Web hosting is the space on a server where the files and images for your website are kept. These servers are stored in data centers that are located all over the world and are accessed whenever someone enters a domain name. Hosting needs to be purchased from a hosting provider, and you generally have to renew your hosting plan each year.
However, choosing a web host is no easy task. There are thousands of options out there, so how do you know which provider is best for your website? Read on to learn what five things you need to look for when choosing a web host.
Reliability
A reliable web host can be counted on to keep your site up and running 365 days a year. This means your site shouldn’t go down unexpectedly from hackers or technical issues. The best way to determine whether a hosting provider is reliable is to look at their uptime and security features. Your web host should have an uptime of at least 99.9% and feature security measures such as firewalls, DDoS protection, SSL certificates, and real-time 24/7 monitoring.
Technical Support
You need your website to perform optimally at all times, so if you’re having an issue, you need to be able to reach someone who can help you. The faster you can reach someone, the better as site issues may drive away potential customers and affect your online reputation. Therefore, you need a web host that offers 24/7/365 technical support.
When it comes to their customer and technical support, a good web host will take queries through email, phone, and live chat. They should also speak your native language. However, if you really want to know what to expect from your provider’s support team, read customer reviews. These will tell you whether you’ll get the help you need in a timely manner.
The Price
Budgeting for your website is an essential aspect of your business. Web hosting packages come in a variety of forms that offer different features at different price points. Therefore, you’ll want to look for a web host that provides the features you need at a competitive price. In other words, first, decide what features or services you want from your host. Next, look for the providers that offer these things. Finally, compare the prices of each package to determine the best one.
You never want to settle for fewer features than you need, so make sure you have a realistic idea of what a package with the elements you want will cost before making your budget.
Speed
Load time is the amount of time it takes for a page on your site to load. In the same vein as uptime, page loading time affects the amount of traffic your site gets. This is because web users are easily frustrated. The slower your page loads, the greater the chance that a user will abandon your site. In fact, according to a study by Google, 53% of mobile site users will leave if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load. Therefore, you’ll need a web host that offers load times of 3 seconds or less.
Features
A hosting plan’s features can help you break a tie between similar providers. Some common features you’ll see in a hosting package include:
- Free site transfers
- Free domain
- Unlimited or free email accounts
- cPanel
- CDN
- Single click WordPress installation
- Access to a site builder
- The ability to choose your data center
Summary
Your choice of web host is vital because it determines how your site performs and is responsible for keeping your site safe and secure. Consequently, the better your site performs and the more secure it is, the better your business and brand appear. For these reasons, it’s not an exaggeration to state that choosing the right web host is crucial to your company’s success. Unfortunately, however, there are thousands of hosting options out there, making it difficult to know which one to go with. This is why we recommend narrowing down your selection criteria to five things: reliability, technical support, price, speed, and additional features.
