The 3 Most Important Factors in Choosing a Web Host
Google search “web host”, and see how many findings pop up . Scanning through the resulting pages, you’ll find many you recognize, and many you don’t .
With so many hosting options available today, it’s tough to decide which one to choose . Just like any company you’d contract, you want someone with whom you can build a relationship with and grow.
Beware of the cheap host.
There are plenty of deals out right now offering hosting for as low $1-4 per month.
Like anything else in this world, you get what you pay for.
For many of these low quality hosting companies, the goal is: fill the servers with as many paying customers as possible. Many customers run different versions of software, all of which require a different amount of server resources.
This results in slow, insecure websites that are nearly impossible to manage and support.
What if something goes wrong with your site? You contact support, and the customer rep doesn’t specialize in the type of website that was built for you.
In short, cheap hosting doesn’t save you any money.
The three “S”s of Hosting:
Speed, Security, and Support
Speed
Especially in today’s world of instant gratification, speed is an extremely important factor for choosing a host..
Consumers gladly invest in an Amazon Prime Membership for free two-day shipping on hundreds of thousands of Prime eligible items, or Netflix streaming for instant on-demand video and movies. How about iTunes instant downloads? The list goes on.
What they’re really paying for is the ability to access their favorite goods and services – fast.
When a prospect evaluates your business via your website, and the page takes more than 2 seconds to load, they become impatient and abandon your site.
How much is a customer worth to you? Losing just one over cheap hosting simply isn’t worth it! .
Mvestor Tip: Ask the potential web host what they do to keep your site online and moving quickly. Ask for example sites they’ve hosted on their platform to showcase the speed. You be the judge. Are the pages fast enough to make your experience easy and enjoyable?
Security
Security is an undeniably important factor for any web host.
If someone else’s website on the same web host gets infected with malware, how does that affect your website? In many cases, a single infected website on a shared hosting environment can infect all websites on that server.
How does the web host scan and block potential threats? If the host does not have an answer, steer clear!
Does the host automatically backup your website in case something happens? Although not required, it’s becoming more common with web hosts today.
Mvestor Tip: Implement a backup plan for your website outside of your host.
Support
You want solid support from your web host in case things go awry. The ideal web host has a live chat or 24 hour support line available to you in case something falters with your website. Your web designer or developer should be available to help with issues, as well as, contact support on your behalf.
Managed Web Hosts
By far, managed web hosting is the most valuable type of hosting available today. Managed web hosts typically take only one type of website. Our web host, WP Engine, takes only WordPress based websites. In doing so, they’re able to optimize their servers for speed, security, and support. At $29 per month for single site (pricier than other hosting platforms), you make up for the cost in setup time and support. Other examples of managed hosts include:
When you begin the search for the ideal web host , prioritize the features that are important to you. Pick a web host that focuses on speed, security, and support in their environment. Be wary of ultra cheap hosting, as the goal is to gain as many paying customers as possible, without regard to you, and your customers’ experience.
