A website is an indispensable part of a business — whether you are running a small startup or an established firm. If you are building a website, you must have already faced this question “which web hosting services should I choose”? Not every hosting platform offers the best features. Selecting the best hosting plan requires careful consideration. For those building their first website, you might wonder, “what exactly does a hosting company do”?
Your hosting company gives you a place to store the essential files from your website and show it to your target audience. This data includes visual content, HTML files, and even CSS files. When someone searches for your website, the browser returns with the stored information that gives users access to your site’s content.
Put it this way, your website won’t be connected to the internet or be accessible to the world without the right hosting service. So, storing information and making it available to the public is the primary function of a web host. Here are a few tips for choosing the right web hosting platform.
Consider Your Website’s Niche and Requirements
First things first, understand your website’s requirements and compare those with the features different hosting companies offer. Suppose you have a photography website where you post high-quality and heavy images regularly. For a content-rich website, you need a hosting provider that offers excellent speed and ample storage. An eCommerce website, on the other hand, prioritizes security and bandwidth. Some hosting companies offer solutions for eCommerce websites specifically. You must also consider the CMS (content management system) before choosing a hosting service.
Check the Uptime
Uptime is the total time your website is live on the internet and accessible to your target audience. Considering the current competition, it’s a no-brainer that every website owner will want 100% uptime. Your audience can search for your content at any hour of the day. You must be certain that they find your website and access your content without errors. It isn’t only about how long your website is online but is it working well, and does it load quickly?
Read the policy carefully to learn how the company handles downtime or any bottlenecks that might affect the website loading speed and accuracy. You can’t handle a website that is mostly unavailable to your audience, especially when you are just starting to build a digital presence.
Check the Refund Policy
A web hosting company might seem reliable now, but you never know how your website will perform under your current hosting plan. Let’s say you have started with a small following, but your website scales rapidly, and your current hosting service provider is incapable of catering to your growing audience. They don’t have a premium plan that can handle a massive audience. So, your only option is to switch your web host. It will be very difficult to switch if your current hosting provider doesn’t offer a refund. Before you choose a host, review their refund and cancellation policies. Check if they offer a full refund and what are the conditions for cancellation.
Monthly Traffic Limit
Some web hosting companies put a traffic limit. That means they accept a limited number of visitors on your website and charge extra for each visitor after you’ve crossed the monthly traffic limit. Or, your website won’t appear at all on the web. To avoid these issues, choose a web hosting company offering unlimited data traffic. The last thing you want is your website being down just when you have started scaling.
A Good Loading Speed
Loading speed is now a crucial part of your technical SEO. Google will push your website down the search result page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Not only does it affect your Google ranking, but a slow-loading website has a negative impact on your visitors. How quickly your website loads depends on your web hosting services. So, check if they offer a good loading speed. Read customer reviews or check the company’s recent projects to get a better understanding of the loading speed.
Security Features
For an eCommerce website, security is the most important factor when it comes to choosing a hosting provider. Your brand’s image and the success of your business depend on your customer satisfaction. Nobody will want to purchase from an eCommerce store that isn’t secured with the latest security features. Check if your hosting company offers constant backups. Can they protect your customers? Are they compatible with two-factor authentication and encryption technology?
A hosting service that isn’t equipped to provide you with the right technology support can cost your business hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially today when 30,000 websites are hacked daily.
The best hosting company will scan your website for malware regularly. They know which core files need protection and how they can restrict unauthorized access to these core files. They also have a strong backup system in place, just in case you lose all the data.
Add-on Products
You might need add-ons from your hosting company to ensure the smooth functioning of your website. As your website scales, you will want to ensure that you can add new functions to your site without having to move your entire website or make any significant changes. Most web hosting companies offer extras that can make your website more functional and safer. This may include a free SSL certificate and custom email addresses.
Customer Support
You are going to need customer service almost every day. Your web host provider should offer stellar customer support. They must be available for your assistance 24/7. If you have an in-house technical support team, you can do without support from a web hosting provider. But, those relying completely on their web hosting company can’t settle for anything less than excellent support.
Your web hosting service also affects your site’s SERP ranking, as it plays a part in your website’s loading speed, security, and more. That’s why it’s important to choose your server management service carefully. Support Pro offers transparent technical support and excellent web hosting services. Try them now!
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