DIY Website build and hosting help request

[PIGGLET]

I paid a company to build me a website a couple of years ago for the business I had just started and with hindsight it's been a complete waste of money. The site itself looks OK but not brilliant but most importantly it's invisible when searching for the services I provide in my area.
The new site just has to be a brochure site to show info and services for my property maintenance company.

Sooooo, with that in mind along with the fact that my business has changed direction and the old site doesn't reflect this, I'm thinking about having a go at building my own due to a bit of spare time and the reluctance to once again go through the whole process of approaching numerous companies for quotes ranging in price from a bag of apples to a brand new GS!

I've found this youtube tutorial as to how to build a wordpress site: http://tyler.com/ which looks relatively straightforward. My main query is with hosting, Tyler recommends host gator. Does anyone use this company and are they OK for UK based sites or would I be better looking at go daddy hosting as I already have my domains registered with them?
My main concern is that I don't want to lose my existing domain specific email service as it's pretty much in constant use so rapid swap over from old hosting to new is essential.
Also, how reliable are these hosting companies as another concern is the potential for site downtime and also prompt customer support if I need it whilst building the site and swapping from the current hosting providers (the old website builder)

Any thoughts or info appreciated

 

[Auwyn]

I use Spiral Hosting for my photography website and Blue host for the football websites I code/administer.

Spiral hosting have been good and I have been with them for many years. I imagine hosting companies are all pretty much the same until stuff starts to go wrong. SH have been good, Bluehost have been OK. None of my sites do anything particularly spectacular.

 

[Loiq]

being a complete technical spaz I've been using wix.com and like the results, there's a whole range of tutorials on that platform from them.

how to add the site to google, get more form search engines heaps of the layout designs.

it's really simple.

 

[steve hughes]

Similar to low iq here, i set myself up as a sole trader in Jan and went with Evohosting. Monthly costs are a fiver. I built the website using Wordpress. I learned how to do that by watching Youtube.

I know bugger all about web design! So if i can do it

Lastly you say your site is invisible for searching. I know this sounds basic but is your site registered with google see below https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/6259634?hl=en

Once this is done you need to watch videos on Search Engine optimisation SEO

All they do is show you how to add certain key phrases to your pages eg cabinet maker in Oxford.

Just a thought that you could try and re vitalise your old site without too much work .

 

[PIGGLET]

Thanks for all the replies chaps, I'll check the links. The existing site is registered with google but is built on concrete 5 platform and incorporates a database and other more complicated features I don't actually need. It does come up if you search for the company but not if you search for the services I provide which are listed on various pages of the site.
I thought it would be easier to start again with wordpress as I believe it is more SEO friendly.