The web host plays an important role to make your business website successful and it is not just website loading time which you need to consider but many other things too. If you are new to buy a web host or looking for the suggestions which you should consider before choosing a web host, the following points will surely help you.
Customer support
Customer support plays an important role when it comes to choosing a web host. Many web site owners are more concerned about price and main features of web hosting companies and neglect to check their customer support service.
It is important to go with a web hosting company that offers excellent customer support as well as 365/24/7 live chat to their customers. No one wants to wait to hear from support when his/her website is down.
Among the web hosts we reviewed, two of them stand out in terms of customer support. They are SiteGround and GreenGeeks.
Backup and Security
Make sure that the web hosting company offers the free or at least the paid backup option to restore your web content in time of need.
Security plays a crucial role when it comes to selecting a web important files hosting company. The minimum security that is expected for a web host is SSL security which protects visitor critical information using https protocol. Most hosting companies now provide “Let’s Encrypt” free SSL with their plans. However, if you have an e-commerce website you need to consider using another layer of security by purchasing an advanced SSL certificate.
Having an SSL certificates is a must, but not enough. You should also think about other security issues such as malware scanning and hacking prevention.
Refund policy
If you are new in the business and not sure whether your selected web hosting company will suit your needs, then you should only purchase a web hosting plan from a company with a refund policy. This will allow you to get your money back if you do not like their services or face any problems with their support.
Most web hosting companies offer at least 30 days no questions money back guarantee. Others offer 45 days or more. For example, FastComet offers 45 days, while DreamHost offers 97 days,. A2hosting offers a prorated refund any time after the first 30 days trial period.
Signing up with a hosting company that provides a longer refund policy is a smart choice idea, especially if you are moving from one host to another.
Technical specifications
This is the most important point to consider before choosing a web host. If you are planning to start an e-commerce site then you make sure that the company offers the required features including the web languages like HTML, PHP and Java Scripts etc. If you are not experienced, then picking the web hosting company which allows you to install different web scripts without doing any programming. Other technical features to look at cPanel, RAM, processing power and the number of scripts offered by company etc.
Customer support
Customer support plays an important role when it’s come to choose a web host. What will you do you if you stuck or facing difficulty to operate your hosting account or lose your website content? You probably look for the customer support including tech support. So, make sure that the web hosting company you are choosing is not only good for the specifications and have the low price but also provide an excellent customer support services too.
Uptime and Loading Time
The uptime of the web host should be 100% (or at least 99%) where the loading time of the website should be fast. You can get idea about them through online reviews of existing customers or even browse the websites hosted on the specific web hosting company’s server.
Price
Price of a product (Especially online products) shouldn’t be your first concern. Going to beyond budget is not a good idea but at the same time, choosing a web host on the basis of price is not a good idea. Do not jump into cheapest web hosting plan as they come up with a lot of drawbacks but also do not pay over your planned budget.
You should note that most web hosting companies have higher renewal fees compared to the original price you signed up for. So, it is highly recommended to check hosting renewal prices before signing up. However, there are a few companies that have fixed renewal prices such as Hostmetro.