To ensure a smooth sail for your online initiative, it’s necessary to evaluate the differences between the different service providers and to pick the one that offers what you are looking for, considering your short- and long-term objectives.

• Come up with your website needs and priorities 

In the beginning, it’s a good idea to sit down and make a list of your needs. After that, it will be easier to prioritize them as you compare your list to what each potential host is offering.

Let us give a more specific example. Let’s say that your website has a specific niche. In this case, you might be building a photography website, and it is likely to have the need to prioritize speed and storage features above the other features. If that’s the case with your website (hungry for storage capacity and purposely to host a lot of content), then keep in mind that some hosts also offer Content Delivery Network (CDN) options for those types of content-heavy sites.

On the other hand, you might be building some sort of platform or even an e-commerce initiative. Then, site speed and security are among the top priorities on your list.

The idea here is to clarify in advance what will be most helpful and seek to find it in the right hosting company.

• Before you finalize your order, confirm the Subscription Period for Hosting Contracts

Most web hosting companies are flexible and have different options when it comes to contract lengths. In their offers, you’re likely to find monthly and yearly plans and discounts for multiple-year contracts.

An expert’s advice here is to try out a new host for a few months to get firsthand experience with it and then commit to a longer period of time. Of course, if you’re confident that they meet your requirements from step 1, then you might sign up for a longer term, and you can save a lot of money. Additionally, it’s also a good idea to double-check a plan’s terms before signing up for it.

• Verify the host’s guarantees and refund policy.

Before we continue with the more technical tips, here is one last organizational one.

Remember that anything could happen once you begin creating your website. To be on the safe side, it is advisable to check the return policy of your prospective web host thoroughly. Verify your options if you change your mind about the site altogether or if your host is underperforming.

Also, it is mandatory to be aware of what the host guarantees and what it does not accept responsibility for. Check what are the penalties (if any) if you cancel your plan and if you will receive a refund. Also, make sure that you check the provider’s uptime guarantee and read their terms of service documentation.

• The Uptime

Remember the annoying feeling when you click on a link and the destination website not loading. That is one of the guaranteed ways to lose a potential client forever. Not only that, but this issue also causes Google to start devaluing that address in organic search results, which subsequently leads to lower free (organic) traffic for your website. The amount of time your website is online, also known as uptime, can be quantified by a number. The best service providers guarantee uptime near 100%. When selecting your final choice, research your hosting options and give the solutions that offer uptime above 99% priority.

• Available storage space

Depending on its intended use (which you should have clarified earlier) for your website, you will need a lot or a little storage space for the files that your host should store on their servers. Here the approach is simple, make sure the website hosting firm provides enough of the space you require (if you need a lot) to avoid running out of memory. If that’s not the case, choose less expensive plans if you don’t require much space and save money.

• Loading Speed and Server Responsiveness

Although it’s not in the first position on this list, the requirement for fast loading is among the most important ones. Before you jump in with any contract, make sure that the website hosting company you are considering using actually has a fast loading time. The difference in speed in actuality could mean the difference between a person continuing to consume your content actively or becoming irritated by the delay and leaving your page.

To be 100% sure that you make the right decision, it is essential to evaluate the host’s response for yourself instead of accepting statements and testimonials at face value. This is easier if you already have a website running on the hosting platform, but there are a few services (some of them paid) that can determine the performance you can anticipate in advance.

• Data protection

Putting your website and content in the hands of someone is not easy. Therefore, you must ensure that the company you pick can properly safeguard its clients’ data by providing a system of information redundancy and regular backups. That way, despite any unforeseen or natural issues, your website will always remain accessible and completely functional. This step is quite self-explanatory. Choose the most secure and reputable service that you can get.

• Support

Especially if you are not an experienced webmaster, ensure you will receive the assistance you require in an emergency. Trust us on this one. The benefits of dependable technical support together with site backups and restoration services are priceless and can save you a lot of trouble, money, and time. Of course, if you have in-house programmers and tech staff you won’t need that level of support. But as is often the case with many small organizations, they lack the tools or expertise necessary to handle unforeseen issues, attacks, etc. The good idea is to compare the customer assistance alternatives for each hosting service provider. And also, keep in mind that these can vary significantly between different plans. Regarding support, lower-level plans are typically more “hands-off,” whereas managed plans and more expensive options frequently provide first-rate assistance.

We can continue with a lot more tips, but if you make an effort to address all of the mentioned above, you are guaranteed to be on the right path with your hosting provider. If you still have any doubts or need further assistance, feel free to contact our team, and we will gladly assist you in your choice.

• Sources:
  1) rockcontent.com – 10 factors to consider when choosing the best web hosting service
  2) geekflare.com – How to Choose a Web Host For Your New Website