Finding the best web host for your website is not an easy task. With literally thousands upon thousands of web hosts offering hosting services, how do you know which one to go with?
There are many things that you can do to help you find the right host for your site, but you’ll need to spend a little bit of time narrowing down the potential hosts, and then checking various details with each one before you make your choice.
If your website is for your business, then you know how valuable and important it is, which is why it is vital you choose the best web host right away, rather than picking one that offers a substandard service, and from which you’d need to transfer your site out from. This is a scenario that you’d want to avoid at all costs, so take a look at the cheat sheet below and start to find the best web host for you.
Find a local web host
By local, we mean one in the same country as you and your website audience. Having your website hosted in the same country and your audience will mean that the website will be delivered to them quicker than if your hosting was on the other side of the world. The Fortunelords blog is a great place to find the best host in your country. Pop over to the website and let them help find the right host for your website.
Having local hosting also means that you are most likely to get a timely response from customer support should you need their help for any issues or problems that might arise. If the host is in a different time zone, it might be the middle of the night for them, so you may have to wait a good few hours before anyone gets back to you.
Know your website requirements
It’s good to have an idea of what your requirements will be. If you only have a small website with 5 pages, then you wouldn’t need a hosting package that offers you storage space of 150GB.
Likewise, if you have a larger website with a lot of traffic, then you’ll want to make sure that the package you select will have enough storage and bandwidth for your website to perform smoothly.
Make sure they have good support
Support is one of the most important aspects of a good web host. You will want to be sure that in the event of a problem, the host will be able to offer you helpful and timely support. Check with the host is they run a 24/7 support, or is it limited to working hours.
Check if the web host offers live chat support or ticket based. Live chat would be ideal, but not all web hosts will have this available. Will a ticket-based system be sufficient for your needs, or are you going to need to speak to someone on the telephone?
Check reviews and testimonials
One quick and easy way to get an idea about a web host is to check online reviews for the company. In addition to their Facebook and Google Business page, you can also find customer reviews on other websites and platforms.
Spend a little time researching any potential web host, and make sure you read through their customer reviews, as it’s a great way to see what a company is like, what kind of quality they offer clients and if their support is good.
Ask about scalability
At some point in the future, you might find that your website has grown and is attracting much more visitors that it originally did. You may find that your current hosting package is not enough anymore, so it is very important that your web host can offer you a smooth upgrade to a different hosting account.
Check with the host and ask about the possibility to upgrade hosting packages in the future, and if there are any technical issues that may arise. It’s better to be prepared for all eventualities, and upgrading your hosting package should be something that is taken care of by the host quickly and without problems.
What type of security does the host provide?
Having a safe and secure website is something everyone wants, so it is very important that you check about the security being offered by the web host. Most web hosts will explain on their websites about their levels of security and what they do to protect clients websites from hackers and other problems. If you are unsure about anything, just get in contact with them and let them know your concerns.
Finding the best web host doesn’t always have to be a struggle, and by following some of the tips above, you should be able to find a suitable list of candidates that can offer quality web hosting at a price that is right for you.
