5 Things to Look for When Choosing a WordPress Hosting Provider
When choosing a hosting provider for your WordPress website, there are a number of things you need to consider. Here are some of the most important things to look for in a web host so that you make the right decision and ensure you are satisfied with the product you purchase.
1. The Support Will You Receive
One of the most important things to consider about a hosting provider is how quickly and effectively they are able to help you if you have any questions or problems. You should purchase software or services that is backed by a competent and friendly support staff who are able to provide practical guidance and help you to get the most from your product. To ensure you are getting the best possible support, you should consider purchasing a hosting plan that is offered by a highly regarded company with a reputation for providing superior customer service.
Even if you have purchased a premium product with numerous features, without good support it can be very difficult to get the most out of it. Unfortunately, a lot of the time companies try to up sell you additional services or products that are not included in your purchase, simply to make a little bit of money off you. These kinds of companies will often try to up sell you unnecessary services or add-ons that are not going to provide any benefit to your business or website. Just be sure to look for the best possible terms in your contract before you sign up with any company. This way you can be sure you are not giving your personal data to any third party who you have not explicitly authorized.
2. The Price
The price you pay for the product or service is undoubtedly one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a web host. As we discussed above, some companies may try to up-sell you additional services that are not included in your plan, simply to make a quick buck. This is why you need to make sure you are comparing price vs. features to ensure you are getting the best value for your money. Of course, you should also look for the cheapest possible option since price should not be a factor that influences your decision, as this will undoubtedly have an impact on your business. If you need assistance, be sure to contact the company directly or read reviews on platforms like Google or Facebook to get an idea of how others rate them compared to other companies. This way you can find out exactly what you are paying for and if this is the best value for your money.
3. The Performance
The performance of a website or app is obviously going to be dependent on the hardware that is being used to run it. However, regardless of whether you are hosting your website on a cloud server or a dedicated hosting plan, the performance should not be substantially different. If you are getting slow load times or experiencing any hiccups in the service, it is time for an upgrade. Never choose a hosting provider based on the performance of other websites or apps that are hosted on the same platform. This is probably the number one mistake that people make when choosing a web host. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples and not some other product or service (like free hosting with WordPress or Blogger) to determine how well this particular product or service will perform for your specific needs.
Even if everything else about your hosting provider is good, if the performance is bad, it can still be a bad investment. For a business owner or individual blogger, sluggish load times can be extremely frustrating. This is why you need to make sure that when you are purchasing a plan, the performance is good enough to support your needs. If it does not meet your expectations, it may be time to look for a new host.
4. The Hardware
The hardware is undoubtedly one of the most important considerations when choosing a web host. To ensure that your web pages load fast and are not interrupted by any hiccups or speed bumps, you need to choose a hosting provider who has fast enough hardware to ensure that everything loads smoothly. If you notice, popular hosting providers like Bluehost come with some pretty advanced hardware, which is quite rare for a web host. With this in mind, make sure you are looking for the best possible deal and are not settling for less than what you need. The last thing you want is to be scrambling at the end of the month to pay for all the hardware and services you have utilized.
5. The Interface
The interface is simply the way the web host’s software and services are presented to you. It’s very important to choose a hosting provider who presents their services simply and efficiently. This is why most web hosts have a very clean and minimalist design that is easy to navigate. You should choose a host that has a very simple and fast sign up process as well as a user-friendly dashboard.
Even if you are not technically minded, you can still use most web hosts’ dashboards to easily manage your site. You should choose a hosting provider whose dashboard is designed in a way that is easy to understand and has all the necessary features you need to effectively run your website or blog.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers out there who will try to trick or mislead you into purchasing some type of service or product from them. To save you from being conned, make sure you contact the company directly using the information they provide. If you get a pop up ad that looks promising, but then you get connected to an unknown number or receive an email from a seemingly random sender, it could be a scam. Just be careful!
There, now you know the most important things to consider when choosing a web host. As we discussed above, a lot of companies will try to up sell you additional services or products that are not included in your plan, simply to make a quick buck. This can be a huge red flag, as it means they do not value your business, but instead they want to make a quick buck off you. Make sure you are not getting scammed by looking for the best prices and going over the Terms of Service thoroughly before you sign up with any web host.