A web hosting company can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Web hosting companies are the foundation of any website and if you choose an unreliable one it can spell disaster for your business.
To prevent this from happening to you, make sure your web host ticks all the boxes you need.
Below are five tips on how to choose the right web hosting company without getting caught up in something you don’t need.
1. Understand Your Hosting Needs
Choosing a web hosting company is not an easy task. With all the different types of hosts out there, it can be difficult to determine which one is best for you.
Some people may need more space than others, while others may want certain features that other companies do not provide. If your page size is 50KB and you have around 20,000 visitors, your website will need about 5GB of bandwidth per month.
The first thing you need to do before looking at any potential provider is to understand exactly what your hosting needs are and what they entail. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what type of provider will work best for your business or personal needs.
Additionally, web hosting companies are often one-dimensional, meaning they provide the same web space for different types of sites. If you have a small blog or website with only 100 visitors per day, this is not really necessary and may be an additional cost to your business.
Ask yourself if you need something that is more common or offers more customization options. The more common web hosting company will have lots of information from others providing assistance.
A unique provider will not have that much help and will take more background information to configure.
2. Get Reliable Service Anytime You Need It
Because your website never sleeps, your visitors can visit you around the clock. This means you will need help any time of the day, any day of the week.
Find a hosting company that provides 100% uptime guarantee so if your web server goes offline for any reason, they will compensate you with some kind of credit or service extension.
You always want to be able to trust them without worry and that’s what the best web hosting companies provide. You should also look at the customer support offered by the providers as it is an essential part of web hosting.
If you have a question, it should be answered quickly and efficiently by the company’s customer service department so that your site is always up. The best web hosting companies are always there for their customers when they need it most.
For a comparative figure, 99.95% is a normal expectation for uptime from web hosting companies. Anything below 99% should not be considered acceptable for your website.
There are server monitoring tools you can use to get uptime information.
3. Upgrade Options From Your Web Hosting Company
Every good hosting company needs to be able to scale with your business. When your site starts to grow, you run into problems with your site’s performance without proper features.
Larger web hosting companies offer better features and greater scalability than smaller companies, but not all have the same offerings. It’s up to you to find a web hosting company that has everything your site needs in terms of upgrades.
That way, you’ll be prepared when the time comes for future scale-up projects and any downsizing.
It will also help with security as your site grows. SSL certificate and firewall protection, DDoS prevention, malware detection and backups are options offered as extra security for your site.
Backup features will be automatic and frequent to maximize uptime in the event of a server failure.
Additionally, web hosting companies that offer customer support are more likely to have options to upgrade and downgrade your account compared to web hosting companies that only have automated services. It’s always best to go with an option that provides not just web space but a full suite of features so your business can grow.
There are different types of hosting servers you can use when looking for an upgrade. Cloud hosting, shared hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated hosting options are available. Which option you choose will depend on how many visitors you get and what your site needs.
4. What is the Registration and Renewal Cost?
When a web hosting company needs to bring in more customers, it usually runs some kind of advertising campaign. This can often include a discount on the first sign up for their service.
The only problem is that the initial payment is only good for a certain period of time, usually 1 year. After the initial offer, your annual payments will increase in price when it’s time to renew.
If this is the web hosting company of your choice, it might be a good idea to plan to pay for your web space a few years in advance because they will likely charge you more when it comes time to renew.
By paying upfront, you can often save money instead of waiting for your annual renewal where prices can keep rising. The best web hosting companies are always upfront about their prices and offer packages that include registration fees in annual payments to avoid surprises.
You can always switch providers after a year to take advantage of a new deal. The problem with switching is that it can cause problems with your website if not done correctly.
You should check with your hosting provider’s sales team before purchasing to see what the price will be after your renewal. You can also check terms of use page for additional information.
5. How Easy is it to Use?
If this is your first time going with a hosting provider, you may need to check how easy it is to use before signing up. Hosting involves a lot of technical information and can be overwhelming if you don’t have the right infrastructure.
Some web hosting providers have a setup wizard to help you through the process. These web servers are more user-friendly and less technical; This is perfect for both beginners and seasoned professionals.
If that’s not an option or you need something specific like email accounts, it might be best to go with a web host that offers more options for web hosting.
Also note that some web hosts will have customer service available 24 hours a day, any day of the year, to ensure you can get help no matter when or why you need it.
Finding the Right Hosting Company
Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned professional, getting the right web hosting company means looking at all of their features. First you need to know what your personal needs are and compare them with the web host to get the best results.
If this list doesn’t have what you need, take a look at our tool that helps you find the best web hosting company for you.
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