Being worked as web developer for almost 7 years, I can assure you that getting a decent web host should be and must be your top priority. It’s never been so critical to have a good decent web host hosting your site than before.
So why does good web hosting matters? Here are some major points that you might consider thinking:
- Good Hosting Company Implements Best Security Practices
- Good Hosting makes website loads faster
- Good Hosting Company provides better customer service
- Good Hosting Company provides room for scalability
If you are willing to find more about various options available for web hosting you can read my articles about types of web hosting servers. Depending upon the requirements and budget, you can select the better option.
1.0 What sort of Security Practices does the Hosting Company Provides?
It’s critical to know how your WordPress web hosting handles security. It’s first and foremost important part you should be looking at your web hosting provider.
You should ask:
- Do they update the software and platform to the latest version regularly?
- What sort of file and directories permission they follow by default?
- Do they provide secured connection while accessing files via FTP?
- How often do they backup and how much do they charge in case needed to access those backups?
No matter what platform or Content Management System you are going to choose when developing your website, hosting security cannot be taken by granted.
2.0 What kind of Customer Service does the Hosting Company Provides?
Just ask yourself or try to recall, haven’t you bought something or sold to by just how good you were treated during presales?
For me, Customer Service is the second major consideration you have to do when choosing a hosting company. Just ask yourself or try to recall, haven’t you bought something or sold to by just how good you were treated during presales? I am 100% sure you have at least bought something just because of the customer service.
Customer service not only include how good you were treated before pre sales. It do include services after the sales. How good the company deals with you when dealing with your problems post sales.
Most of the good web hosting company provides various way of customer services via:
- Phone Support [mostly during working hours]
- Online Chat
- Ticketing System
As you can see most of the company provides phone support during their normal working hours, I would suggest going with someone local is the ideal option. Then again it depends upon your requirement and budget. But when choosing a web hosting provider try to be bit flexible. If you can select someone local.
3.0 What sort of Upgrading and Downgrading options are there available?
Most of the web hosting companies provide option to upgrade. It’s critical you make sure if they provide the option to downgrade else select options available wisely.
Cases of upgrades include:
- Moving to upgrade for larger storage or bandwidth
- Moving from shared to hosting to VPS or Managed VPS Environment
4.0 What if I Have to Extend?
One good case where you want to extend would be adding an SSL to your website. It is ideal if your hosting company sells SSL too.
It’s also important to know at the times of extending your website, what sort of services or add-ons does your web hosting company sell.
One good case where you want to extend would be adding an SSL to your website. It is ideal if your hosting company sells SSL too. Or at least provide some technical assistance for adding one in your website. Just to let you know at times, adding SSL to your website can be tricky. Its best advised to get some technical assistance if you aren’t comfortable doing so.
Another good case is you might be willing to add Google Apps within your company structure, and you need some help. In cases like this you can hire someone with technical expertise or a web hosting company like Crucial does have way to integrate Google Apps for you to make it life easier.
Conclusion
As we all know, we get what we paid for. Same goes with hosting company too. You can do some research to find a good deal. But personally I found that there is barely major gap in pricings. Being a wordpress developer, I can suggest getting someone local and doing bit more research before choosing helps.
If you are having some issues like this or thinking or building a new presence for your site, I am more than happy to help you. Please drop me a message hereby.
