One of the first steps in setting up a website is choosing a web host, so it is important to choose wisely. Not all web hosts are the same, and their quality can vary widely. To make sure you have a good experience, read and make use of the following tips.
The features that hosting companies offer varies widely. When looking at different hosts, make sure you’re comparing the level of service that includes the specific feature you require. A cheaper host may not have the same level of features as one that costs a bit more but has a more robust plan.
Ensure you pick a web hosting provider that has a very minimal down time and no outages. Even if a company can offer you explanations for frequent outages, you might want to avoid that company. The company’s lack of attention to outage problems suggests that the company is not reliable and that your website may be frequently inaccessible if you use that provider. If the host is frequently reporting downtime, move on.
Switch web hosts if an outage lasts for more than a day. Even if the host explains why the server is down, the most likely reason is that the host did not invest enough into back up plans as far as outages are concerned. Any truly professional web hosts will have ensured that outages will be short and infrequent.
You should keep a backup of your site on your computer or on a flashdrive. In case your web host is encountering major issues and you cannot have access to your data, you will be able to switch to another host by simply uploading your site to a different server.
When choosing a web hosting service for your website, make sure that you read reviews of any host you are considering. You would not buy a new car or a new dishwasher without reading some reviews of it first. The same should be true when you are looking for a web host.
Choose a hosting service that can offer you enough space for your website to grow. Will you have the storage space to expand your website if needed? Gaining access to 100 MB of disk space should be sufficient for developing your site.
If you are using your website primarily as a blog, choose a web host that will allow you to sync with popular blogging tools like WordPress. These tools are usually free and simple to use, but you will likely want to host them with a professional service. Choose one that allows you import the files directly into their platform.
Think about setting up your own server if you want to save money. You will have to invest in hardware and learn how to operate and maintain your own server, but this also means you will not have to pay a monthly fee and have to rely on another web host.
Choosing the wrong web host can really hinder your efforts to run a successful website, so make sure you do your research beforehand. As you have seen in this article, the quality of web hosts can be quite varied.
Remember what you have learned from this article when you are selecting a hosting service.