You might’ve heard “web hosting” before, however, you might not know what it means. Here’s a simple explanation: when a company offers use of their servers so that others can make a website and “host” it there, that company is a web host and that service is “web hosting”. Keep reading to find out how you can select a good website hosting service.
Ensure you pick a web hosting provider that has a very minimal down time and no outages. Companies that have frequent outages, even if they can explain them away, are not good choices because they should have made changes to resolve underlying outage causes. Frequent outages are an indicator of an unprofessional service you should not commit to.
Target Audience
When you are deciding on who to choose for web page hosting, pick a company that resides where your target audience is located. If your target audience is in the UK, your web host should have their headquaters in the UK, too.
Write down a list of your own priorities before you start shopping for a hosting service. Take an honest look at what are features are essential for your business and then compare what services and features are part of the package from each host you are considering. Making a list should help you make a good decision based on different factors instead of focusing on the price, only.
Are you looking at free web hosts? If so, be sure to keep backups of all of your files, as free hosts don’t often provide this service. You risk losing your files entirely. If that happens, there is not much you can do about it.
The amount you have to pay for website hosting depends on how many people regularly visit your site. However, this is not the case across the board, and the method of calculation may be different among separate hosts. You should take the time to determine the rates your site will average before you commit to a contract.
A lot of hosts require you to create a backup of your website. You want your data safe. Can you imagine re-creating all of your site’s content? Should any problems arise, you will still have a copy of your site.
Look for a hosting service that lets you have access to statistics and detailed information about your traffic. Add an outside visitor counter, and check the numbers this gives you with the numbers put out by the web host. Being able to use this information to improve and grow your online business is crucial.
Look for web hosts that have cPanel. Control panels allow you to easily and quickly install popular features on your website. These applications are usually user friendly and typically easy to install. Also, it will make it easier to manage your website.
Your web host should have an excellent reputation. After reading a bunch of reviews, you can get a feel for the best hosting companies in the industry and get more comfortable in your decision. If you can’t find any positive reviews on a prospective host, then you should probably cross them off your list.
Dedicated Server
Decide if your site requirements include a dedicated server. With a dedicated server you will have more storage space and bandwidth and less risk of viruses or other attacks. This will give your customers the optimal experience on your site. Remember, happy customers are return customers.
Try to find a host that includes SEO features to improve traffic. This will get your site registered on search engines. If traffic is of utmost importance to you, register the site on your own so that you can add in detailed descriptions of your site to help increase your rankings.
Different web hosts will offer different services, depending on whether they operate on Windows or Linux. This means you need to get accustomed to and access different features. Linux generally is cheaper to use when compared to Windows, so it may mean lower prices when hosting your site.
Refund Policy
There are some hosts which will give you pro-rated refunds for down time. This monetary refund policy is often just a few cents even if you lose a lot of money while the site was down. Your focus should be on the hosts uptime rates, and not on their refund policy.
If you plan to upload a lot of information, look into your potential host’s upload method. You may have to access an FTP server. Alternately, at the very minimum, you will need access to an online manager.
Check out what kind of control panel a potential host offers before you sign up. Your provider should give you plenty of guidance on uploading your site if you need it. If the control panel is too difficult to navigate or use, find a host with a simpler interface.
Hosts that provide virtual servers give you the tools to allow you to test software, have better control over your site and many other benefits. A VPS gives you control over just about all of your server functions, such as setting up accounts and installing and removing applications — just like you were managing the server yourself. However, before choosing this type of hosting, make sure that you are knowledgeable and willing to commit the time to this plan.
Don’t be led astray by the dizzying number of options to choose from. A lot of web page hosting businesses have showed up in the last 10 years and some are giving out free or low prices on their services. Use common sense, and do not become a victim of all the hype. Narrow these companies down to a reasonable number, and then compare them side by side by what service you need, and what they offer.
In a nutshell, hosting provides a server in which individuals could make their own site and be able to share their content to other people. Use the tips you learned in this article to make better decisions concerning your web host, and the services it offers.
