came out on top price-wise.
In a digital age, online presence is more important than ever! Companies like Bluehost make this asset achievable even for the tech-inept (proven by this post existing).
Choose your tools, master your domain, and make your dreams come true!
Comments, questions, concerns, or outbursts? Comment below or reach out to me directly.
Still deciding? Peruse my posts and see the various things I’ve been doing with Litterature: