There are many things that can make or break your website’s success: user experience, content, SEO, etc. but then there’s the web hosting provider. Choosing the right web hosting provider can be a bit overwhelming for website owners, as there are many options and features available.
Fear not, though; we’re here to be your guiding light through it all! This article breaks down the top 10 features you should consider when selecting a web hosting provider. So, shall we?
Reliability and Uptime Guarantee
These are the magic words for a successful website. Uptime is the time when your website is online and accessible for everyone. A good web hosting provider should offer at least 99.9% uptime, which would mean that there’s very little downtime involved—a scenario most of the time related to the loss of money and a bad reputation—which is not pretty.Â
Aim for a provider that:
- Offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee or higher.
- Offers services that monitor uptime and notify you of any issues.
- Offer redundant systems and backups to minimize downtime risks.
- Offer compensation if they fail to meet their uptime guarantee.
Speed and Performance
Website speed = user experience. Website speed affects the user experience, search engine rankings, and conversion rates. A slow website—as you might know from experience—can frustrate visitors and drive them away.Â
Choose a provider that:
- Has fast servers with modern hardware.
- Has servers geographically close to your target audience for reduced latency.
- Improves loading speeds by distributing content across multiple servers (Content Delivery Network (CDN)).
- Has built-in caching mechanisms to enhance performance.
- Uses SSDs that offer faster data access compared to traditional hard drives.
Security Features
We cannot stress this enough, but security is at the top of this list for a good reason. It protects your website from hackers, malware, and other cyberthreats. It also protects your data and your visitor’s data, which builds trust with them.Â
Look for a web hosting provider that:
- Offers SSL certificates that are quite essential for secure data transmission (HTTPS)—in other words, encrypting data between the server and the user’s browser.
- Protects your website against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
- Has automated backups in place to restore your site in case of data loss.
- Offers malware scanning and removal tools.
- Has firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to your website.
- Has overall strong security protocols.
Scalability
You grow, they grow. As your website grows, your hosting needs may change. A scalable hosting service will make it easy for you to increase your resources without experiencing any downtime.Â
Go for providers that:
- Offer flexible hosting plans that can be upgraded and downgraded as needed.
- Offer a simple process for upgrading storage, bandwidth, and other resources.
- Can handle increased traffic and data storage.
- Offers cloud-based hosting that provides better flexibility and scalability compared to traditional hosting.
Customer Support
This feature can make or break any service. Through strong customer support, these providers can address whatever issues resurface very quickly and with minimal downtime. This is especially important for businesses that operate around the clock.
A good web hosting provider should:
- Offer 24/7 support via chat, phone, and email for timely issue resolution.
- Have a good support staff with expertise in various aspects of web hosting.
- Offer self-help resources for common issues.
- Offer quick and helpful responses to inquiries.
Cost and Value for Money
You should get what you pay for. Cost, obviously, is the deal-breaker, but affordability, on the other hand, must be equated with the necessary features and resources. Affordable may not always be good if it means compromising on key features.
Web hosting providers to look for should:
- Offer clear upfront costs without hidden fees.
- Have a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the service.
- Help you understand, transparently, what features are included in the price, such as SSL certificates, email accounts, and domain names.
User-Friendly Control Panel
Ease of use makes any service ten times better. A user-friendly control panel would make managing your website much simpler, especially if you are not very tech-savvy. It should offer easy access to all the necessary tools and settings. Aim for providers that:
- Use popular user-friendly control panels, like cPanel or Plesk, or even custom-built ones.
- Offer an interface that’s easy to use and navigate.
- Offer access to tools like file management, database management, email setup, and website statistics.
Bandwidth and Storage
Sufficient bandwidth and storage are essential for handling your website’s traffic and content. Insufficient resources can lead to slow loading times and, in some cases, even site crashes.
A suitable web hosting provider would:
- Offer enough disk space to host your website files, databases, images, and emails.
- Offer sufficient bandwidth to handle your expected traffic volume.
- Offer unlimited storage and bandwidth, though it’s important to check the fine print for any restrictions.
Email Hosting
Professional email addresses attached to your domains make you look more professional as a brand. Built-in email hosting minimises administrative pain by keeping everything in one place.
Look for a provider that:
- Has spam filters that offer protection against spam and phishing emails.
- Provides a seamless integration experience with your website and control panel.
- Provides additional features to manage your email communication, like email forwarding and autoresponders.
- Are reliable when it comes to email delivery and minimal downtime.
Domain Management
We’ve made it to the final essential feature on our list! Managing your domain name through your web provider can simplify administration and the process of renewal. It also makes it all perfectly integrated with your hosting services.
A good web hosting provider:
- Offers the ability to register and manage your domain.
- Provides protection of your personal information from WHOIS lookups.
- Has tools to manage DNS settings easily.
That’s all, tech savvies! Choosing the ideal web hosting provider requires careful consideration of your specific website’s needs and goals. Your choice of hosting provider is an investment in your website’s future, so choose wisely!
If you’re still looking for the perfect web hosting provider, look no further. HostSailor offers comprehensive web hosting solutions to suit your website’s needs!
FAQs
What does a web hosting provider do?
A web hosting provider offers space on a server for your website to reside. This server is connected to the internet, allowing people to access your website from anywhere in the world. Essentially, they provide the hardware and software necessary to make your website accessible online.
Why is web hosting important, and explain any five features of web hosting services?
Web hosting is crucial because it’s where your website lives. Without it, your website wouldn’t be accessible to anyone. Here are five key features of web hosting services:
- Server Space
- Bandwith
- Domain Name Support
- Security
- Scalability
What is the difference between a web server and a web hosting provider?
- Web server: This is software that runs on a computer (server) and processes requests from web browsers. It delivers web pages, images, and other content to users.
- Web hosting provider: This is a company that provides space on a server for your website and the necessary software to run it. They manage the hardware and software, ensuring your website is accessible online.
What are the responsibilities of hosting services?
Hosting services are responsible for:
- Providing server space for your website
- Ensuring your website is accessible online
- Maintaining server hardware and software
- Providing security measures to protect your website
- Offering technical support
- Backing up your website data
What are the 4 types of web hosting?
There are several types of web hosting, but here are four common ones:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS (Virtual Private Server) Hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
- Cloud Hosting