Google Web Hosting – Getting Started
Creating a website is no longer a painful and arduous take because if you do make the decision to build it from scratch there are a number of tools available to make the whole process simple and enjoyable. There are website builders and content management systems that make it possible for those who have very little knowledge when it comes to building websites.
When it comes to web hosting there are many options available but Google web hosting is easy to use and comes with a huge amount of tools and applications.
Creating Your Website with Google Sites
Google sites allows you to create and host your website for free. However, this does not leave you with a huge amount of options for your website. There are some templates that can be used but they are not the most professional looking but they are fine to use if you are an independent business such as a plumber or electrician. If you are after something bigger and better then there are many hosts out there that can help with this.
So how does the Google building tool work? To begin with you will have to choose a domain and this is followed by choosing your free template. Then it is time to edit the pages and create any new pages that you may need and this is followed by uploading any photos and customising the site so that it looks and feels how you want it to. Finally it is ready to publish.
Free Gmail
After building a site, especially if it is for business purposes you are going to want to be contactable which means having an email account which google can help with by using their Gmail service. It is free and reliable and it is also possible to add a professional email address to Gmail through Settings> Accounts and Import> Add another email address you own.
Hosting Images
If you have images that you want to add to your site, then using Google Picasa is a great way of managing them and categorising them so that they are easily accessible. It is free to use and you can add as many images as you wish, all of which can be linked to your site.
Hosting Document
You may have documents that you would like to host on your site and this is where Google Docs comes in handy. In the same ways as Picasa, documents can be uploaded and managed easily and can be linked to your site.
Hosting Videos
Having videos on your website is a great way of showing what you offer to your customers and visitors. If you choose to upload videos to YouTube will cost you nothing and it will help to save bandwidth and processing time if it is used instead of your hosting account. YouTube can help you to target your audience quickly with very little loading time.
Should I Use Google Hosting?
Google are absolutely massive and they are constantly testing and improving their services whilst creating new services. Some services are massively popular whilst others may not be all that popular but if you are a business owner you should definitely consider using some of their products, especially Picasa, YouTube and Gmail. When it comes to website building, it would perhaps be more beneficial to look at a regular webhost who will offer you your own domain, professional email address and a large selection of templates to make you site look unique and professional.
For smaller businesses there are web hosts such as iPage and for larger businesses there are companies such as InMotion Hosting. However, remember to do your research because finding what you need can be tricky, but once you are aware of what you need your website will work like a dream.