When you’re starting a business, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing a web host. Picking the wrong web host can be costly and frustrating, so it’s important to do your research and ask the right questions. This article will discuss some tips for choosing a web host that fits your business.
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What Type Of Business Do You Have?
You need to think about what kind of business you’re running in order to know the web host that will fit it. ECommerce companies, among many other types, tend to use an AWS WordPress hosting provider as it’s compatible and can handle a larger volume of traffic. If you have a smaller business, however, you might not need all the bells and whistles that come with a more robust hosting package, which means you could save some money by going with a less feature-rich provider.
The type of your business is a big factor in choosing the right web host. If you have a small, personal blog, you can get away with a less expensive and feature-rich hosting plan. But if you have a large eCommerce site or another type of website that gets a lot of traffic, you’ll need to choose a more powerful option.
Server Reliability
You must be absolutely sure that the server will not fail you at any given time. The server is the backbone of your website, and if it goes down, so does your website. This means that you will lose any traffic that was going to your site, as well as any potential customers. To ensure that the server is reliable, you should look for a web host that offers an uptime guarantee. This way, you know that your site will be up and running no matter what.
Uptime guarantee means that the hosting company promises to keep your site up and running at all times. If the server ever goes down, they will compensate you for any lost time. Most companies offer 99% uptime guarantees, which means that your site will only be down for an hour or so each month. However, there are some companies that offer 100% uptime guarantees. These are the companies that you should look for when choosing a web host.
Consider The Loading Speed
Web design can help you a lot when it comes to growing your business, but it needs to respond quickly to every command in order to do that. That’s why loading speed is one of the key things you should look for when choosing a web host.
A loading speed below two seconds is already considered slow, and it will deter potential customers from staying on your site. If you want to keep them engaged, you need to make sure that your pages load in under a second.
You can test your loading speed with Google‘s PageSpeed Insights tool. Just enter your URL, and it will give you a score out of 100, as well as suggestions on how to improve it. For example, it might tell you to compress your images, so they take up less space.
Look At Their Additional Features
There are certain additional features some web hosts offer. These could be the following:
- A free domain name
- A free SSL certificate
- Free site migration
- Money-back guarantee
These additional features could be the deciding factor for you when choosing a web host. For example, if you are looking to migrate your website from one host to another, a host that offers free site migration would be ideal. If security is a big concern for you, then a host that offers a free SSL certificate would be a good choice.
Take the time to look at the different features each web host offers and see which ones would be beneficial for your website. This could help you narrow down your choices and find the perfect web host for your business.
Test Security
Your web host must be 100% secure. If security is breached, your site will be blacklisted, and you will lose all credibility. Test the security of your potential host by doing the following:
- Visit their website and look for a security page
- Check to see if they have an SSL certificate
- Ask them about their security policies
Don’t sacrifice security for cost. In the long run, it’s not worth it. Choose a web host that takes security seriously and can provide you with the tools you need to keep your site safe. Your business depends on it.
Does It Have A Backup?
It’s essential that you’re able to back up your website in case anything goes wrong. A backup will give you a copy of your website that you can restore if something happens to the live version. Make sure that the web host you choose offers backup services.
Some hosts will charge extra for backup services, so be sure to find out if this is the case before you commit to a host. You don’t want to be surprised by hidden fees later on.
For example, if you have a WordPress website, you can use a plugin like UpdraftPlus to create backups. If your host doesn’t offer backup services, you’ll need to find another way to back up your website yourself.
Read Reviews
It’s essential that you have good web hosting, which is why you should also see what other users have to say about the host. Look for reviews from actual users, as these will give you a better idea of what to expect. Be sure to read both positive and negative reviews, as this can help you get a more well-rounded view of the host. Keep in mind that no host is perfect, so don’t let one or two bad reviews dissuade you from using a particular host.
For example, if you’re looking for a host that specializes in WordPress hosting, you can find reviews specifically for WordPress hosts. This can be a great way to narrow down your options and find a host that will work well for your needs.
No modern business is complete without a good website, and no website is complete without good hosting. You need to know what kind of business you have to assess your needs and see how reliable the servers are.
Loading speed is a major factor when choosing a host, and make sure they have some additional features that might be useful to you. Test how secure it is and whether you can easily create a website backup. Finally, make sure to read some reviews from each of the hosts you’re considering to see what other users have to say!
