How to Choose a Web Hosting Service | Web Hosting 101
Working closely with a web hosting company is one of the most imperative things you could ever do to your website. It is important to learn how to choose a web hosting company that will ensure the success of your website and business during this era of stiff competition.
The tips below are carefully selected and have been used by many successful online companies to get to where they are. If you get the right website host, you will not have to do a lot of work on your own, but your e-commerce will still record an impressive performance.
1. Identify Your Technical Needs
There are specific things that your site will require to function well. Once you have known these things, finding the right website hosting company becomes easy. You should create a comprehensive list of your hosting needs. With that list, you will know the types of services that your website needs. You need to know whether your company needs a domain name and if you need a blog for the company. If your company requires a blog, then you will have to go for a specific blogging platform. There are free and paid web hosts. It is vital that you know what would work best for you.
2. Think about the Size and Potential Growth of Your Website
The rate charged by the web host will be determined by the size of your site, the amount of traffic generated, and the amount of space that your content takes up. If you anticipate an increase in the number of visitors, then the chances are that what works for you now might need to be scaled up in the future. When picking the best hosting company, you should think about your plans for the future.
3. Know the Different Types of Web Hosting
As you search for the best hosting services, you are supposed to create a web hosting checklist based on the types of services that they provide. This will give you an easy time trying to come up with the best solution for your upcoming company. If you are just getting started, here is a prerequisite knowledge that you need to have.
4. Read Online Reviews
On the internet, you will find and learn everything that you need to know about the Web-hosting companies available. Make sure that you look at the latest, unbiased reviews so that you are certain about the consistency of the services. When searching the internet, you need to avoid sites that are marked “Top Webhosts”, or “Best Web-hosting Sites,” because the companies themselves mainly run them. If you could get reviews that are done by individuals who have used the services before, that would be great.
In case you are having a hard time trying to get genuine reviews, you can get information from the people around you. Better still, you can post questions on social forums like, “best Webhosting Sites.” From your post, you can ask any question about the information you are looking for.
5. Have a Clear Understanding of the Cost
Once you have found the plan that would cater to all your website needs, it is crucial that you understand the cost of their services. You will learn that most Web-hosting sites advertise two rates (yearly and monthly) for every plan. Most companies have affordable prices for yearly plans, but you will have to pay upfront if that is what you want. Before you pay for an annual plan, you must be sure about the reliability of the company. Also, they should have a compensation plan in case their services do not meet your expectations within a given period.
Some sites offer free hosting, but they provide minimal services. For instance, you will not have the privilege of using your own domain name on a free site. Free sites will also have tons of adverts, hence causing a hard time when you try to create your personal ads.
6. Find out the Tools Provided
Before striking a deal with a hosting company, confirm that they have the right tools that would enable your website to work as expected. The tools include WordPress, Control Panel, FTP access, email support, analytics, and many other back-end tools. Some services will let you select the best operating system for your websites like Windows or Linux. Currently, Linux is the best, but in case your site uses tools written initially with Microsoft. NET, then you will need to pick Windows. You must see that the company provides acceptable security gadgets. This is crucial if your online company is related to commerce or aims at collecting user data.
7. Consider the Amount of Storage Provided
It is important to check the amount of space on the hard-drive that is available for your videos, web-pages, images, databases, and other data. It is vital that you know how to choose a website host that has enough space to handle the features of your website. You will learn that most companies claim that they provide unlimited space, but you do not need unlimited space for a simple website because you will have to pay more for what you won’t use.
Also, you should consider this claim as a red-flag since it is unlikely to be true. Technically, it is impossible to have unlimited space for a website. If this was the case, then the server will be overcrowded and the overall performance of the site would be compromised. However, your host should provide you with the ability to expand as your business grows. Check the available upgrade options since some companies will offer more space in the future when your business needs it.
8. Check Out the Technical Support Options
In case you don’t have an in-house support team, at least someone should be there just in case something goes wrong. Companies that don’t have technicians should go for hosting services that provide 24/7 customer support. In case you need email support or the ability to talk to someone on chats, then your best web host provider should have such services and tools available. Some companies will ask you to pay for such services while others include the fee in the plan. Also, some hosts do not offer support at all, which means that unless you are a tech-savvy, you will have a hard time to fix things in case they go awry.
9. Test the Speed of Sites Hosted By the Same Company
Before you start working with a hosting service, you want to make sure that they provide the highest loading speed. The duration that your site takes to respond could build or break your business. Since most companies use their websites as a means of advertisement, you should check the speed of the hosting service. In this day and age, very few people will wait more than a few seconds for a site to load. If your site is too slow, they will simply go to a competitor company.
The Final Word
If you know how to choose a web hosting provider, the chances are that your website will get amazing feedback from customers. You will generate a lot of traffic which would translate to fantastic financial gain within a short time. It is crucial that you know how to choose a hosting service as that will help you avoid wasting time, money, and effort on substandard services.
If you’ve thought about it and you’re still not sure, contact us today to talk to one of our knowledgeable reps: they will ensure you’re getting the best hosting plan for your business.
