Tips for Choosing the Best Hosting Provider for Your Website

Selecting the right hosting provider is a pivotal decision for any business’s online presence. The question is, do you know what to look for when selecting a host?

Why Your Website Host Matters

Choosing a hosting provider isn’t just about picking someone to host your website – it’s about aligning your website’s needs with a solution that allows you to accomplish specific goals. Contrary to popular belief, they are not all created equal. The website host you choose matters for a few specific reasons, including:

• Reliability and uptime. You can’t afford for your website to go down due to server issues. Depending on the industry you’re in, the average cost of downtime ranges from $2,300 to $9,000 per minute! That’s a six-figure price tag for even just one hour of downtime. In other words, you need a host that guarantees good reliability and uptime.

• Technology. Not all website hosts have the same technology. You need a host that allows you total flexibility in terms of subdomains, email hosting, security, etc.

• Security. Security is probably the most important aspect of a website host. In today’s day and age of intense cyberattacks, ransomware, and data theft, you need a host that secures your website and prevents your sensitive information from being compromised.

• Scalability. Ideally, your website’s traffic grows over time. The question is, can your host handle these spikes in traffic? The last thing you want is to have your website go “out” when you’re running a promotion or you finally gain momentum. 

As Marcel Digital puts it, “The most important things to consider when shopping for a hosting provider are performance, security, cost, customer support, scalability, ease of use, and reputation. Each of these carries a lot of weight and can have an impact on your business so it’s wise to understand what the host has to offer and what it cannot.”

And these are just a few of the reasons. You also have to think about things like data backups and recovery and IT support. The point is: Don’t overlook hosting. The host you ultimately choose will impact your website (and business) in more ways than one.  

Understanding Your Business Needs

There isn’t one host that’s perfect for every business. If there were, you wouldn’t see so many different competitors in this space. The reality is that every business has unique needs that determine which hosting options are best. As you search for a reliable host, consider the following:

• Website requirements. What sort of traffic are you anticipating? Determine if your website demands shared hosting for smaller traffic or requires more robust options like VPS, dedicated, or cloud hosting to accommodate scalability. Also, think through content type and needs. Different websites have diverse content needs – whether they’re primarily text-based, multimedia-rich, or involve resource-intensive applications. 

• Future growth. Where do you expect to grow from here? What sort of scalability do you anticipate? Planning for your website’s growth trajectory will help you choose a host that aligns with your future needs and doesn’t require you to compromise on performance. 

• Budget and resources. We can’t have a conversation about website hosting without also considering your budget. As you evaluate options, look at their pricing structures. (And make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.) Also, assess the need for storage, bandwidth, and additional resources such as databases, email accounts, or specialized software integrations. This will help in making an informed decision that optimizes your investment.

Key Factors to Consider

In every industry, brands have specific factors that set them apart. Think about auto brands as an example. Toyota and Honda are known for reliability. BMW is known for performance. Mercedes is equated with luxury. Tesla is known for being eco-friendly and trendy. You get the idea.

The same is true for hosts. As you evaluate hosts, you’ll find that certain ones have specific associations. Here are some of the factors you’ll want to work through as you search for a website host:

• Performance. Uptime is usually expressed as a percentage. The higher the uptime, the more likely it is that your website performs at a high level around the clock. Evaluate the hosting provider’s server infrastructure, including their data centers’ location and technology stack. Faster server response times contribute to quicker page loading, enhancing user experience and search engine rankings.

• Security. Check if the hosting provider offers free or paid SSL certificates to encrypt data transmitted between servers and visitors’ browsers. SSL certificates contribute to building trust and protecting sensitive information.

• Customer support. Check if the hosting provider offers round-the-clock customer support. Issues may arise at any time, so having access to support at all hours is advantageous.

At the end of the day, you’re not going to find a website host that excels in every single aspect. You have to choose which ones matter most to you, and then select a host that satisfies as many criteria as possible. Good luck!