This is what a web hosting server looks like!
What exactly is web hosting?
Web hosting refers to the process of making your website available to anyone who wants to visit it. You site is stored on specialized computers called web servers which are then accessed by your visitors, or by you or your web designer, whenever changes are made to your website.
How much does it cost to host my site with you?
The cost is $75/year. I send out reminder emails towards the end of each 1-year period; you can pay by check or PayPal.
How does this compare with commercial web hosting plans?
It’s about the same, perhaps a little cheaper in the long term. Many hosting companies offer discounts for the first year and then raise their price significantly after that.
So why should I host my site with you?
First, you get a level of personalized service not available elsewhere, both for the hosting itself and, if you need it, for choosing a domain name and registering it. You can read other teachers’ testimonials here: Testimonials
Second, if you host your website with me, you can have a free audio interview (a $40 value) about you and your teaching which can be posted on your website. This makes for a very nice introduction for potential students, particularly if they’re a little unclear what the Alexander Technique is all about. You can listen to other teachers’ interviews here.
Third, by hosting with me you are helping pay for the expense of creating and hosting my collection of Alexander Technique websites, and for the time I spend keeping them up to date.
Will I have complete control over my web hosting account?
Yes, you’ll have your own control panel (a cPanel – the industry standard) which will enable you to manage all aspects of your site. In general, you can simply ask me to set something up for you – an email account, a statistics page etc – but you also have the option of doing this yourself.
Where will my website actually be hosted?
Your site will be hosted by Blue Host, the parent company of Host Monster. In fact Blue Host and Host Monster (a hosting company well-known to many Alexander Technique teachers) are really just two different brand names for the same product, and both use the same equipment and staff.
They have been in business since the mid 1990s (that’s forever in internet terms!) and have well-deserved reputations for reliability. Their web servers, and all their employees, are located in the US.
What will it cost me to host a second, or third, website?
For hosting, absolutely nothing – you can host several websites, each with its own domain name, for no additional fee. You will have to pay about $10/year each for the additional domain names.
I already have a website and am hosting it somewhere else. Is is difficult to transfer the hosting to you?
Not at all – and I can take care of all the technical details of a transfer. Also, I can set things up so that there is no downtime for your site.
If I need a domain name will you help me choose one and register it?
Absolutely. Be prepared to listen to my little rant about the importance of making sure you always have access to your domain name and not letting it expire. It is absolutely crucial that you maintain control of your own domain name for reasons I’ll explain when you discuss hosting with me.
Can I host a site using a non-US based domain name?
Yes, you can use any internationally recognized domain name and you can be located anywhere in the world. At present, I host websites in Canada, England and Australia as well as the US.
I am currently on an Alexander Technique training course. When should I plan of getting a website?
It is important to have your site up and running the day you graduate. Ideally you should have a functioning site a year or so before graduation so that there is time for it to be indexed by Google and the other search engines. Google rewards longevity – the longer your site is up, the higher ranking it gets from Google.
I am not an Alexander Technique teacher but I’ve heard good things about your hosting service. Can I host my website with you?
Absolutely! You’ll receive the same level of service from me, and Imogen Ragone will be glad to design a site for you if you need a designer. She’s done several non Alexander Technique sites.
Other questions? Send me an email or call me using this contact page.