web hostingMore and more people and businesses are becoming aware of what they can do online. There’s a whole lot of web hosting services one can get, but which ones are the best web hosting providers for you?

Cheap web hosting platforms can provide what you really need at an affordable price. When done right, an excellent web hosting provider can give you the following benefits:

  • Contribute to your website’s search rankings.
  • Are a great investment of your time, hard work and money?
  • Puts you on top when it comes to being an authoritative niche website.

Remember that not all web hosts are a perfect fit. Here’s 5 key things you should do to determine your web hosting partner:

1. Tailor Fit According to Purpose

5 things you must do when choosing a web hostAsk yourself this question- “What’s the nature of my site?”. It matters very little if you have an existing website or are starting one from scratch. There’s going to be a big difference in purpose if you’re planning to make a blog site or intend to set up an online e-retail store. Personal blogs can get by with free WordPress hosting platforms supported by ads. A business that wants a site to represent their brick-and-mortar presence should go with paid hosting.

See how a particular web hosting provider could potentially suit your needs based on the features they offer. If you want to integrate unique software, you should make sure the host will be able to run it without any issues. Some people are perfectly happy with a WordPress site because it’s simple and comes with many free and useful plugins.

2. Research Web Hosting That Suits You Best

As mentioned earlier, a perfect fit is infinitely better than just choosing one out of random. One thing you should remember is that even though there are popular web hosting services that have been around the block, their services more or less cater to a wide range of audiences. The one-size-fits-all aspect may not be fully in favor of what you plan to do for your website.

Hosting companies provide more than just virtual space. If you look at one, you’ll see some very useful features such as free domain privacy, data backups, energy-efficient hosting and multiple data center locations. Moreover, if you click on one of the web hosting plans you’ll usually find more webhosting bonuses such as ISPConfigs, ispCP, Plesk or cPanel services. Look at what each hoster can provide, then compare the price.

3. Check out Third Party Online Reviews

The best type of feedback you can get from an online web hosting service are ones that have used it before you. Now that you know the specifics of your website’s purpose and knowing the features each web hosting service can bring, it’s time to see if that company holds out to their promises.

Everyone wants to experience high quality services for what they pay for, and web hosting services are no exception. Check out what third party reviewers are saying about X company. Do they really have a 99% uptime? Are their hosting services speedy? More importantly, are they available if something wrong happens to your website? These are some of the most critical factors you have to see.

4. Gauge Security Strength

Online security is such a big thing nowadays, with so many hackers and online predators lurking about, trying to get personal information. Web owners should check and see if the web hosting company they are planning to go to has all these kinds of security features:

SiteLock: This program regularly scans for malware and prevents your website from being on the blacklist. A SiteLock icon elicits trust from your online users and lets them know you are serious about online protection.

SSLs: A hosting service which includes SSLs are the best ones to get, especially if you plan to set up an e-commerce website that won’t make use of a third party company to store your customer’s personal and financial data.

Daily Backups: One thing your site could be thriving, and the next minute it could be gone. All that content and hard work could be erased in an instant. This is why backups are important, no matter if you have a blog or an e-retail shop.

5. Test Customer Support

The best of sites go out temporarily one way or the other. There will be times when you’ll need to inquire about web hosting subscriptions, services and the like. The most discerning people will certainly want a dedicated customer service group that can answer questions and provide help when needed. Without one, you’d be a literal sitting duck that has a malfunctioning website. Then you’ll realize it’s time to find another host.

You can test out web hosting services yourselves and see if they make the grade. Most cheap WordPress hosting services have customer support that can be reached 24/7 via email, chat or by phone. Ask some general questions and see if the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Try to lay out a scenario for them to solve. See how they would treat the issue. Then and there you’ll know if they have great support.