Resources

Here are some of my recommendations for various pieces of the website creation process from domains to hosting to development tools.

DOMAIN NAMES

When it comes to domain name registration, I always recommend keeping your domain name registration separate and not do it through your hosting company. Should an issue ever arise with your host, it complicates the process of relocation if you are also dealing with transferring your domain name from them, as well.

GoDaddy: While I cannot recommend them for hosting, they’re my go-to company when it comes to purchasing domains.
Domain.com: An alternative to GoDaddy for registering your domains.

HOSTING

There are plenty of hosting companies out there and I have worked with many of them. When looking for a hosting company, I would recommend searching Google for reviews from others who have used the company, checking out their support system and making sure their specifications are in line with what your website will need. WordPress-based websites run best on LINUX hosting and need a MySQL database and ideally a server running PHP5. Here are my two favorites when it comes to web hosts that are WordPress-friendly:

HostGator: I personally use HostGator for my own hosting and I haven’t ever had a problem with them. Great support, great site uptime, great price.
HostMonster: Many of my clients use HostMonster for hosting and I have had nothing but positive experiences with working with them. I have had a few clients who have dealt with their support and I’ve heard the support is top-notch, as well.

Other companies that I have had good experiences with are BlueHost and MediaTemple.

DEVELOPMENT TOOLS

Coda: Described as “one-window web development,” Coda is my couldn’t-live-without website development tool. I highly recommend it if you do web development.
1Password: Between client FTP information, client WordPress log-ins, hosting cPanel log-ins, my own log-ins, I’m always dealing with a lot of username and passwords. This program is a lifesaver.
DropBox: This is a great service to use to share files between yourself and clients, as well as between your own computers. You get 2GB of space free and you can upgrade for a small monthly fee.