Shopping for a web hosting plan might not just be as easy as it sounds. The web hosting company that you choose for your website plays a very fundamental role in the success of your business. A reliable web hosting provider will see to it that your business succeeds while an improper web hosting plan can bring you headaches and be the leading cause of your business failure. Choosing a hosting plan is thus a critical decision as it is the foundation for the success of your business.
The right web hosting plan can significantly
boost your traffic while helping you achieve the intended conversion rates. It will also ensure the utmost security of your business website. An inappropriate web hosting plan will expose your business website to insecurity threats and also play a role in driving away traffic and compromising your conversion rates goals. The big question that you might be asking yourself is how to choose the right hosting plan for your business website appropriately. This article explains some of the critical considerations which you ought to put in mind when shopping for a web hosting plan.
1. Consider the needs and requirements of your business websites
Different websites will have different needs and objectives. It would help if you had a clear understanding of what exactly yo
ur business web site’s goals and needs are. You will have to establish the type of website that you intend to build, the levels of traffic that you intend to achieve and the conversion rates that you desire. Although very basic these questions might seem, they are very critical. The more details and knowledge that you have about your business website, the easier it will be for you to select the right hosting plan. After having all the details about what your business needs are, you will then do thorough research and try to choose a web hosting plan that meets all your specifications. If you’re building an online store, it will be wise to go for a web hosting provider that deals with ecommerce.
2. Consider the price of the web hosting plan
As the adage says- you get what you pay for. Cheap can sometimes be expensive. When shopping for a hosting plan, you will have to go for the one that is affordable and reliable, not the one that is cheap and unreliable.
With hosting plans, there are two types of prices that you should know- the signup price and the renewal price. In most cases, the very initial amount that you pay when you first purchase a hosting plan will be very different from the amount that you pay when you are renewing the hosting plan. It would help if you always tried to go for a web host that offers reasonable prices on both their signup price and renewal prices. You should always compare the features that each web hosting provider offers with the costs and then choose the one that gives maximum benefits for your money.
3. SSL Encryption
Today, the internet is not safe. There are a lot of cyber breaches that are happening every day. The cost of a successful cyber breach is not something you want to hear. According to the Ninth Annual Cost of Cybercrime Study, the average cost of a cyber-attack for every organization is US$13.0 million. With this in mind, cyber techs have sleepless nights trying to come up with tools that can keep the internet safe. One tool that has proved to be effective in the fight against cyber-crimes is the SSL certificate. SSL encrypts the communication between a website’s servers and the web browsers, ensuring that intruders do not access the communication. Although it is primarily the role of a website owner to ensure that the website
having an SSL certificate and go with that web hosting plan that has an SSL installation package. A good web hosting has the security of its clients in mind. Apart from just offering the encryptions that are required for data security, SSL certificates also establish trust and play a very significant role in Search Engine Optimization strategies.
4. Technical Support
When choosing a hosting plan, go for one with a noble and reputable technical support department. The technical support department should be able to offer 24/7 support. You never know when you will run into problems with your website. Your hosting provider should be readily available to give the required assistance when you experience difficulties. The technical support team should also support multiple forms of communication through which you can reach out to them. They should be able to avail you with working contact information such as email addresses, phone numbers, live chat as well as physical addresses where you can reach out to them for support. You should make sure that the technical support team is in-house and has not been outsourced.
5. Consider Customer Reviews
So much depends on reputation. A hosting provider with a bad reputation will not be suitable for you. A hosting plan with a good reputation can be trusted to give the best results for your business website. Here, it would help if you did your homework. Undertake thorough research on every hosting plan before you finally choose to go for one. You can visit the reviews section and find out what previous customers are saying about the hosting plan. You can also check out the hosting on their twitter page or visit Google Blog Search to find out more about the hosting. Reviews that indicate that customers are not satisfied with the services offered by the hosting plan could as well be a red flag that tells you not to go into the transaction with the hosting plan.
6. Check the Refund Options
Another very crucial consideration that you should make when shopping for a
web hosting plan is the money-back guarantees. This is especially when you are dealing with the web hosting company for the very first time. This allows you to pay and try out their services to see if what they are offering meets your business needs. In any case, you realize that the services that you are receiving do not meet your expectations, at least you can terminate your dealings and receive back your money. You will need to read and understand the money-back guarantee policy before finally choosing to go into any transaction with the hosting plan. You will also need to ascertain whether or not the refund options are as hassle-free as the provider claims.
7. Check if the hosting plan will help with backups
Backups are critical in website security. They assure your business of continuity long after a successful data breach or data loss. A website data backup is an alternative copy of the files that are held inside your system. The hosting plan that you go for should be able to offer regular data backups.
8. Check the Security packages offered
As it has been mentioned earlier, website security is a big concern today. The security of your website will also depend on the web hosting plan that you choose to go for. It would help if you went for a web hosting provider that provides your website with security features such as protection against DDoS attacks, security monitoring features and security audits. Choosing a web hosting that minds your security means that both your data and that of your clients will remain secure. You should look at the security features of different plans and choose the one that offers the utmost level of security for your business website.
Conclusion
The right hosting provider will play a very vital role in the success of your business. When choosing a hosting plan, you should take your time, do your research, weigh and exhaust all options and come up with the perfect hosting plan. The right hosting provider will save you much trouble and expenses. This article has provided you with some of the critical considerations that you should take when choosing a web hosting plan.
