Hosting services enable businesses to make their websites accessible on the internet. Some hosting services offer simple website design, storage space, different rates of speed, and so on. There are countless options available with a range of services and pricing models, but you’re here for the goods. The secrets to get a leg up and carve out a spot in your market for the long haul.

Purchase The Right Hosting Plan For Long-Term Success

Here’s the setup we see working best for outfitters across the country, plus a backup option if you insist on fishing for whitefish in a trout stream:

1.) Our Recommendation: WP Engine Managed WordPress Hosting

We always build websites on WordPress for our fishing clients, and WP Engine is the industry leader in WordPress hosting – even for smaller websites with lower numbers of website visitors. It’s fast and secure, easy to set up, updates automatically, and offers plenty of storage and bandwidth to keep adding pictures and videos to your site. They also offer top-notch customer service with a live chat option.

Purchase link: wpengine.com/plans/

Cost: $240/year (or $24/month paid monthly)

Once you’ve purchased the hosting plan, you’ll be prompted to run through a setup process where you’ll choose a starting template and gain access to your official WordPress website dashboard.

WordPress itself might seem advanced at first, but it’s user friendly and offers tons of free and paid theme templates to start building off a nearly completed site with a drag & drop builder.

2.) Backup Plan: Host & Build With Wix

There’s nothing wrong with building on Wix or Squarespace, they’re just limiting. What you gain in ease of use and affordability you lose in flexibility and long-term organic growth. You’ll be limited in mobile design functionality (which is super important since everyone has the Google app in their pocket), and they’re also lacking in SEO features and provide very few metrics around how your site is performing. On the plus side, it’s easy to get started and the non-tech crowd will feel more comfortable.

Purchase link: wix.com

Cost: $16/month ($27/month for plan with basic site analytics)

Pro Tip: Avoid GoDaddy Website Builder & Google Web Builder

These platforms may seem cheap and easy to use, but they’re meant to be a simple, bare-bones website – not a website destined for the top spots in Google search results! The nail in the coffin from the marketing side is that these builders don’t integrate with platforms like Google Analytics, Google Ads, or Facebook & Instagram, leaving you without any tracking insight into where leads are coming from. Steer clear! Your website is meant for more.