There Are Many Hosts to Choose From
If you're a complete beginner and this is your first website, consider going for hosting that costs less than $3 per month. There are plenty of options available, and it doesn't matter which one you choose as long as it's an established provider. For beginners, a simple WordPress website often comes for free with the hosting. This content management system requires zero knowledge of HTML or coding. Just pick a template and start writing.
You don't want to spend too much time on the technical details and coding aspects. Instead, focus on creating great content that you can promote through your YouTube channel, Discord, or other social media platforms.
For most hobbyists, this is all you'll need. However, if you start receiving a substantial amount of traffic from Google and go viral, you might outgrow your basic $3 hosting. In that case, upgrading to a Virtual Private Server (VPS) with more power can ensure your website continues to run smoothly. Keep in mind that if you ever encounter this issue, you should be making enough money from ads to cover the cost of the upgrade.
Domain Name
If you're serious about your online presence, investing in a proper domain name can add that extra touch and allow you to build your brand. A custom domain lends trust and legitimacy to your website that might be lacking with a generic domain. However, choosing a domain name can sometimes lead to analysis paralysis.
Spending days, weeks, or even months brainstorming domain names can be a waste of time. Pick a domain name that suits your content and isn't overly generic. Ideally, choose a short and memorable domain name. In many cases, especially if you want a .com domain, your preferred name might already be taken.
Consider adding a free Content Delivery Network (CDN) to your website to enhance speed and protect against attacks, which can be crucial in the gaming niche. Cloudflare, for example, offers free protection and can significantly improve page loading times by serving static files from edge locations. This reduces the load on your backend hosting or server. However, it does mean relying on another major company for these services.
