Submitted by Akshay on
If you are looking to get your business or website online and are new to the whole hosting market, searching and selecting a reliable web hosting provider can get tricky. Most small business owners or new website owners do not have the clear idea what to look for.
In order to help you prepare for this decision we have created a short guide that will help you find the right web hosting provider for your website.
Customer Support
If you are new to hosting, you most likely have a lot of questions that you need to be answered. It is expected, if you have recently started hosting your website. You will need to learn how to access your site, how to use the web tools provided, what resources you need to ensure that your website performs smoothly. Make sure that the hosting provider you choose has a reliable support service that can answer all your questions. Look for providers that provide quality support 24x7.
Security
In order to prevent becoming a target for hackers look for providers that can guarantee the level of security you require. Keep in mind that hackers are looking for vital business information which in wrong hands can cause severe damage to your business. Therefore it is imperative to safeguard that information. Quality hosting providers offer security bundles. You should also look for providers that are offering SSL certificates, as they are essential for your website. Top hosting providers offer various security services.
Costs & Payment Methods
Unfortunately there are providers that have hidden terms and conditions and you might be faced with additional charges based under the terms hidden “in small print” which are often overlooked by new hosting users. Reliable hosting providers have a genuine sign-up procedure and stringent fraud detection process. Dependable providers are transparent about the pricing, hosting offers and sign up contracts. A good web hosting provider will have varied payment options such as Debit/ Credit cards, cheques, bank transfers, etc.
Guaranteed Uptime
Uptime is a crucial point to consider if you are looking for web hosting services. Look for hosting providers with good uptime track record. Be aware that uptime guarantee does not include any service interruptions or scheduled maintenance. You might come across web hosts that claim to provide 100% uptime guarantee, but those claims are definitely not true. Dependable web hosting providers, timely schedule/plan maintenance during off peak hours and send prior notification to users regarding the maintenance.
Scalability
Another important element in your selection process should be the scalability. Make sure to identify providers that offer high scalability. In early stages of your website the resources that are provided should be adequate for the website traffic needs, however once website gains popularity you will need more resources to handle the website traffic. The provider must be able to provide you with an upgrade, to upscale the resources such as bandwidth, storage and CPU usage limit. No provider will oversell more resource than the website actually requires. Once your website requires more resources, the provider will make additional resources available to you. You will pay the difference and enjoy uninterrupted hosting.
Customer Testimonials & Reviews
Reliable hosting providers give the best web hosting offers, but genuine ones. Be wary of providers that claim to offer unbelievable discounts, these are marketing stunts designed only to increase the number of customers. These providers often fall short in providing support to the customers when they need assistance in dealing with certain issues. Regardless of the marketing, or how good a provider claims to be, look for customer testimonials or reviews for the right insight.
First published on LinkedIn
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