The anxieties of setting up a website for your business can be intense. The process of selecting a web hosting company can often amplify this feeling. Every hosting company offers its own distinct features and they all seem appealing from a distance, but identifying the one that meshes well with your brand can lead to substantial cost savings and help you sidestep future technical hassles. Despite the efficiency and uniqueness of each web hosting company, this blog will delve into some fundamental features that you should prioritize when choosing a web hosting provider.
Capability to Add Domains
As your online operations expand, so does the need for diversity. You may begin with a single website and domain name, but the demand for multiple websites, domains, and subdomains will soon become evident as you strive to increase your site’s visibility.
Consequently, before committing to a specific hosting service, review their various offerings, paying close attention to whether they allow the management of multiple websites under one hosting account.
Investigate the pricing structure for unlimited website and subdomain packages and benchmark it against other players in the industry. Select a web host that offers a range of service plans enabling the addition of new domains, which will support your scaling needs over time.
Ease of Use
Is it possible to get website designers to set up an SSL certificate? How challenging is it to incorporate an additional domain to the hosting, and if a website builder is in place, are the choices clear and user-friendly for a novice?
You often can’t test a web host before registration, but well-known hosts often provide numerous video guides. Viewing these can offer insight into the complexity of performing basic tasks. Do the procedures appear to be something you can duplicate with ease or does it all seem intricate and technical? If it’s the latter, considering other options might be beneficial.
Is There a Policy for Refunds or a Free Trial Available?
Opting for a web host can be expensive. Particularly when you’re just getting your feet wet and operating on a tight budget. Choose a hosting service with a money-back guarantee and/or a complimentary trial period, as this can significantly lower your expenses.
Free trials enable you to evaluate the hosting plan risk-free and withdraw if it doesn’t meet your website’s requirements. If things don’t go as planned, selecting a hosting company with strong refund policies will ensure you don’t suffer heavy financial losses.
Some providers impose a termination fee if you cancel your account during their trial periods. We strongly recommend steering clear of these companies. Instead, opt for firms that provide money-back guarantees with proportional refunds once your trial period has concluded.
Speed
Visitors to your site anticipate it to load in 2 seconds or less. If the loading time exceeds this, there’s a high probability they will exit. Google also factors in page speed when determining rankings, so a slow-performing site could negatively impact your position in search results and deter potential customers.
While various elements can influence website speed, every business should have a web hosting provider equipped with a high-speed server and ample memory and processing capacity to ensure rapid page loading times.
Uptime
Your website’s average uptime can influence the traffic it receives. If your site isn’t accessible when visitors attempt to visit, it’s unlikely to draw much traffic. Even a single hour of downtime can result in significant potential sales losses for your business. Aim for an average uptime of 100%, or at least as close to that figure as possible. Switch to a different web hosting provider if your average uptime falls below 99.90%.
Endnote
Numerous elements should be evaluated before buying web hosting. While this guide has detailed several crucial factors, it is by no means a comprehensive list. Prioritize your specific needs, as doing so should lead you to a decision that proves beneficial in both the immediate and distant future.
Featured image provided by Unsplash; Thanks!
