How To Host Your eLearning Website: A Simple Guide

How To Host Your eLearning Website A Simple Guide
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Summary: Want to host your eLearning website without any hassles? Here’s a jargon-free post that explains the process, tools, and resources you will need for the task.

Host Your eLearning Website In 4 Simple Steps

eLearning courses are becoming more popular by the day.

And why wouldn’t they be?

A Coursera survey found that self-paced learning is more effective than traditional learning. Not only that, but the flexibility that eLearning courses offer is a big perk for busy learners. So, if you’re thinking about hosting your own eLearning website, it’s completely understandable. In fact, it’s a wise decision. You can not only reach a wider audience but also monetize your courses via subscriptions.

But, if you’re a newbie at hosting websites, you might be confused by the number of hosting options you have. To make your job easier, I’ve simplified all that complex information into 4 broad steps in this article. All you need to do is follow the steps in sequence and you’ll be all set with an inspiring eLearning website in no time.

Sound good?

Then, read on.

4 Essential Steps To Host Your eLearning Website

The first thing you need to do is get a reliable website hosting provider. They provide you with web space where your files are housed, and the services/technologies needed for your website to be accessible over the internet.

It’s a good idea to get your hosting and domain from the same vendor. That way, your domain is seamlessly configured with your web account. While hiring a hosting provider, look for companies that offer one-click Magento hosting since Magento is the CMS of choice for most eLearning creators.

If the company offers WordPress and Joomla hosting as well, it will be a bonus. With that done, follow these 4 steps to host your eLearning website:

1. Decide On The Type Of Website You Want

Typically, there are two types of websites you can opt for:

  • Static websites
    These websites contain few pages and can’t be modified dynamically once they are hosted on the web. You can create the pages on your local systems using editing software like Dreamweaver, and then, upload the pages using FTP software like FileZilla. Every time you need to update your content, you will have to upload a new version of your pages from your computer. Static websites are simplistic, with no functionalities for interactivity or eCommerce.
  • Dynamic websites
    These websites change their content according to the viewer, the time, or other factors. They utilize both server-side and client-side scripts to keep content updated.

The client-side script (user-side) is responsible for the site’s appearance and interaction. The server-side script is accessible by eCommerce and social media sites. It is responsible for producing customized responses for each user.

Dynamic websites use CMSs to house their content, which is why they can be modified online. They allow users to leave comments and start discussions. For eLearning, dynamic websites are the best bet since they are easier to maintain and more sophisticated in appearance and functionality.

2. Select Your Hosting Server

Static HTML sites can be hosted on any web server. However, most eLearning websites are web applications that can be hosted on two hosting platforms:

  • Linux hosting
    This is suitable for running scripts written in Unix-originated languages like Python, PHP, and Perl. It supports databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL.
  • Windows hosting
    This is suitable for running scripts written with Microsoft technologies like .NET. It supports databases like Access and Microsoft SQL Server.

Linux hosting turns out to be more cost-effective than Windows hosting but has scripting and database constraints. It’s best to pick a hosting platform that supports the main technologies you use. For instance, for WordPress sites, Bluehost is the perfect choice since it’s tailor-made for the CMS users.

3. Pick Your Web-Hosting Plan

There are four hosting plans available for web hosting:

  1. Shared hosting
    With this kind of hosting, you share space on web servers with other website owners. However, you will have a dedicated account, secured with credentials. This is the most affordable hosting option for startups that want to allocate their budgets to other productive activities.
  2. Dedicated hosting
    As the name suggests, dedicated hosting means you have an entire server at your disposal. This results in more customization options, greater flexibility, and better security. Needless to say, this kind of hosting is costlier than shared hosting, but it’s the best option for high-traffic websites.
  3. VPS hosting
    VPS or virtual private server hosting means your website is hosted on a powerful server, divided into virtual compartments. This is the best bet if you want enhanced security at affordable costs.
  4. Cloud hosting
    With cloud hosting, a group of virtual servers hosts your eLearning website. Since everything is virtual, the resources are boundless and dynamic. This kind of hosting is suitable for large enterprise websites since it can handle sudden spikes in traffic.

4. Upload Your eLearning Website

Once you’ve purchased web hosting, you will get a DNS or domain name server that is like a phonebook of IP addresses. You will need to change your DNS to get your eLearning website up and running.

Next, you need to upload your website to your web account using either an FTP client like FileZilla or Control Panel’s File Manager. Simply drag and drop all of your files into the public_html folder and see your website go live.

Ready To Host Your eLearning Website?

With the eLearning industry growing by leaps and bounds (especially during/after the pandemic), it’s a smart move to invest in an eLearning website. With the help of the roadmap above, you can roll out your website without prior experience. I’ve explained the process in granular detail, from how to pick a web host to how to determine the best hosting plan for your website.

Do you need more information on website building and hosting? Let me know in the comments below.

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