Best Web Hosting for Photographers 2015

For the past couple of years, we’ve taken a look at some of the best web hosting options for photographers. Whether you’re selling your photography services or prints, the recommendations we’ve made in the past are still currently valid. So, I’d invite you to take a look at our past Best Web Hosting for Photographers articles here.

What is new here in 2015 is the growing popularity of website creation companies as an alternative to the traditional route of purchasing web hosting and creating your own site. Earlier this year, we compared these two methods for website owners in general. But photographers are one of the target markets that website creation companies are specifically trying to reach. For example, SmugMug has become one of the best known photo website companies providing sites for sharing and selling your photos.

So how does SmugMug compare to say creating your own WordPress photography site? Let’s take a look at some of the pros of each website method.

Recommendations

Personally, I prefer using WordPress with a traditional web hosting company for my websites (including my photo sites). However, I do see where SmugMug would be a good choice for certain photography website owners.

While WordPress and SmugMug can be used for any photography website you need, it’s clear that there are advantages for using one or the other depending on the type of photography website you need. Here are our recommendations for the most common types of photography websites.

Note: Where WordPress is recommended, we would advise you consider one of the web hosting companies we previously recommended in our Best Web Hosting for Photography articles.

Photo Blog: WordPress
WordPress is the king of blogging software, and that includes photo blogs. For those of you that simply want a website to share your vision through your photography, WordPress provides an economical and easy way to create your site. And, with a traditional web hosting plan that includes WordPress, you’ll also have other options down the road if you decide you’d like to switch to another software application.

Personal Photo Storage Site: SmugMug
If you’re looking for a place to store and archive your images, as well as create a vehicle where you can browse your photos for your own use, then SmugMug offers a more convenient solution.

Photography Portfolio: WordPress
Similar to photo bloggers, if you need a website to display some of your photographic work, then I’d recommend going with a tradition web hosting plan and WordPress. I’ve used WordPress for my online portfolios and am quite pleased. While you can certainly use SmugMug for this type of website, I find WordPress more flexible and able to create a more functional portfolio site at a cheaper price.

Photography Services: WordPress
If you plan on creating a website for advertising your photography services, I also prefer using WordPress with a traditional web hosting plan. Again, I find WordPress to be better at creating a fuller functioning website. Also, when you use a traditional web hosting company that includes WordPress, you’ll also get other valuable tools for your business, such as email and other tools for promoting your company.

Photography Print Sales: SmugMug
Although there are plugins you can use with WordPress for adding commerce to your site, this is one area where I do believe SmugMug is the better choice. If you plan to use your photography site specifically for selling your images, then SmugMug’s built in features will make things much more convenient.

Click here for more details on SmugMug

Click here for WordPress photography site hosting options