Having a strong web host provider is necessary for seamless running of your online business online. To cater to the variety of needs of individuals and businesses, there are a lot of web hosting portals on the internet. To shop for them according to your needs and requirements could be tricky. Here’s where we’ll discuss the things that you must consider before signing up with a web host provider.
1) Check your needs
The first step into selecting a hosting partner is for you to examine your needs and requirements from it thoroughly. To understand this, you would need to ask the following pertinent questions while you filter out your selection:
· What kind of website are you building? – Would you be working on a WordPress or creating a full-fledged HTML website?
· How many sites would you be creating? Some web host providers give allowance to set up more sites from one account.
· How much is your monthly budget for web hosting?
· Do you need email hosting, SSL certificates or other technical requirements?
An answer to these questions will help you single out the kind of web host that will fit your online business.
2) Speed and bandwidth
You would need a hosting partner which is reliable in terms of its speed and bandwidth. It only takes one lag while loading your landing page for it to be classified as a bad user experience, meaning the user wouldn’t want to come to your site again. To thwart this, you’ll need a web hosting solutions provider that has good server speeds and has the bandwidth to handle higher online traffic, something what hostingfoundry.com offers. Check what uptime are they promising and do not opt for anything less than 99.5%.
3) Technical Support
A good customer support is what will set your hosting site apart from others. While selecting, look at the various options it is providing for you to contact, be it email address, chat options or phone support. Also check whether they are providing 24/7 support or only during business hours. You shouldn’t be left in a limbo when your site crashes and are looking for answers.
4) Server location
This comes into play when you’re looking for faster speeds. Servers which are located locally will end up providing faster speeds and would be more reliable and easier to contact. It is best to enquire about the physical location of the servers as it makes sense to have them in the same country from where you operate from.
5) Flexibility
A good quality of a web host is that it provides options to upgrade or downgrade your existing plan depending on your changing needs. A responsible web host can provide you hand holding when you start your website and give you options when you switch to a big website that handles lots of traffic and e-commerce.
6) Reviews
There’s never any harm in enquiring about the prospective web host from their prevailing and previous clientele. A good review will go a long way into figuring out whether or not you want to go with the selected option.
7) Security features
Perhaps, one of the most important features of a good web host is tight security and safety of your website’s sensitive data. When there’s personal or financial data involved, you’d need trustworthy servers that can fight off hackers and fraudsters into cracking through for unscrupulous gains. How much data backup does it provide? Does it have proper firewalls to handle e-commerce needs? Figure these out and you’ll be in a position to identify a reliable web hosting solutions provider.