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There are tons of web host companies out there today, that you don’t just know which to settle for – the best to opt for. Well, that is what this article is out to do, we will give you six tips for choosing the best web host.
Let’s get started:
1. You Should Consider Your Specific Needs
Actually, we should clarify that the ‘best web host’ is actually relative, as what is best for one person, might not be for another. So, it actually depend on your unique needs.
Let’s say you plan working with WordPress, then you can go for those hosting companies that are famous among WordPress users. Let’s say you are aiming at starting an e-commerce website, then you will need a host that can accommodate the e-commerce software you want to use.
So, consider the type of website you will be creating as well as the number of traffic you expect each month. Additionally, ask yourself if you be creating more than one site, as some hosts allow one to create multiple sites from the same account.
You should also consider your monthly budget, as some services are more expensive than others.
2. Consider Hosting Reliability and Speed
Actually, a hosting company can make or break your business (or website). Therefore, it is necessary to consider how reliable a hosting service is before opting for them. Make sure you look into their uptime scores, and don’t overlook things like this – as you want your website to be up and running as often as possible.
A few minutes of downtime per day has made some lose revenue.
Actually, there is no host out there today that can guarantee that their servers will be active 100 percent of the time. Nevertheless, there are still serious firms that boast uptimes of 99.5 percent and even higher. Therefore, go for such companies and avoid those that report anything below 99 percent.
You should also opt for a host with fast servers. Now, to check and confirm reliability and speed stats on a given host, look at their website, and then go through online reviews to get a glimpse about how other customers’ sites have performed with that company.
3. You Should Know Your Upgrade Options
The usual advice is that if you are just starting, then you should start with shared web hosting. It is cheap! Nevertheless, one’s needs may not stay the same forever, because, as you grow, one may need more more bandwidth, email storage, etc.
You should look and go for a host that offers room to grow appropriately. Even if one should start with a shared hosting plan, when a hosting company also offers VPS hosting and dedicated hosting, it will be easy to move to a new server when your website grows.
4. Explore Security Features
Another vital thing to consider in a web host is their security features. Of course, this also is very important. If you have a website that stores or transports sensitive data, then you must prioritise this.
See to it that they hosting companies are running firewalls or malware detection on their servers, and seek to ensure they monitor their servers for unusual activity. Opt for a host that offers SSL certificates to see to it that the data sent over your site remains secure and encrypted.
There are hosts that also offer IP deny services, which allow one to block specific IP addresses, such as those that might come from groups of hackers.
It is advisable to settle for web hosts that back up your website every 24 hours, particularly if you plan to keep updating your website. So, let’s even say your data got lost, you will only lose a few hours’ worth of changes.
5. Seek for Quality Customer Support
A superb web hosting company will have good customer support. Therefore, this also matters, and is a factor you should consider before choosing a host.
Before settling for a service, try to see what sort of support channels are available, including live chat, email, or phone support. Ensure you look at their support hours too. There are some hosts that offer customer support 24/7 – which is actually the best.
Imagine if you need help in their midnight (and it is a very critical issue that must be settled before business hours later in the morning).
You should also browse through reviews for each hosting companies you look at to get an idea for the quality of support that they offer. Try to look for stuffs that talk about how timely and knowledgeable (or not) the support staff is.
6. Research Prices
Finally, we are here. Everyone have different budget, and you will want to settle for a hosting package that suits your budget. Nevertheless, the advice is that as you research prices, you should look beyond the initial monthly price that you saw.
The thing is, many services feature introductory deals for first-time users, and afterwards, your plan will renew at the normal price. So, look beyond the introductory price, and see to it that you can afford the regular rate also.
You should also compare the price of other packages the host offers. It is also recommended that you look at the cost of add-ons and extra services. There are hosts that usually charge extra for email hosting, while others include that in their base rate.
In conclusion, there is actually a lot to consider when choosing a web host. But then, it all starts with identifying what your needs are. With that in place, it will be a guide to knowing what you should opt for, and what is best suited to you. We can never overemphasise the need of being duly diligent before settling for a web hosting company, because, as stated earlier, they could make or break your website
