How do I choose a website host for my site?
#1. A Good Reputation
When choosing a host, consider its online reputation. We live in an age of reviews, critiques, and ever-available insight into products and services. The quality of just about anything is easily known without having to give it a try yourself. So, when you’re choosing a website host, make sure to utilize this great resource! Doing so will help you stay clear of preventable issues. But, we must warn you to do so with vigilance.
Not all reviews are accurate. We’ve come across fantastic online reputations, boasting flawless design built upon the most modern infrastructure. However, at times, these proved to be poor reflections of the host’s actual performance, which did not meet such gold standards. Be discerning and careful to read the negative reviews, in serious consideration of any red flags.
One of the most blatant problems for which you should check reviews are instances of their services frequently failing. And by frequently, we mean once or twice a month. This is an unacceptable flaw as a website host should be up and running, without hindrance, 99 percent of the time. While even a good host might glitch for a few hours a year, this is considered normal and will not pose any significant issue to your website. However, we recommend steering clear of hosts that consistently go down.
If you do face problems with your hosting service, be sure to switch hosts sooner rather than later. Keep in mind that the importance of a quality hosting service is on par with that of your website.
#2. A Modern Infrastructure
Check if your hosting service is operating with modern infrastructure. Make sure it’s up-to-date on the latest trends so it can keep up with the way of the digital future. And being hip and trendy in website hosting terms means having a Solid State Drive. This is one of two infrastructure options a hosting service might use to deliver your website. The second, Standard drives, have a spinning hard drive with moving parts and are deemed outdated. We at MyUnlimitedWP consider the Solid State Drive to be the future of internet hosting and a preferable hard drive.
We offer Solid State drives to each of our valued clients under our Boundless Bunch and Limitless League packages. And with our hosting service comes a dedicated Solid State drive, dedicated memory, and dedicated processors for your website. With our services, you’ll also receive an unshared hosting space so your site will never be affected by another user’s website.
When selecting a host, prioritize ones that use up-to-date techniques from their software to their method of security. Each of these aspects will play into the ultimate success of your site, and particularly its speed. With modern infrastructure, you can expect a fast site– a significant factor in a quality website.
#3. Speed Optimized
Choose a host that is optimized for speed. This means steering clear of any hosting service that is home to hundreds of other sites. Shared environments like these will cause your site to slow, negatively impacting your search engine rankings. That’s because search engine requirements call for fast websites. So, make sure that yours receives the attention it deserves and is ranked among the top three Google listings with a fast hosting service.
If you’re going the DIY route for your WordPress site, there are several quality hosts with shared, yet speed-optimized environments you might consider. These are called shared-optimized WordPress hosts and may perform well for your purposes. They will dedicate a thread to your website, providing an optimized WordPress experience, and maximizing your site’s speed. Plus, these come at a fair price. So if you’re looking for the biggest bang for your buck, a shared-optimized WordPress host may be a great option.
If you decide to go the DIY route and use your own host, we have a few suggestions of servers that will prove beneficial. These include Siteground WordPress Hosting, InMotion WordPress Hosting, or BlueHost Hosting with their WordPress-only hosting. Whichever hosting option you select, make sure it prioritizes your site’s speed and ultimately benefits its search engine performance.
#4. Backups and Support
Make sure your hosting service provides backups and support. Nobody’s perfect– not even your WordPress site. So when glitches happen, know what to do and where to go for help. Ideally, your hosting service will provide daily backups on your website. This is a valuable quality in your hosting service in the case of unforeseen and unavoidable WordPress problems. That’s why MyUnlimitedWP offers daily backups to ensure that our clients’ sites are thoroughly and regularly protected from an unpredictable mishap.
Second, consider the quality of support you receive from your hosting provider. In the instance of a setback, how long does it take for your problem to be resolved? Something like 48 to 72 hours, perhaps? While this resolution time is common among hosts, it is far too long to meet your needs adequately. Particularly in the case of emergencies, you demand immediate support. So, make sure to evaluate your host’s support performance based on its reviews and online reputation.
#5. Website host Security
Finally, select a host with high-end security. Consider what they have in place for your site’s protection on the host level. This should be of particular concern if you use a shared hosting service as these can present significant drawbacks in terms of website security. That’s because if one website on a server is somehow compromised, then all others on the same server are consequently at risk. So, if you choose to opt for a shared hosting server, take this severe possibility into account. When selecting your hosting server, be sure that it includes software and/or hardware for the protection and security of your website.
Keep in mind, when choosing your WordPress website’s digital home, where it resides matters.
There are hundreds of hosting services vying for your business. They are a dime a dozen, costing you just five dollars, maybe 10 dollars a month. But be wary of this seemingly good deal. While we sympathize with a tight budget and limited resources, we implore you to invest in a quality host. That’s because no matter how revolutionary, thoughtful, or potentially successful your website might be, it is rendered nearly useless with a poor hosting service. Do not let your talent and good ideas be put to waste or to go unseen. You’ve put in the hard work, now let your website shine with a full-service, high-quality host.