Editorial Guidelines
Last Update: August 23, 2026
At HostingGuider, our goal is to publish accurate, practical, and trustworthy content that helps readers make informed decisions about web hosting and related technologies. These guidelines define the editorial standards our team follows when researching, writing, reviewing, and maintaining every piece of content we publish. Our technical testing and evaluation process is documented separately on our Methodology page.
Section 1: Editorial Independence
Our first responsibility is to our readers. Our editorial opinions, recommendations, rankings, and review scores are formed independently, and no outside relationship determines them.
Our Standards:
- Editorial decisions are made independently of any commercial relationship.
- We do not accept payment in exchange for favorable reviews, rankings, or recommendations.
- See our Affiliate Disclosure for how our partnerships work and how we keep them separate from our reviews.
Section 2: Hands-On Research
We evaluate hosting providers using one of the methods described on our Methodology page: hands-on testing through a customer purchase, hands-on testing through access a provider gives us directly, or research based on publicly available and reliable information.
Our Standards:
- We purchase hosting plans as regular customers whenever practical.
- When a provider gives us access instead of a purchase, we disclose that clearly rather than presenting it as a purchase.
- We combine any hands-on testing with research from official documentation and trusted sources.
- Where possible, hosting reviews note which evaluation method was used. A review is only published once testing is complete, we don’t publish partway through.
- Purchase records for Hands-On Purchase reviews are published on our Purchased Hosting Evidence page.
Section 3: Accuracy, Fact-Checking, and Corrections
Accuracy is one of our highest priorities. Incorrect information can lead readers to costly decisions when choosing a hosting provider or managing their websites, so every article is checked before publication and revisited as things change.
Our Standards:
- Verify factual information, pricing, features, and technical specifications against official provider documentation before publication whenever possible.
- Correct verified factual errors promptly.
- Review and update content as products, features, pricing, or industry practices change, and revise outdated recommendations when necessary.
- Investigate credible reader correction requests and welcome feedback through our Contact Us page.
- Every hosting review is checked by a named reviewer, separate from the article’s author, who verifies the accuracy of facts, data, pricing, and hands-on findings before the review is published.
Section 4: Transparency
We believe readers should understand how our content is created and how our site operates, including how we handle reader data and publishing ethics.
Our Standards:
- Explain our research and testing process, and avoid misleading claims.
- Respect reader privacy and follow responsible data handling practices, as detailed in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
- See our Affiliate Disclosure for how partnerships and sponsored content are identified.
Section 5: Content Quality
Our goal is to publish content that is helpful, practical, and easy to understand, with technical topics accessible to beginners while still giving experienced users the depth they need.
Our Standards:
- Write for people first, focused on what a reader actually needs to know.
- Support recommendations with research or practical experience.
- Avoid unnecessary jargon and marketing hype.
- Prioritize clarity, accuracy, and usefulness.
Section 6: How We Use AI
All content on HostingGuider is written by our team. AI tools may assist with research, organizing information, grammar, and readability, but they do not write our articles or make our editorial decisions.
Our Standards:
- Our writers and editors are responsible for the content and conclusions in every article.
- AI may assist with outlining, summarizing, grammar, or research, never with final decisions.
- Every article is reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team before publication.
Every article published on HostingGuider is created to help readers make informed decisions through accurate, practical, and trustworthy information.