If you're planning to build a new site, or upgrade an existing one, an often overlooked aspect of web design and development is hosting providers. Hosting directly affects the performance, functionality, and reliability of your site, impacting everything from the time that it takes for a website to load to how well it ranks on search engines, such as Google.
We’ve put together a short guide to help you in your decision-making process so that you can make an informed choice about which web host provider (and package) to go for.
Performance, Experience + Reliability
If one thing you need from your hosting provider is reliability, most of the reputable providers you can find here in the UK offer maximum downtime of around .01% of the time. This means that you can be sure that your site is consistently up and running for your visitors.
Check the performance figures of your chosen web host provider too, to make sure their server speed is quick enough.
Web Security
Security is absolutely vital, so therefore you need a web hosting provider that offers all the latest features, including SSL certificates, firewalls, and malware scanning. The best service providers also offer regular backups, so if the worst does happen, all of your important data is still on a server somewhere.
Help & Support
You can't be sure exactly when you'll be in desperate need of some help from your service provider next, so you need a provider that offers round-the-clock support. You may also prioritise human help, and if that's the case, make sure there's that option available as opposed to just chatbot and email.
FutureProofing
There comes a time in a lifetime when most websites need to be scaled up. The best posting providers in the UK offer easy upgrades and rapid scalability. That means you can quickly and simply add services and capacity to your existing package without impacting your current site or its stored files.
Cost & Plans
Make sure you aren’t paying extra for services and features you don’t need. Also, be sure to factor in the total cost of your package, as some web host providers like to hide some costs in the fine print! Email hosting and domain registration are two such examples.
In summary
Once you’ve weighed up the factors listed above, the next step is to check the feedback and social proof of your preferred provider. Any warning signs that a provider is anything less than excellent will likely present themselves as you begin looking at reviews online.
The last piece of advice we’ll give is: don’t be afraid of consulting with a web design company (such as Web Choice) and ask for their opinions and recommendations as to which provider is right for you.
