Things to consider when choosing a web hosting company

Posted by Felix Okoli on Sunday May 18, 2014 at 13:21:24:

The big shots can afford to own their very own web hosting servers however, that is usually not the case with small time individuals looking to become webmasters. The budget is usually a small one. Sometimes, this can be as a result of not wanting to put too much into something new or basically just because that’s all there is to start with.

Although web hosting companies should be chosen on the basis of what they can provide and the needs of the website to be built, there are some key fundamental qualities all web hosting services worth anything should have.

Good Customer Support: The ideal web hosting service should have excellent customer support. Why? Sometimes, certain glitches in a website performance can cost webmasters an enormous sum of money or traffic. The kind of traffic that brings in money is not easy to build up. Losing it can be extremely easy if you have to wait days to fix an issue that will affect the quality of user experience. Even if once back online or working right, you can pick up where you left off (with your traffic), you can’t ever get those lost days and their income back. Instant access to technicians is a must for every web hosting company that wants to stand a chance in the top rated list of providers. To combat this, take note of how long it takes them to answer your inquiry / support ticket. If their response time is not what you want it to be (for a sales inquiry), then you know technical support will come much slower and will be way worse.

Infrastructural Soundness: You need to check (although this is not an easy task) if they truly have 100% uptime as they claim. Check out forums where the service provider is mentioned and search specifically for reviews. Be sure to read more than just one or two reviews for a clearer picture of their true capabilities.

Stability: You should also find out how long they have been in business. The longer they have been around, the more certain they would not up and leave when they have made “enough” money. This research is very important to the long term health of your website. It is usually best to lean towards incorporated businesses as they are usually much more reliable and financially stable.

Scaling Up: You need to be absolutely sure your host has a seamless upgrade feature. Upgrading from current plans should be relatively easy and stress free with minimal downtime if any at all. Again, this is important. The ideal web hosting service would give you stress free upgrades with little or no loss in your uptime.

Regular Backups: Data can be lost for different reasons so it is also important that your web host offer regular back up services to secure your data.
So there you have it. Key points that should help any new or aspiring webmaster get a good web host provider.