The importance of quality web hosting has never been greater than it is now. Businesses need to maintain a strong online presence to target customers and retain them. You…
The importance of quality web hosting has never been greater than it is now. Businesses need to maintain a strong online presence to target customers and retain them. Your website surely is the hub of your online marketing efforts and you need to make sure it remains available and accessible at all times. Even slight downtime can drive potential customers away from your business, something you cannot afford. This is why it is crucial that you choose a topnotch web host who can maximize your up-time while providing all the ancillary services that you need.
However, this is easier said than done. There is no dearth of service providers on the market and selecting one can give you a real headache. Therefore, you should break down your search by considering a few factors that determine whether or not a web host is suitable for your needs. Here’s a brief guide that you can follow to choose the right hosting service for your business:
Understand Your Needs
Before you start searching, it is important that you understand your needs and the kind of web host you are looking for. Websites with rich media content, 24-hour streaming, and constant updates need more space than websites with a static layout and few pages. Therefore, audit your website and determine the bandwidth and space you require. This will help you narrow down your options when it comes to selecting a web host.
Compare Packages
As mentioned, there is no dearth of web hosts in the market. Hence, you can afford to be a little picky. It is a good idea to compare packages offered by different providers. Often, businesses opt for shared hosting as it costs less. However, when you get prices from different vendors, you can get a better idea of how much you would have to pay for exclusive managed hosting services. This way, you can gain leverage and actually negotiate. Also, you can budget accordingly.
Check Reviews and Testimonials
When it comes to web hosts, never trust one that has only negative or positive reviews. The best managed web hosts will have mostly positive reviews but a couple of negative reviews as well. This shows that the reviews are written by actually customers and are not paid reviews. In any case, checking the reviews and testimonials will give you a good idea of the quality you can expect from a hosting service and therefore make it easier for you to select or reject a provider.
Assess Customer Support
A key characteristic of topnotch web hosts is they prioritize customer support. You can actually check the level of support on offer by calling up their helpline and asking a few questions. The way they respond will give you a clear idea of their efficiency and reliability. At the end of the day, you don’t want to be stuck with your website going down and no one on the other end of the line.
Ask About Backup & Security
It is important that you check the backup and security features offered by the service. They should back up your website periodically to ensure prompt recovery in case something goes wrong. As far as security features go, your website should be safe from cyber criminals when it is hosted on their servers. Otherwise, you are taking a major risk.
Besides this, check any other factors you feel are important for ensuring you get a reliable service from the web host you choose. At the same time, don’t consider price the sole make or break factor when selecting a professional managed hosting service. Keep these pointers in mind and you will be able to make the right choice.