A web host stores your website on servers and allows it to be accessed on the internet by users. Therefore, when a user wants to access your website, they type your website address into their browser and then they are connected to your server.
Due to the importance of a web host in ensuring that the users access your website, you should take great care when choosing one. Assess your needs and then choose a web host that meets these needs.
There are many web hosting providers in the market today and so to guide you, check these hosting reviews. They will at least make your choice easier.
While at it, here are a few things you should look for when choosing a web host.
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Bandwidth and storage
Bandwidth is the amount of data a server transfers and it affects how fast visitors can access information on your website. If your website will have high traffic and big files such as images, your web host should provide higher bandwidth. Also, with higher bandwidth, more people can view your site simultaneously.
Many web hosts provide unlimited storage to shared hosting, which can be configured as you move to dedicated hosting and VPS. Look for a web host that uses SSD storage since they are much faster. However, most unlimited plans have the traditional hard disks due to their large capacities.
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Room for growth
When choosing a web host, consider the one who can grow with you. Web hosting is a long-term commitment since transferring domains and files from one host to another is tedious. Therefore, you should find a web host who can accommodate you as you start out, probably on shared hosting, and still be with you as you grow and require a VPS or dedicated hosting. The web host should allow you to upgrade to more storage, more capacity, and greater processing power easily.
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Backup
Things happen such as the hacking of a website, computer crash or the equipment may fail. But after all these, can you still get your website back? That depends on whether the web host has a backup. To be on the safe side, choose a web host with regular site backups.
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Security
A web host can contribute to the security of your website since most sites are compromised because the host is vulnerable. opt for a web host that has securing add-ons, monitoring services and, firewalls. These will ensure that your website is safe.
Well, don’t forget that your website’s security also depends on the administrator. Ensure that the password is strong enough such that it cannot be hacked.
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Uptime
Uptime is that a website is up and can be accessed by visitors. Choose a web host that will have your site up at least 99.95% of the time. It would look bad if your website visitors were to fail to find your website simply because it is down. Any downtime results to lost sales opportunities lost productivity and it may damage the reputation of your brand.