How to Host a Website in Kenya
In this article, you will learn how to host a website in Kenya.
I will walk you through the steps you need to take now to get a website up and running in under a day (or if you are fast, in under 2 hours).
Are you ready?
See, I don’t want to bore you with definitions because I assume that you already know what you want.
What you need to host a website in Kenya
So, here are the things you need to host a website in Kenya.
#1. A domain name
This is the address people will type into their web browsers to access your website.
For example:
To access Facebook (assuming you are not using the app), you need to type www.facebook.com into your browser (whether Chrome or Opera) and hit go.
There are two things here:
- www – is the world wide web
- Facebook – is the domain name
- .com – is an extension, popularly known as a domain extension. And there are a ton of extensions types such as .co.ke, .net, .org, .mobi, and .io among others. We will talk about them in another article.
What you need to do here is pick a good website name.
How to pick the best website name
Here is the thing:
Once a domain name has been registered, there is no chance to change it. Not like you would change your Facebook name or Twitter handle easily. No, you cannot change a domain name.
So the only option available to you is to pick the best from the start. First, think about the type of website you want to build and the topic you will write about.
For example:
If you will be writing about news, pick a name that reflects that.
Here are tips to keep in mind when choosing a domain name in Kenya;
- Pick a Brandable name – a brandable domain name is the one that stands out from the crowd. Avoid generic names stuffed with keywords
- Go for the right domain extension – truth is, the best .com domains are now rare to find unless you are registering extremely unique names. Rather, go for .co.ke if you are targeting Kenyan readers, otherwise, there are other extensions like .net, .africa.
- A short domain name is better than a long one. Keep it at most 3 words, above that is madness.
- Make sure it easy to pronounce and type
Once you have the name, go ahead and register it.
Here is my recommendation:
Before sitting down to register a domain name in Kenya, have a list of possible names.
Why?
I told you most of the best website names are already taken. So if you find your preferred one already registered, you will have another one on the list.
How much is a website name in Kenya?
The cost of domain names in Kenya varies from one registrar to the next. Also, the type of extension determines how much you will pay for that domain. For instance, a .com domain costs more than a .co.ke domain (KES 850 and KES 499 respectively on Truehost Kenya).
Another example:
- A .africa domain is expensive, going for Sh. 1999 on Truehost.
Once you have the domain, here is the next step on how to host a website in Kenya.
#2. Get hosting account
A hosting account is a place (server) where your files will be stored.
Remember, your website will have things like images, articles, tables, videos, etc. all of these need a place to ‘live’ which is a host.
Often, web hosting accounts in Kenya come with a central dashboard (cPanel, TPanel, Centos Web Panel CWP, among others). It is from here you will be able to manage your website settings. This account gives you access to things like creating email addresses, adding add-on domains, subdomains, among other stuff.
Now, there are different types of web hosting in Kenya;
- Shared hosting – here you are using the same server with hundreds of other website owners. It is cheap but causes performance problems down the line when your website starts growing. Recommended for those starting out
- VPS hosting in Kenya – better than shared hosting in that, even though you are still under one server like everybody else, you have your own OS. recommended for bigger websites with over 20K views per month
- Dedicated hosting – you have an entire server to yourself. It is the best hosting in Kenya but costs a lot of money. Use it if you can afford it.
Decide which type of web hosting you want.
Next is choosing the best web hosting provider in Kenya.
Best web hosting companies in Kenya
Here is a list of hosting companies in Kenya, and a link to their packages.
#1. Truehost Kenya
They offer the best customer service service. I once called in at 1 AM and an agent was on the line?.
Their services are affordable, with even free web hosting in Kenya. The paid packages start from KES 1499 and you can host up to 3 websites with that hosting package.
Other packages include;
- Bronze hosting – free hosting. Gives you 1 GB of storage
- Silver hosting – goes for KES 1499 per year, 30 GB of storage, and up to 3 websites
- Gold Hosting – Ksh. 3499 per year. 50 GB storage and 30 sites
- Platinum hosting – Ksh. 9499 per year. 90 GB and unlimited sites.
#2. Hostpinnacle Kenya
These guys have 4 hosting plans, with the cheapest going for Ksh 1500, and the high end one at Ksh 5K.
All their hosting comes with:
- FREE Site Building Tools
- FREE Lifetime .co.ke Domain
- SEO-Friendly Hosting
- Unlimited Email Accounts
- Unlimited Monthly Bandwidth
- FREE SSL Certificate
- A FREE Site Transfer
- FREE M-Pesa Integration
#3. Kenya Web Experts
You can say Kenya Web Experts are the oldest web hosting providers in Kenya. Their website may look whacky, but make no mistake, they are one of the best web hosting companies in Kenya.
Kenya Web Experts have four types of hosting:
- Basic Web Hosting -Shared web hosting services
- Business Web Hosting -Ultra-fast & secure enterprise hosting
- Cloud Hosting -Enterprise SSD Cloud Hosting
- Windows Web Hosting in Kenya – ASP .NET Windows website hosting
The cheapest package is Ksh 2100 per year and the high-end one is Ksh 14100 per year on the Basic Plan.
Go through each company and see what they provide. Cross-examine it with your needs and budget.
What next?
Domain name? Check!
Web hosting account? Check!
The next steps in learning how to host a website in Kenya is logging into the control panel>>connect domain (s)>>install WordPress (or any other CMS of your choice)>>install theme>>pages>>content.
Wrapping hosting a website in Kenya
To recap;
- You need a domain name for your website. Pick the best because you can’t change it afterward
- Get a hosting package from the best providers. Consider your needs and budget.
- Point the domain to your hosting account, install CMS, add theme, pages, and then start posting articles.
Recommended providers?
Here at SuperSavers.co.ke, we recommend Truehost Cloud. They not only have the best services but also responsive customer support available 24/7/365
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