Top 10 Considerations When Choosing a Web Host
Which provider should I host my sites with? This is a common dilemma for many developers, business owners, bloggers and freelancers. If you land on ‘Mr. Right’ In your quest for a web host, then you’ll have a lifetime of happiness with a high performing and reliable host who’s always available to answer your burning questions. So how exactly do you go about getting the right host for your needs? Let’s go over some of the things you should put into consideration.
- Price
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Remember the cheap is expensive maxim? It holds true even for hosting. You can easily get low priced shared hosting for less than $10, but what you should be asking is what you’re getting for the amount you’re being charged. Are you getting quality, non-outsourced hardware? Does the offering lack some core features you might need now or in the future? You should also check out the company’s terms of service. Most companies offer very cheap sign up prices but charge higher on renewal. Make sure you’re okay with the renewal prices before clicking on ‘Buy’.
- Tech Limitations
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Consideration should also be given to the limitations of the server host. Specs such as RAM, disk space, and processing power need to be taken into consideration. Ensure that the needs of your websites are accommodated by the server host.
- Tech Support
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The availability of tech support to help with troubleshooting is paramount. When facing a technical problem, a representative from the web host should be available through phone, online chat or email to sort out your issue. A hosting service with no live support is a bad investment.
- Customer Reviews
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When shopping for a web host, pore through the customer reviews of the providers in contention. A web hosting service that has glowing reviews would be the smarter option. Go for the smart money. A great way to get reviews is to ask people on social media. This is how to go about choosing a web host.
- Control Panel/ User Interface
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The web hosting service needs to have a control panel. An interface ensures that you are able to make modifications and updates without calling the hosting company’s support line. Similarly, the control panel availed to the user needs to be user-friendly.
- Scalability
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The hosting provider needs to have the capacity to accommodate a growing website. For instance, such a host should have a VPS or Dedicated Server Solutions. Failure to have such features means that you might have to transfer your account when you outgrow your host. Moving costs time and money and is best avoided from the outset.
- E-mail Features
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You need to have a host that offers solutions to tackle spam email. Look into the provider’s general email practices and spam solutions before signing up.
- Hardware
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Read up on the hardware that a web host provider uses. This may involve doing some intensive reading on the vendor. The quality of hardware can affect server performance and consequently your site’s performance.
- Add-Ons
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This refers to incentives provided by web host vendor. Incentives could include the offer of backing up data, free domains, and multiple data centers. You need to look at what makes a particular vendor unique.
- Specialization
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Choosing a web host is a lot like picking out a shoe – different strokes for different folks. You need to get a web host that matches your unique needs. While some web hosting companies are good for providing enterprise solutions, they might be a bad fit for you if you want to run a personal blog. To avoid this pitfall, look into a company’s specialty, it will save you from the pain of shattered expectations.
