Choosing the Right Web Hosting Provider: Top Tips You Need to Know

by | Feb 4, 2019 | Technology Featured

You are probably wondering how you can tell if a web host is good. Do disk storage feature still matters these days? Should I select one with a better bandwidth offer? Which type of hosting service should I move forward with?

It is totally fine to have these questions, especially if you are new to this field. After all, you just want to get your money’s worth. Worry no more, though – you have come to the right place. This guide will introduce you to a checklist designed to help you choose the right web hosting provider.

Remember the Read Reviews

A lot of people these days often rely on reviews in order to weigh whether a product or service is worth buying for. Unfortunately, there are also a handful of individuals who neglect this method. As a result, they end up getting disappointed. Just like with any other products or services, reading web hosting reviews reviews can help you determine if a hosting provider is actually good.

Let’s say you are planning to use WordPress as your CMS and you want to know which web host is compatible or suitable with it. Your best course of action is to read, say, reviews on WordPress compatible hosting. Doing so will let you know what other people are saying about a certain provider.

Understand Your Hosting Needs

Unless you understand what your needs are, you will never be able to find the right web host. So before you go any further, make sure you think about what you would really need. The questions below can help you conquer this feat, so make sure you keep them in mind.

  • What is the type of website you are trying to develop?
  • Are you looking for something common like a WordPress blog?
  • Are you in need of certain applications or script?
  • Does your site require special software?
  • How big or small do you plan to have for your site in terms of traffic volume?

Of course, these are not the only questions you should ask yourself. And it could differ from one individual to another, thus think carefully. The idea is pretty straight forward. Just picture in your mind what you want your site to look and build on that. Do not just consider what you are being offered, as you want to make sure you get what you want or need.

Server Upgrading Options

It holds true that shared web hosts are quite powerful nowadays. In fact, it is said to be enough to support a properly optimized site with monthly visitors between 30,000 and 40,000. On this type of hosting account, you should not face any issue, especially if you manage to limit your concurrent database connections. That is why it is ideal for beginners to start with shared hosting.

However, you should never neglect the possibility of growing big in terms of traffic. This is when you are going to think about upgrading to a better hosting plan. This could be upgrades from shared hosting to either a dedicated or virtual private (VPS) server. Doing so will give you greater processing power, disk storage, and even optimized security features, just to name a few.

Signup Vs. Renewal Price

Hosting deals – most especially for shared accounts – are often cheapest during your signup. But be aware, though, as these usually come with a much higher price when it comes to renewal. So before you click the “Buy” button, make sure that the plan you are about to select does not come with a hefty renewal price. This is an industry norm, anyway.

Unless you are willing to jump from one to three web hosts every year or so, there is certainly no way to prevent higher renewal price from happening. To avoid these unpleasant surprises, remember to always check the web hosting provider’s Terms of Service (ToS). Understand what is written and make sure that you are completely okay with the renewal rates listed. If you are happy with what you just read, then you should not have any problems signing up with the provider.

Refund Policy or Free Trial Period

There are basic questions that you need to get answers to before you even consider signing up. For instance, will there be a full refund just in case you decide to cancel your hosting plan? What is the company’s refund policy as soon as your free trial period ends? Will you be charged with cancellation or extra fees?

It is imperative to know that your provider can handle customer refunds; otherwise, you will be losing too much if everything goes wrong. And believe it or not, there are web hosts that tend to charge an absurd amount of cancellation fees when you cancel your account with them. Want our advice? Well, just simply steer clear from these providers.