How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting Provider
If you are looking to start a blog or website then you will need a place to host it. There are many different types of hosting providers out there, all with their perks and quirks. To help you make the right choice we have hand picked an expert panel of WordPress bloggers to help you figure out what are the most important factors to consider when selecting a web host.
Price
One of the main things you will need to consider is the price of the hosting plan. You don’t want to end up paying too much for a shared hosting plan that breaks down at the end of the month. Keep in mind that the cost of web hosting can vary from $2 to $10 a month plus some additional fees. To get the best price you should look into getting a discount. Some hosting providers will even offer you an additional free domain if you pay for a year in advance. This can help you save a significant amount of money.
Features
Another important factor to consider when choosing a web host is the features that they offer. You will need a plan that can accommodate the growth of your website. Ideally you will want to find a web host that offers daily backups, free domain privacy, and a free SSL certificate. Other factors like free dedicated IPs, free hosting for your e-commerce store, and free domain privacy are all nice to have but not as crucial as reliable backups and the security certificate.
Performance
The level of performance that a web host can offer is also a important factor to consider. You will need a web host that can quickly and efficiently handle the traffic that your website will inevitably generate. There are a variety of factors that can affect the speed of your site including the server that you are hosting on, the type of content that you have, and the number of visitors that come to your site. To get the best performance out of your new host you should look for a plan that comes with a guarantee of service levels agreed upon at the time of purchase. This should not be mistaken as an SLA, which stands for Service Level Agreement. This is just what the provider guarantees and should not be confused with the SLA, which covers the service level that you actually get, as well as the resolution of any support incidents. A good web host should also be able to provide you with information regarding the overall architecture of their servers, the amount of RAM and storage that they allocate to your account, and the location of their datacenters. All of this information should be readily available upon request.
Support
Finally, you will need to consider the level of support that you can get from the web host. You will need someone to help you get your site up and running, and eventually managed. If you are looking for a cheap and cheerful host then you should look into a shared hosting plan, as they are generally supported by a community of volunteers who are more than happy to help you get started. Alternatively, you can opt for a premium plan and ensure that you get dedicated support from knowledgeable technicians that are solely responsible for helping you set up your site and offer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week phone support, along with e-mail support via ticketing systems.
To sum up, you will need to consider a variety of factors when choosing the best WordPress hosting provider. Some of these factors are more important than others depending on your specific needs and situation. Ultimately, you will need to pick a host that offers the best value for your money’s worth and is easy to work with if you are just getting started. With so many different hosts out there, how do you know which one to choose? Luckily, we’re here to help with that.
The Basics
To get the most basic information you can find under the hood of a host, visit their website and click the Support link at the top right corner. There you will find an icon shaped like a gear with a question mark in it.
This will take you to a small page that contains a lot of information about the host. One of the most important things to look out for here is the Terms of Service (ToS) that the host has agreed to adhere to. You will need to make sure that these terms are in line with your expectations and are acceptable to you. The terms will generally include some boilerplate language about how the host deals with customer service issues, privacy, and general conduct. You should also have the foresight to read the terms of use of any affiliate programs that the host might have implemented.
Pricing
The pricing of a host will depend on a variety of factors including the type of service that you are looking for. To find out the most affordable plan you can get for a certain hosting service, you can use a tool like this one by Hostinger. Once you’ve entered the details of your desired hosting plan, the tool will give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay. Keep in mind though that this is just an estimate and the actual price that you will be quoted will be at the discretion of the hosting provider.
Reliability
The reliability of a host is very important, especially if you are running a business online or selling products that are being bought online, as you don’t want to be losing sales due to site downtime. One of the best ways to determine the reliability of a host is by looking at their customer reviews in addition to checking out their website. People always say that reviews are subjective and one person’s opinion can’t really be trusted. This is true, but in this case, it is justifiable as the reviewer has provided a reasonably objective opinion about their experiences with this specific host.
You can find out how reliable a host is by visiting their customer reviews, checking out their website, and calling their support team if you’re not sure. Sometimes it’s good to have more than one source of information, to ensure that you make the right decision.
Features
Now that you’ve picked a host that you think will be reliable, it’s time to start considering how you will use the service. One of the best things about a host is the additional features that they offer, generally for an additional cost. These are not free features as you might expect but instead require you to pay for them. Many hosts will offer you an SSL certificate for free, which is an encryption mechanism that allows you to secure your transactions online, as well as offer some content rating systems, such as from Google, along with security cameras that can monitor your website activity and detect hackers. Some hosts will also give you a free domain name, allowing you to create a custom URL for your site.
These are all great features to have, but you have to decide whether or not you will use them. If you do decide that they are something that you will need then get in touch with the provider, inform them of your decision, and request a quote. With additional features comes an additional price, so be sure that you will need them before you decide to opt for them.
Performance
Now that you have a hosting plan chosen and a general idea of the costs involved, it’s time to start considering how you will use the service. One of the best things about a host is the performance that you can get, as it will depend on the type of plan that you have. Cheap and cheerful hosts generally do not offer the best performance, and for a business website or online store that you are looking to grow, then you should go for a premium plan. To find out how much performance you can expect from a certain host, once again you can use a tool like this one by Hostinger.
This time, instead of entering the details of your hosting plan, you will need to enter your website’s URL, along with the platform that you are using, which will identify the type of content that you are creating, and the amount of traffic that you will be getting. From there, the tool will tell you how fast your site will load, pointing out areas of improvement and giving you an idea of how much faster you can make your site, once it’s built.
Support
The amount of support that a host offers is generally either free or heavily discounted. The best hosts will have a team of specialists that are available to help you get your site up and running, and eventually managed. If you are just getting started then you will want to look into a shared hosting plan as it will be cheaper and easier to get setup.
Shared hosting plans are completely dependent on the efficiency of other users on the same server. If one person’s quota is exceeded then the host will automatically limit the resources that are available to your site, potentially causing downtime. Ideally, you will want to choose a host that offers a variety of service levels from basic to premium, along with a money-back guarantee, in case you encounter any unforeseen issues.