Web Hosting provides a place for your Blog on the internet and picking the right one is not an easy task!
And without a doubt, choosing the right web hosting provider can give your website a boost and a wrong one will give you HEADACHES. Do you know, why? Because a right web hosting company should provide you with a fast site, 24/7 customer support and security for your data, all of which are not found in most web hosts.
Various Business owners have now understood the importance of quality content creation and the value a website brings to the business. Besides business owners, there are many creative writers, lifestyle and fashion bloggers, food bloggers, photographers, videographers have recognized the significance of owning a website. They create a website not just to showcase their talent but to build connections beyond boundaries, to create various opportunities and develop new skills.
So, you should always take ample time to select a reliable web hosting company so that your website is always safe!
Here are 10 tips to choose a right web hosting provider for your blog:
1. Value your Hosting needs:
First and foremost, it is always advisable to get a web host according to YOUR NEEDS because you can never design the perfect website, if you don’t know what you need. So first make a list of what you expect the web host to provide you with, for that you need to ask certain questions to yourself:
- What kind of website do you need?
- Do you want a WordPress site?
- Are you planning to get huge traffic on your website?
- What special features will you like?
These are few questions which you’ll have to figure out before you go on to pick a web hosting provider. Also, if your site is going to attract millions of visitors, then you might need an expensive VPS site (usually established businesses will need it). If you are a beginner you can start with a WordPress Site which is cheap and easy to use, subsequently you can move to more advanced one as you grow!
Hosting is of 4 main types:
- Shared hosting
- VPS (Virtual private server)
- Dedicated hosting
- Cloud hosting
Shared Hosting is a hosting provider that runs many websites. With such hosting plans, you’ll be sharing the server resources with other users. Eventually, shared hosting is simple, cheap ($3.5- $10 per month) and easy to use.
Also, these features makes it an appropriate choice for beginners, bloggers and personal websites owners who are just starting out!
Shared hosting is used by Blogs, landing pages, and small businesses who get up to 5,000 to 10,000 users.
Virtual provider server (VPS) is also a type of shared hosting but it is comparatively expensive than shared one because it provides more features and flexibility to it’s user’s (you get your server resources that’s separate from other users). It costs around $50-$200 per month. VPS hosting is commonly used by news blogs, medium sized business etc.
Dedicated Hosting is not shared with anyone (the physical server is only dedicated to your website), it’s all yours!
It’s highly expensive and used by big businesses with lots of products, dating sites etc.
The cost can be starting from $100 per month as it’s dedicated to handle only your website and it’s huge traffic.
Cloud Hosting consists of several individual severs on one giant server. With cloud hosting you need not worry about any traffic restrictions on your website. These are used by huge businesses and the cost may vary depending on the requirements of the business.
To sum up, look for where your interests lie and then pick up the right web hosting.You can choose SiteGround or Bluehost if you are a new blogger.
2. Look for Hosting Prices:
Whenever you purchase a commodity, you essentially will look at the price tag. While choosing a web host also, you should consider the price but shouldn’t make it a key deciding factor.The reason is that a reasonably priced web host might suit your needs while others might require an upgraded one loaded with features.Some web hosts lure customers by showing a cheaper price but lack certain features like security and stability for your site.Also check for signup vs renewal prices, usually shared hosting sites provide a low sign-up price (for example, SiteGround may provide $3.95 per month). But renewal prices are high ($13 per month). Its good if you can grab such deals but also be sure that the web hosting provider you choose gives you the best value for the price you pay!
If you don’t have a blog, learn how to start a blog on SiteGround CLICK HERE (with my special discount price of $3.95/month)
3. Check Web Hosting Reviews:
It is essential to do proper research of the reliability and security offered by the web hosts. Check the reviews of people who are already utilizing the services of web host you plan to use. If you find any bad reviews (which you will definitely find) then check if they respond back or not. Pay attention to how these companies respond to bad reviews and how they offer solutions to prospective customers.
4. Check the technical specifications:
Every web host has various web hosting plans with different specifications. The disk space storage, number of websites, email accounts, site tools, RAM, bandwidth, security solutions etc vary depending on the hosting plan. Make sure it satisfies your list of requirements and you get good value for the price you pay!
5. Refund policy and Free Trial period:
If you choose to cancel your hosting plan within the free trial period, does the company provide a full refund or are there any cancellation charges? It is good to know the company’s refund policy beforehand. Certain web hosting provider gives full refund to customers within the free trial period, others charge an exorbitant cancellation charges when you cancel in the free trial period. Avoid such companies!
6. Customer Support Services:
Always check for the customer support services provided by your chosen web host. Is there an easy and simple way to contact them? Check how are they accessible, via Email or chat + email or chat + e-mail + phone? Do they have a 24/7 support? If yes, then test them. If they take a longer time to respond back or provide lots of re-directions, then that is a sign of poor service. Always pick the one which provides you with quick response, understand your queries and offers an easy to follow solution.I usually prefer chat which is available 24/7 and also provides instant responses.Here’s a screenshot of SiteGround’s customer service, they respond within seconds and have an amazing support team!
7. Added advantages with web hosting:
Many web hosting providers lure their customers with added features and freebies. For example, free domains name, SSL certificate, additional backups, dedicated IP solutions. Look if you can grab these along with your list of requirements to get the best of your money.Like, Bluehost offers you with one year of free domain name, free SSL certificate. SiteGround offers you with free SSL certificate. Both offer Free Email accounts, 24/7 customer support.
8. Security features and Backup Plans:
Security breaches may happen to anyone. So, before choosing your web hosting provider, see if they offer security and safeguards your private data. This is essential not only for your data but also for your visitors.Sometimes due to these, your data might be lost, you should make sure that your web hosting provider a backup plan to recover it.
9. Uptime Scores:
You would want a web host which operates 24/7, as you might have visitors from different time zones. So, pick a web host which is stable both in terms of their servers and network connections. Also, below 99% should never be accepted!
10. Control panel:
An easy to operate control panel with extensive functionality is undoubtedly valuable as it is the brain center of your hosting account.
Without a proper control panel, you might have to depend on the customer support to execute every basic function. Thus, Control panel may it be cPanel, Plesk or any other third party control panel is essential. For example: Bluehost has cPanel control panel which is user friendly.
Lastly, check how you can start your own blog with just $3.95/month with my special discount on SiteGround!
Adios me Gusta!
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