Did you know that there are over 1.2 billion hostnames registered worldwide? If you’re looking for a hosting service provider for your website, there’s a chance you might get confused with the sheer number of web hosting services availableto you, with each of them claiming to offer the best speeds, server reliability, managed services and the best web hosting price. However, there are some important factors to keep in mind that can help you narrow down the list and find the best one.
1. Don’t Fall for Uptime Claims
Uptime is the amount of time that your website is up and running smoothly. So, check whether the service provider guarantees 99.9% uptime. Server hardware is mostly very reliable and rarely go down. Even if a server goes down, it is usually rectified by a simple reboot. This rebooting of the server is quick if you have opted for VPS or dedicated hosting. The process rarely takes more than 20 minutes. If it is a shared server, this might get extended to 30 minutes at the most.
Check the track record of the service provider and enquire about the reliability of their hardware. Check if they have a process in place to ensure the fastest possible recovery if downtime occurs.
2. Physical Location of the Servers Matters
The physical location of the servers can significantly affectthe loading speed and responsiveness of your website. If the server is located in a different country or continent than your target visitor, there will be a time delay in accessing it.
Consider choosing a service provider with servers in the same country as you. This will ensure that your users aren’t frustrated with a slow website. If getting servers in the same country is not possible, try to choose a web hosting provider with servers closest to your target audience geographically.
3. Backup is Important
Backup options vary widely from one service provider to another. Backupsare important because if there is a server failure,the backup is used to restore your website. Without a backup, your website will be lost forever, if the server fails.
Some companies will backup your website regularly; others will provide you with an option to manually do so whenever you wish.Backup is even more important if you have a WordPress web hosting plan since your entire website would be based on the managed WordPress interface of your hosting service provider.
4. Pricing
The web hosting price can sometimes be deceptive. There could be hidden charges for every additional functionality. So, consider your hosting requirements carefully before choosing a plan. Also check if the service provider offers freebies, such as a complimentary domain name for the first year, and features like SSL certification.
If you run a small business, you might be tempted to go for the cheapest option. Find out whether your choice provides easy upgrade options or not. Without one, you might find it difficult to scale your website as your business starts growing.
So, make sure you do your research well and pick a trusted web hosting services provider.