How to Choose the Right Web Hosting?
The right web host is essential for all businesses, whether they’re small or large. It’s important to have a reliable, stable platform that can meet the needs of your business. But, you also want to have a host that offers a good value for your money, and one that is easy to use.
Consider The Cost Of Maintenance
The first and most crucial step to take before making any kind of purchase is to consider the cost of maintenance. You don’t want to hire someone to come around once a month and clean out the database or fix the web server for you. That’s what you pay a small business web hosting company for.
Instead, look for a host that offers a money-back guarantee if you run into any problems within the first year. This way, you’re not risking your investment in the platform. Most reputable web hosts will offer this type of guarantee, as it is rare for a business to run into major issues with their hosting service even after a year.
Understand What You Need
One of the biggest barriers to entry for any business is understanding what they need. You’ve got the website. You’ve got people coming to you via email, social media, and organic searches on Google. You know what you need to grow your business, but you don’t know how to go about getting it.
Deciding what you need can be tricky. Do you need an email marketing platform, a social media manager, or an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) company? The answer is most likely yes, but how much are you willing to spend on each service? What is your budget?
Before you make any kind of agreement or commitment to a web host, ask them for a very detailed proposal that breaks down the price for each package they offer, along with an estimate for ongoing maintenance. The more you know up front, the less you’ll worry about down the line.
Consider The User Experience
Even for experienced website owners, going through the process of choosing a new web host can be tricky. When you’re in the middle of deciding which hosting plan is right for you, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the options and the amount of money you’re paying for each plan. But, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. It’s important to understand what you’re looking for in a web host and what will make you happy. We’ll cover a few important points that you should keep in mind, before making a decision.
Firstly, do you want a shared hosting plan or a dedicated hosting plan? A shared hosting plan provides you with a certain amount of resources, such as storage, bandwidth, and a select number of servers. If all of your websites share resources, then this is a great option for you. You won’t have to worry about running out of space on your server. Or, if one site gets sick and needs to be taken down for a few hours, then all of your sites could be affected. Shared hosting plans are usually the cheapest, but, depending on your needs, this could be a dangerous choice.
On the other hand, a dedicated hosting plan provides you with a server that is solely dedicated to your business. The cost of a dedicated server is usually higher, but this gives you total control over the performance of your sites and how they function. If you’re looking for a stable, reliable web host that offers a great value for your money, then this is the plan you should opt for.
How Long Does It Take To Get Set Up?
As a business owner or a manager of a small business, it’s important to know how long it takes to get set up with a new web host. You don’t want to make any rash decisions, because you don’t have the time to spare. Most web hosts will give you a basic account, which is free. From there, you can either upgrade your account, or you can contact the company directly and get a sales representative to walk you through the process.
The good thing about a shared hosting plan is that you don’t have to wait long to get setup. You can upload your files and launch your site within minutes. The bad thing is that, at the end of the day, you’re sharing resources with other websites.
Dedicated hosting plans are a little more complicated to set up. You have to have root access (super user credentials) to the server in order to carry out any kind of configuration. This usually means you, the business owner, will have to handle this process. While this might sound like an easy task, the process of configuring a dedicated server can be tricky. It takes time to get access to a server that is capable of handling this kind of task.
How Many Addresses Can I Use?
One of the most important aspects of a web host is how many addresses they provide. You need to decide how many sites you are going to launch, and how many email accounts you plan on using. Just because you have 1,000GB of storage space on your server doesn’t mean you’ll never run out of room. You can always purchase more storage, but this will cost you money.
While it’s great to have plenty of space on your server, if you’re outgrowing it then it’s time for an upgrade. Shared hosting plans usually provide you with only a few addresses, usually a few thousand at the most. Some hosts provide a free domain, such as https://www.name.com, along with the shared hosting plan. For more storage and more websites, you have to pay for a dedicated hosting plan.
What Type Of Linux Distribution Or Window OS Does The Website Use?
Another important factor to consider when choosing a web host is the distribution of Linux or Window operating systems that they use. As a general rule of thumb, the more clients a hosting company has, the more likely it is that they are running on a Linux distribution. For example, Google Cloud Platform relies on Linux heavily for its operating system. Most big tech companies like Google or Facebook use Linux-based operating systems.
Window operating systems are still quite popular, especially with small businesses. Most people use Windows because it’s already familiar to them, and it’s simple to set up. If you’re curious about what type of OS a specific website uses, you can always perform a quick internet search, or contact the website directly and ask them.
Is There Any Technical Support Available?
Even for experienced web owners, dealing with technical support can be tricky. Your site might be down for inexplicable reasons, and you’ll have to deal with unresponsive customer service agents or online forums that are flooded with questions about your specific issue. This could take a while and frustrate you, causing you to lose valuable time.
It’s important to find a web host that provides 24/7/365 technical support. This might seem like an exaggeration, but it’s not uncommon for support to only be available during normal business hours, which means you’ll have to wait until then to get help. Some web hosts provide you with an emergency phone number that will connect you to a live person, regardless of whether they’re in Manila or San Francisco. This is a great option if you’re ever in need of immediate help with your site.
What Is The Uptime Percentage?
Another crucial factor that you should consider before making any kind of purchase is the uptime percentage of the service. The uptime of a web host is the time that your site is available and operating without any downtime. Most reputable web hosts guarantee an uptime of at least 99.9%, so you’re protected if their service goes down for even a few hours. This is why it’s important to look for a web host that offers a money-back guarantee, as mentioned above.
The price of a web host will vary, depending on a number of factors. Some of the important ones, as mentioned above, are the cost of the product (disk space, bandwidth, and a select number of servers), the length of time it takes to set up (how long it takes to get the operating system installed and the data transferred), and the level of support available (whether or not there’s someone available to help you 24/7/365).
Deciding what type of web host to go for can be difficult, but don’t worry, we’re here to help! In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most important factors to consider, along with some best practices that can make choosing a web host easier. Let’s get started.