GUIDE: How to choose a Web Hosting?

If you just registered a domain name for your brand and you don’t know what to do next, then this article is just right for you. You need a good web hosting that gives a place for your website to live. It will create a web-space where you can upload your content on the web, and make your website readily accessible to visitors.

Btw, if you haven’t registered your domain name yet, do check my article on the Cheapest Domain Registration & Transfer Deals, which I update every month. You might land yourself a free or cheap domain name.

In web hosting, there are several options to choose from, depending on functionality and price points. Knowing what you need, what to ask a web host provider, and what types of website hosting available will help you get the best.

However, there are several factors to consider before you randomly choose one. So here, I am going to explain How To Choose Web Hosting?

Factors To Consider While Buying Web Hosting Service:

Types Of Web Hosting:

Here are the significant types of web hosting solutions that you will come across:

a) Shared Hosting:

The most common option for any small business that has less traffic is shared hosting. Here, in a single server or a single piece of hardware, more than one website can be stored. They are less expensive and great for startups. If you are a business owner or blogger and want to save yourself the right amount of money, you should wait for black friday web hosting deals when big hosting companies offer the best deals & discounts on their hosting services.

b) Cloud Hosting or VPS:

VPS means Virtual Private Server. This type of hosting server allows several websites to get hosted by one specific cloud-based server system. It is the cloud-based version of the shared server due to the flexibility, redundancy, scalability of cloud computing. It is a great choice for businesses that has fluctuation overtime rate and require computational features.

Again, VPS can be of two types: Managed VPS and Unmanaged VPS. I already wrote a detailed post on Managed vs Unmanaged VPS: Which is better?. You can check it out to find out the differences and know which one is best suited for you.

c) Dedicated Hosting:

When a specific server plays host to a single website, then it is known as the dedicated server. They are usually more expensive and are great for expandable or blooming businesses. If you came here as a visitor, I guess you do not need dedicated hosting for your business. Try going with the Shared Hosting or VPS.

Support:

What are the available support channels such as forums, live chat, email, telephone, 24/7, or office hours? Check whether they are US-based or overseas. In case anything bad happens to your website or you need to solve some issues or technical errors, in that case, having great support from customer care will help you a lot.

Ensure that the web hosting provider comes with several types of support systems such as email, phone calls, quick chat, etc. The means of communication will help you to build a strong relationship of trust with the provider.

Features:

When you think of buying a web hosting service, you need to think about what all features you are going to get. The functionality of a website is very much essential and future-proofing. Check if your hosting provider offers you with future growth, the capacity, and features require to get your business requirement fulfilled.

Your chosen hosting provider must allow you to move seamlessly to the next plan or storage capacity. If you are investing your money in a web hosting provider, you must think about prospects as well.

Control Panel And Fast Connection:

You must check out whether your hosting provider has a user-friendly control panel or not. Having a user-friendly control panel will let you manage your website easily from any location.

Moreover, try to look for the hosting provider that offers a fast connection. A slow-loading website will not get many visitors and will have a wrong impression. You can do that by checking whether the host’s website and images load quickly or not.

Uptime:

When you establish your website, you’d like for it to be up and accessible 100% of the time. But, no web facilitating administration can ensure perfection, so most hosting service providers focus on 99.9% uptime. So, if you want to spend more money on your business for extra uptime guarantees, you may have the option to arrange 99.99% uptime. Whatever level you feel comfortable at, just make sure to get it memorialized in an SLA.

Storage:

Whatever website hosting service you choose, all we offer you with several levels of storage. One can select anything of them as per their requirements. A small business or startup will have a different need for storage capacity, whereas a more prominent company will need more significant storage to store enormous data.

Operating System: Linux Vs. Windows:

Usually, host web service providers use a version of the Linux operating system and associated web service infrastructure. However, several businesses and organizations prefer to use the Microsoft Windows server. The rates are different for different operating systems. So, you should check the capabilities before you decide on the hosting service.

Mobile Capacity:

According to recent research, there are 3.5 billion or more global mobile internet users. So, you can imagine that there are more mobile internet users than desktop users. If you are having a startup or a small business website, then it should be compatible with the mobile interface. This will ensure further growth and visibility.

Several web hosting providers produce a dynamic website that you displayed on a mobile device or a desktop. In the digital age, mobile interaction is very much essential, and so it should be a priority.

Security:

Another factor that you must consider before purchasing a web hosting service is to check the security it offers. A good web hosting service should provide you with the resources and means to provide you with a secure website infrastructure, patches, etc. You must check whether your website hosting provider offers you the necessary security protocols and further gives you complete latest updates. Security features, expectations, and guarantees should be negotiated as a part of an SLA.

Price And Reviews:

The last point that I should say you must consider is the price along with the reviews. Yes! When you start searching for a web hosting service, you surely see what you are paying for. What services you are getting at what rate. Go and make some comparisons to get the best service at the best price point.

Again, don’t forget to check out the reviews given by the customers. Having feedback about the web hosting service is a must to understand what you can expect from the service provider. Checking out the reviews will help you have a great idea. You can have a great indication of whether to trust the hosting company or not.

Data Backup:

It is very crucial for you to check whether your web hosting service provider allows you with a proper data backup or not. Doing a data backup is essential for you to keep your website safe and sound from disk failures and hackers.

There are a lot of Data Backup tools available out there for bloggers; you can try out any. I use Updraftplus Free Plan for backing up my content and WordPress database.

Last Words:

So these are the factors to keep in mind before you opt for a web hosting service. If you think there are any other points to add or you have any further queries, then you can comment on it down below. I will be happy to help. 🙂

Thank you for reading. Do share this post with your friends. Use the social share buttons below. I will be back soon with more blogging tips. Keep visiting HiTricks. Don’t forget to join our Telegram Channel.

Nirmal Sarkar
Nirmal Sarkar

Nirmal Sarkar is a Biotechnologist from the city of Joy, Kolkata. He is the founder of this blog and covers a wide range of topics from Gadgets to Software to Latest Offers. You can get in touch with him via nirmal@hitricks.com

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