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When it comes to your website, there are many things to keep in mind. From having the right balance of search target keywords, link building, blogging or updating pictures, there is always something to be done. However, these various jobs are more easily accomplished when you don’t have to be concerned about the safety and uptime of your website.
Unfortunately, not all web host providers are the same. Not only do they vary in price, but there features and provisions that you need to evaluate when deciding on a web host provider. Adhering to these tips can make a big difference between choosing a winning host or a dud.
- Choose a hosting provider that don’t require you to sign a contract for a specific amount of time. That way you are not locked into crummy service, which could affect your website’s revenue for your organization.
- Don’t choose a web host based on price alone. Sure, it can cost money to have a website built and the urge to cut cost on web hosting can be tempting, but that is not the place to skimp. Budget hosting almost always means that that the hosting provider is running hundreds or thousands of sites through the same server. Consequently, each site is only permitted to use a fraction of the resources available, which can leave to your site going down.
- Be wary of the web host provider that is vague about the usage threshold. You need to know what happens when your business website has a traffic spike. Some companies will pull your site down, while others throttle your site and then allow it to return to normal as the spike eases. Find out how the potential provider handles high usage.
- Avoid host providers with black listed IP address. Before signing up ask for the IP address of the potential web host, and run a quick check using the Spam Haus Lookup tool.
- Be sure to compare features as well as prices. A safe rule of thumb is to throw out the lowest and highest options, then be careful in your comparisons of those remaining. Remember to find out how the host handles backups and malware scanning. If you website gets compromised and you don’t have an automated backup to restore to, you may find yourself in hot water.
- Track the web host provider’s up time. Although it is rare that a company will have 100% uptime, the closer to that number you can get the better. Tools such as WHSR Uptime Monitor, Uptime Robot, and Pingdom can help you determine your site’s uptime.
- Be sure you will have access to your own website. There are some companies that will not allow you to access your own website’s files, requiring you to use them for all updates to the website. An honest host will be transparent with you on what your SFTP and control panel logins are so you can have whoever you want (including yourself) update content if you so choose.
Reliable web hosting is a must have for any company website and one of the most important elements of sustaining a successful web presence. Do your homework and learn as much as you can about a potential web host provider. If you are looking for an amazing web hosting provider in the Raleigh area, the Page Progressive team is happy to answer your questions. Contact us today!