According to Statista, there are over 1.8 billion websites available on the internet. Each of these websites has a huge dependence on its host for it to perform well on the web. The first and most important decision when setting up a website is deciding which web host to work with.
To guide you on how to make this crucial decision, here are some few tips on how to choose a web host:
1. Determine The Type Of Hosting You Need
Understanding the kind of host that you need is vital to the performance of your websites. There are several types of hosts that you should be aware of:
- Shared Hosting
This is where several websites share a similar server. This option is ideal for first-time website owners looking to establish a new website. It’s important to understand that the server’s resources are shared among many other sites and this may affect the performance of your website as it grows.
- Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
This host is generally divided into different virtual machines that serve as independent dedicated servers. VPS customers share a server but they have larger portions and more control as opposed to those on a shared host.
VPS has storage with SSDs that have high speeds, solid-state drives, and managed services for patches and software updates.
- Dedicated Hosting
This host is ideal for high performing sites that need to use an entire server to power them. As a customer, you have full control of the doting architecture where security systems, load balancers, and operating systems can be customized.
Some of the features of a dedicated server include automatic migration and backup, a dedicated IP address, and the option to choose an operating system.
2. Know Which Type Of Website You Want To Build
The type of website you intend to build will determine greatly the kind of web host that you’ll choose.
If you’re building a blog, for example, a WordPress web host is the ideal option to go for. Most, if not all, of the web hosts offer a properly streamlined one-click install for WordPress. Additional features that come with it include pre-installed programs, unlimited bandwidth and storage, and dedicated WordPress support.
If you’re building an online store, an e-commerce hosting service will be an ideal choice to go for. Some of the features available include well-designed templates, security features to protect customer payment information, available shopping cart software, and integration of services like email marketing and PayPal.
If you’re building a Resume or Online Portfolio, a website builder is the most ideal option to go for. Most hosts partner with website builder programs such as Weebly, Squarespace, Wix that help customers build a website easily by simply dragging and dropping.
3. Know The Different Features Available
There are certain fundamental features that you need to look out for in a web host.
- Domain name registration.
It is possible to register your domain name from a different host company as the one where you’ll host your website. It is, however, ideal to choose a web host where you can register your domain and build your site on the same account.
- The email address and inbox feature.
This feature will come in handy for people with business websites and personal blogs looking to establish personal communication with their audience. Components within this feature include autoresponders, filter and forwarding services, and enhanced security.
- RAM and storage.
Most shared hosts offer unlimited storage that is ideal for small websites. Dedicated and VPS hosting have larger storage that can be configured to your liking.
- Data Transfer and Bandwidth.
Bandwidth is simply how fast visitors can gain access to the information on your site. It accounts for all the data that is uploaded or downloaded from a website. The higher the bandwidth is, the more the number of people that will be able to view your website at the same time.
- Reliability and uptime rate.
Most hosts promise an uptime of 99.9%. Any time a website is inaccessible to its visitors may cost it greatly. Go for a host that guarantees uninterrupted service.
- Support and security.
If a web host is vulnerable to attacks, website owners can suffer greatly. Go for a host that has monitoring services, firewalls, and other important security add-ons along with automatic backups that guarantee the safety of your site’s information. Also, check for 24/7 support that will attend to your needs as and when you call on them.
Conclusion
Now you know how to choose a web host. Looking to find an ideal web host service provider?
We recommend that you use HowsHost.
VPS has storage with SSDs that have high speeds, solid-state drives, and managed services for patches and software updates. These instances are also used as storage VPS servers to host large amount of data like massive media files, websites, applications, and huge projects.
