I know this question is so broad that I may get many many answers, but I'd really like to get an idea of what hosting and/or website builder / templates are being used by the majority.
I am currently with Godaddy, using website tonight but have found that WT doesn't give me many of the options I would like to build into my site. (ex: customer log in, registration, etc). I am left with trying to figure out if I should just be okay with status quo WT, or find a new one.

I have looked at many of the websites belonging to other VA's on this forum, and there are so many great ones. The websites that seem to stand out are Dream Weaver created.... Are there any others out there that offer many options but are still able to be used by a beginner?

Thanks so much for options!

It sounds like you are talking about 2 different things here. Web Hosting is the actual servers that hold your files - you put your files on the server, and when someone goes to your website, they "request" a file, which the server then "serves" to their computer. For hosting I use BlueHost, and I love them. They're extremely reasonable and offer all the little "extras" that I want.

It sounds like you are talking about a design or template. Dreamweaver is a software program produced by Adobe that can help build a website, but in order to really do a good Dreamweaver site, you still need to know the basics of what's going on "under the hood".

Personally, if you're a beginner or don't have the time/knowledge/resources to build your own, I'd look into doing a wordpress site. There are many free/cheap themes available that you can customize to your liking, and Wordpress handles all of the content management for you.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Amanda

I use Hostgator, another popular hosting site. Has tons of features, many I haven't yet explored. Personally I'm not a fan of the Website Templates that are supplied by the hosting companies and agree that if you are looking for something to build your site installing Wordpress on your server is an easy way to go.

Hostgator as Fantastico which makes installing Wordpress a breeze.

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Renee Shupe, Become a Techie Virtual Assistant
eMail Marketing & Aweber Training Starts May 15! - Save 50% using VAFAweber

I also use Host Gator for my hosting company. I have been very pleased with their service and reliability.

The templates they provide are a good starting point but I usually end up changing them quite a bit. There are some good free Wordpress templates available out on the Internet. If you're just starting out, I would also recommend that you start with a Wordpress website.

Best wishes in your business.

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Jayme Hanson
Your Virtual Assistant Solution

BlueHost also has Simple Scripts/Fantastico to install Wordpress, so it really comes down to which has the features and price you want.

The best hosting ever is bluehost by far!! i use them for all my sites and my clients sites. check them out at www.vbsondemand.com/bluehost and they have a great simplescripts set up for wordpress. gotta love it!! let me know if you need help installing wordpress i would be happy to help you free of charge!!

I also use host gator. They have a ton of feature and it's pretty easy to navigate. I also install wordpress. They have a ton on templete you can use for your website.

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Shawn Reynolds- Transaction Coordinator
www.worldclasstransactions.com

I'm hosted on a private server, but I've worked with clients hosted on many different sites. The two I find the easiest to work with are BlueHost and HostGator, but even on GoDaddy you have the choice to do something different than the Website Tonight site. Of course, I'm a huge fan of building a business site on the WordPress platform with a theme that is strong in SEO.
My site is WordPress with the Headway Theme.

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~Tina Marie Hilton of Clerical Advantage
& founder of VA Survival School

Hostgator is my host of choice...for all the reasons mentioned here including Fantastico which makes it super easy to upload WordPress.

Janine

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I've had some indecision about hosting for my site but after reading through this great thread and researching a little more, I've decided to go with Hostgator also.