Before you can open a website, you need to find a suitable web hosting service. A web hosting service will give you a server to use for your website. Until you have one, your site cannot go live. There are many web hosts available on the internet today, so you need to do everything you can to find the best one possible. But how are you supposed to know which web hosts to avoid and which ones to work with? This post hopes to address this by offering insight into the key factors you need to consider when choosing a web hosting service.
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Consistent Uptime
You need to find a web host with consistent uptime. The last thing you want is to partner with a hosting service whose servers are always down, because this will negatively impact your site’s performance. Whether you choose premium Singapore web hosting or hosting with a provider based elsewhere, make sure consistent uptimes are part of the package. Also, take time to ensure that when there are periods of downtime, which are inevitable, they take place at night or during non-peak hours.
Server Speed
Server speed is something else you need to think about when you are looking for a web host to partner with. The last thing you want is to partner with a host whose servers are slow or delayed, because this will negatively impact your site’s performance and the user experience. To find out what a host’s server speeds are like, use a tool to measure them. Alternatively, reach out and ask them to tell you–they should be able to provide information about their server speeds.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is the next thing you need to think about. It is important that you find a host who takes cybersecurity seriously, so your website doesn’t end up getting hacked. The internet is more dangerous than ever, especially for businesses. Cybercriminals make a habit out of targeting and hacking the websites of businesses, so you need to take steps to protect yourself. As well as partnering with a host who takes cybersecurity very seriously, you also need to download and use antivirus software on all of your business’s devices. Make sure employees are properly trained in cybersecurity, too.
Customer Support
Customer support is another important consideration. If you do not find a host with responsive and reliable customer support, you could end up in an awkward position during times of trouble, when you need their help. To find out about a company’s customer support department, send them an email and see how quickly they reply to you. While you can also learn about customer support by reading reviews, reaching out to them yourself is, without a doubt, the best way to get a good idea of what a customer support desk is like and find out how responsive they are. Keebos is know for it's friendly customer support, you can see it in the reviews.
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Affordable Rates
Affordability is something else you should think about. The last thing you want is to invest in web hosting services that are over budget. There are free online budgeting apps you can use to help you work budgets out, so if you are unable to come up with a budget yourself, use one. Alternatively, get in touch with an accountant and ask them to help you work out a budget. An accountant will work with you to assess your needs and calculate your disposable income. They will be able to help you stop yourself from overspending on web hosting.
Positive Reviews
Positive reviews are very important. They are something that a lot of people do not take into consideration when they are shopping for web hosting support. The reason reviews are important is that they can tell you a lot about a web host and give you clear insight into what the experience of working with them is actually like, so you do not end up partnering with a host whose services are either undesirable or overpriced. Make sure you read reviews across a range of platforms, including Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and your chosen host’s very own website.
Scalability Options
Scalability is important. Try to find a host whose services are fully scalable, so that you can increase or decrease your server’s size accordingly. Scalability means that you don’t have to worry about being locked into a server of a fixed size. Most hosts are flexible when it comes to scalability, so you shouldn’t have a hard time finding one who is going to be able to help you. Make sure you take time to look at a host’s packages before you formally commit to working with them, just so you can be sure that the different packages they do have on offer are the right ones for you.
Email Hosting
Most web hosts offer additional email hosting services. Try to find one that does this. This is so that you can get a professional email tag to accompany your website. A mail tag can improve your business’s reputation and image and make you look a lot more serious in the eyes of your customers. If the host you plan on partnering with does not offer professional email hosting, find somewhere else that does. Your business email address needs to match your site’s domain name, so that you can maintain brand consistency.
Money-Back Guarantee
Finally, make sure that you find a host who offers a money-back guarantee on their services. A money-back guarantee will ensure that if you are unhappy with your chosen host’s services, you can get a refund and find another host you are comfortable working with. Make sure that when you are shopping around for a money-back guarantee, you read reviews. You can learn a lot about how businesses honor money-back guarantees (and their services in general) by reading reviews. Make sure you read reviews posted on independent guide sites, so you don’t end up reading ones that have been influenced by the business, as on-site ones typically are.
Choosing a web hosting service isn’t something the average business owner has much experience in. Web hosting is, without a doubt, a highly complicated subject. Use the guidance given here to find the right host for your business’s website, so you can get it live and start making money.