My 12 Years of Experience With Bluehost as a Freelance Writer
The important things you can also consider when choosing your web host provider
My 12 years of blogging and freelance writing had been filled with many ups and downs. Even my website has undergone various changes throughout the years both in appearance and in substance. What I never thought would remain is the Bluehost hosting service that seems to have witnessed the evolution of my writing journey for more than a decade.
What is Bluehost?
Bluehost is a website hosting service that enables you to create and maintain your own website with ease. WordPress itself has named it as one of the best web host providers and is currently topping its recommended list.
Below are just some of the features Bluehost offers today:
-Web hosting
- Disk storage
- Domain hosting
- E-mail features
(forwarder, autoresponder, etc.)
- eCommerce features
- Security features
(free SSL, malware detection, etc.)
- Automated backup
- 24/7 customer support
- 1-Click WordPress Install
- Marketing tools (SEO, Google ads, etc.)
- Web traffic analytics tools
Why Bluehost?
Having relied upon this web host provider, I can recall the many ways that it has served my needs throughout my twelve years of using it.
Below are just some of the advantages I can still remember in using Bluehost:
1. The Price
I first chose Bluehost because of the price. Starting at $2.95/month, it is very affordable for beginners who want to set up their own websites. The price even includes a Free Domain for the first year as well as a Free SSL Certificate. If you are not very familiar with computer terms, a domain is what identifies your website and is the name that people type whenever they want to access it online. One example is my website
2. The Ease of Use
I cannot recall having a hard time using it. Even with zero knowledge or experience in creating and maintaining a website, I never found it too complex for a beginner like me then.
The Control Panel is presented in a simple and easy-to-navigate manner. The steps I needed to make were clear and fluid. I could easily see where I needed to go next and also go back to whatever it was I had been doing.
3. Availability of Support
Even now, Bluehost boasts of an expert 24/7 hosting support. And that is true. You can reach them by telephone or through online chat. In my case, I preferred to use chat.
Whenever I had something I needed to ask, I found the customer support friendly and efficient. It was not only a matter of instructing me what to do. Many times, all I needed was to pinpoint the problem (or even give them a clue about it) and they would politely ask if I could wait for them to address the trouble at hand.
After our chat, I can even go back to our conversation because you can choose to have your chat transcript emailed to you for your reference.
If you’re a bit shy and prefer not to talk to anyone as much as possible, they have a “Knowledge Base” where you can search for the topic you need to find.
4. Vital Features
I have always felt that Bluehost had all the vital features I was looking for. In addition to the easy to install WordPress feature that sets up my website in no time, it handles the domains for my websites. With those domains, I was able to create professional and customized e-mail names for my personal brand. Instead of using a yahoo.com or a gmail.com email, I can create contactmenow@joysoriano.com.
Speaking of e-mail features, Bluehost also has email forwarding and email autoresponders that have proven to be useful to me in previous years.
I also appreciate their security and backup features. There was never a time when I couldn’t retrieve my website information or when it had been totally hacked that I could no longer bring it back.
The disk storage is also sufficient for my needs. For today’s Basic Plan, Bluehost offers a 50 GB SSD Storage.
Last but not the least, I appreciate the Files Manager that one can easily access through the Control Panel. From there, you can see all the files on your website. You can create, delete and move files within the File Manager.
Final Words
I have learned so much throughout those 12 years that I have used Bluehost. I have changed my website themes and designs for a countless number of times. I have learned some HTML and PHP and even managed to tinker with a little SQL. I have set up and managed a website while being busy with writing and developing apps.
Compared to the needs of some users which are more complex and costly in nature, my needs may be quite simple. But if you’re like me, a blogger and a freelance writer who needs her own website that’s not too costly for your pocket, Bluehost may also be the one for you. It has served my evolving needs throughout my twelve years of relying upon it, and I hope it could serve you, too.
Note: I will receive an affiliate commission if you join the above mentioned hosting provider through the links given.