Today, there are thousands of web hosts available, and there are thousands of plans to pick from, making what was once a straightforward process look difficult for both beginners and experts.
There are 7 easy steps you must take to choose a wonderful host, whether you're looking for your first host or hoping to move on to a better one.
1. Platform
Deciding on the platform the web server should run on is the first and most important step in selecting a web host. Typically, this comes down to Windows or Unix/Linux.
Your decision will be heavily influenced by your website and the technologies used to build it. Typically, a website built with Microsoft technologies (ASP, VB) will function on Windows servers, while the majority of other
Your decision will be heavily influenced by your website and the technologies that were used to build it. Generally, a website built with Microsoft technologies (ASP, VB) will operate on Windows servers, while the majority of websites built with open source technologies (PHP, Perl, Python, etc.) will run on Linux-based systems.
2. Features
After selecting your platform, the next step is to decide the features your web host should offer. Take your time with this stage because feature lists for web hosts are expanding daily. While some plans may appear to be comparable at first glance, a careful examination of the feature lists may reveal a different picture.
The particular features you'll require are up to you, but some important considerations are as follows:
Disk Space
Bandwidth
Backups
Uptime
Money Back Guarantee
Domains Allowed
Databases (Number & type)
CGI, PHP, Perl, Python, SSI
Cron
Email accounts
The list is endless, so be sure to take your time and confirm that your new web host will give you all you require.
3. Cost
Cost is frequently the main factor individuals take into account when selecting their first web host; money is usually limited, and on the surface, most hosts appear to be relatively similar. Sometimes you're fortunate and pick a good host, but most of the time it ends up being a horror story.
I cannot stress enough how risky it is to choose a web host only primarily on pricing. Keep in mind that the cost of your web hosting includes more than just the monthly subscription; consider the entire cost of ownership. TCO comprises setup fees, extra feature costs, bandwidth overages, downtime rebates, lost revenue from sluggish speeds and downtime, as well as your monthly fee.
The greatest price is typically only available if you pay yearly, however some hosts let you to pay monthly and still receive the best price. The ideal payment plan for you actually depends on your particular preferences.
4. Client Services
Customer service is another area that is frequently overlooked until it is too late. When anything breaks and needs to be fixed, the beautiful helpful salespeople who took your money with more than enough assistance are no longer in sight, and you are losing sales every minute.
Your website needs to be operational all the time, therefore you shouldn't accept anything less than 24/7/365 service. It also doesn't help if your hosting provider is closed on holidays. Don't believe what the web hosting providers say; while they all advertise 24/7 service, few actually deliver on that promise. Make careful to test them out on a phone at different times of the day and night, email and live chat if they offer it.
5. Support
A comprehensive knowledge base or faq can save you a ton of time and give you a sense of the degree of customer service help and expertise you can anticipate. Browse the website's assistance areas for a while to determine the quality of the support offered.
Are the knowledge base's answers to inquiries comprehensive? Do they offer actual solutions or just "cut and paste" responses?
6. Longevity
Find out the creation date by performing a whois on the web host's domain name; if it was less than a year ago, there is a greater chance they won't be around in a year. They might be a fantastic host, but given that more than 95% of new hosts fail within a year, you shouldn't really take a chance on them.
(7) Uptime
A web host can't always be up since servers need to be rebooted for security and software updates, and any host that doesn't get updated runs the danger of being successfully hacked more frequently. In the web hosting business, 99.9% uptime guarantees are quite common, but a guarantee is only as good as the terms that define it and the organization that stands behind it. If they don't live up to their guarantee, demand at least one full month of free hosting; a prorated refund based on the length of downtime is essentially useless. Let's say you pay $10 for hosting each month, but your website is unavailable for 24 hours. You will receive a refund for one day of downtime, which comes to around 33 cents.
There you have it: 7 easy methods to picking a top web host. Simple inquiry and investigation can prevent a great deal of heartache in the future; it's not rocket science.