The number of available web hosting options is increasing every day. Web hosting trends are changing at an unprecedented rate. In 2015 alone, the number of gTLDs increased to the tune of millions, more all-in-one publishing and hosting services came up, and cloud hosting became the norm for many web hosting service providers. These changes are vastly improving the way web hosting service providers operate. Traditional web hosting platforms include dedicated hosting, shared hosting, and collocated hosting as well as free hosting. These are increasingly being made more innovative. Those looking for a web hosting service may be confused with the sheer number of options available. Hence, it is important that they carefully select the right type of hosting as well as the appropriate service provider so that they get value for their money. Below are a few things to consider when selecting a web hosting option.
1. Determine Your Needs
Before you start choosing between various web hosting options, you should know what type of website you want to build. Do you want a particular type of software? Do you want a website that can handle a high amount of traffic? Then find out which service provider offers this option. This will determine the type of option you go for. A free web hosting option, for instance, would be unsuitable for websites with huge traffic because of its slow connection speeds. A collocated hosting option would be best for this type of website. Thus, determining your specific need will ensure that you choose a service provider that matches your needs.
2. Your Budget
Shared hosting options are relatively cheaper than collocated or a dedicated hosting option. If you are on a tight budget, it would be advisable to go for shared hosting. Another great option would be the web hosting reseller option. This allows you as the client to set up your small web hosting company. Typically, a client creates their account then can host websites for his clients. With the web hosting reseller option, a client has a dual advantage since apart from getting the hosting service at a very affordable cost, they are also able to earn some money from their clients. In addition, reseller hosting allows a company to have several websites at one accrued cost instead of paying for each individually. They also have more features than the common hosting platforms.
3. Find Out Server Reliability
It would be important for one to review the up-time scores of servers of several companies before selecting the right one. The closer it is to one hundred percent, the better for the company since it means that their website will be running twenty-four hours seven days a week. Up-time scores can be obtained by reading reviews online and also a variety of monitoring tools.
4. Find Out If The Server Allows Growth
The web hosting platform should allow for the addition of more domains. It should allow for the continuous upgrade. If your business is an expanding one, this will ensure that your website options increase with the growth of your entity. Many platforms allow for hosting of up to twenty-five domains and also have upgrade facilities. However, doing a thorough research is the only sure way to find a great service provider.
5. Should Be Eco-Friendly
Web servers especially those of the dedicated and collocated type can be pretty environmentally destructive. They do this by emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide. If being green is of particular concern to you, you should probably consider choosing the reseller web option or other shared hosting platforms since they share servers, meaning lower emissions. Many web hosting companies provide a variety of green hosting solutions including reseller options.
6. Do You Want Limited Or Greater Control Over Your Server?
Maybe you want to determine your server’s hardware specifications, its operating system the amount of security and also where it is based. Or maybe you couldn’t be bothered, and all you want is an up and running website. It is possible to exercise specific amounts of control depending on the platform you choose. A dedicated server or a VPS one allows for greater flexibility and control. A shared platform, on the other hand, would limit control that one has over their servers. Again all this depends on the hosting service you choose as some would prefer more control than others.
7. Website Usability
If the hosting option you choose does not provide an easy to navigate website for potential clients, then you will have very little traffic flow. Therefore, it is important to ensure the control panel is easy to manipulate. This will cut down many inconveniences caused by the inability of clients and staff to use the website efficiently.
8. Availability Of Backup & Common Security Features
If your site crashes and you do not have sufficient backup, then you lose all your work. On the same note, if a hacker can hack into your site, your data becomes corrupted, and you could lose everything. Whatever type of hosting services your service provider gives, it is imperative that they offer frequent backup services as well as sufficient security features. If these threats occur, your work will be easily retrieved. If the host provides self-backing options, even better, as this means that you will easily do this for your company, no need to call the techs.
9. Are There Any Host Preferences You Should Know About?
Different hosting companies have different specifications. If the host wants you to use a specific amount of CPU power for instance and you exceed, they could suspend your website. How long do they offer their service before you have to subscribe again? Do they offer tech support services once your website is up and running? Such are the pertinent issues that you should consult with your provider if you want to limit future disappointments.
All in all, finding the proper type of web hosting service that your blog or company requires is not easy and must be done with utmost care. However following the above tips will enable you to select the best options for your company.
