Whether new or seasoned user of the internet, there is a high possibility that you would have heard about web hosting. A popular consideration is connected to selecting the right web hosting service, however web hosting itself has some basic components that is vitally important to the entire web experience.
If you are considering a web hosting service, before a final decision is made there are several things you need to know when embarking on this web journey. In this article we highlight 5 of those key things every website owner should know about Web Hosting. Firstly let’s start at the definition.
What does web hosting mean?
Within a website there are several components such as media (video and images), HTML and CSS that make up the content. The process of storing these components as a service is called web hosting. After storing these elements on a server, online visitors can access your website content through this server as the web hosting service allows.
The web hosting service is responsible for your website’s traffic, performance and your income generation. On the flip side, if this same service is not reliable it can cause the goals of your website to fall apart. Choosing the right web hosting service then is paramount to realizing your websites’ objectives. With that said, there are 5 key things you need to know about web hosting so let’s get into it.
1. The price must be right
The prices offered by different web hosting services are somewhat within the same range. When selecting the right service, it is important do adequate research as to which meets your budget and your web building needs. Websites come in different types: some with many components such as media (videos and images), forms and other interactive features. Some websites are text and image driven.
Your web hosting service will be dependent on the type of website you wish to host at an appropriate price. Going cheap is not always the best option. A good web host will equally provide a level of flexibility in their plans to facilitate your website needs in relation to your budget.
2. Access to multiple options
Your website will fit within a particular niche hence when selecting a web hosting service, the features offered by the web host must support that niche. A platform that offers the option of add-ons is one worth exploring. As your website grows within this niche, it will be easier to upgrade to different plans. Here are some noteworthy add-ons:
FTP Access: Here you will be granted access to upload web files to a server from your PC to the internet. Hosting plans like VPS and dedicated server hosting typically have FTP access.
SSL Certificate: File transfer security is vital to the smooth and successful operation of your website. With an SSL certificate your website benefits from HTTPS secure transfer protocol. This service also helps to boost your search engine ranking and verify you as a secure website on the internet.
Automatic backups: Your web host should provide regular routine backups so that your website’s data is secure.
Easy Hosting upgrades: As your business scales up so will your traffic. Easily upgrading between plans is important to ensure your site keeps up with demand.
3. A cool but functional control panel
When your website is added to the server of a web host, your access to manage the different elements is done through a control panel. These panels provided by your web host should be easy to use. While there are many generic ones on different platforms, there are two that rise to the top: cPanel and Plesk.
Both these control panels have an easy to use dashboard that allows configurations to the server and also for you to manage email addresses and passwords. With technical support, you should be able to convey any challenges you may have and they should be resolved easily.
4. Access to technical support
Fixing many problems associated with servers like downtime etc., can be tedious tasks often assigned to persons with a background in the field. Equally employing a trained professional can be expensive. The option to have 24/7 assistance either by phone, email or live chat is important. Significant downtime especially during peak hours can be bad for your website so it is pivotal that your web host is reachable 24/7. Check if calls to your web host are toll free or make a test call.
As a side-note, starting your own business in Luxembourg grants you this and other significant benefits. From affordable hosting, world leading data security and more. Have a look at additional benefits of starting a business in Luxembourg.
5. Email and your website’s credibility
Building your online presence through the medium of email marketing is still a viable option for increasing traffic to your website. When choosing a reliable web host, you should check if your provider allows email addresses to be set up on your domain. As your business scales, so will your credibility. Having different email accounts with your domain name adds to this credibility as email addresses with other email clients is usually a turn off. Many web host providers offer unlimited email forwarding, spam control and auto-response services among others. It will be useful to ask your provider about these services before opting to start the service.
Conclusion
Your website is your responsibility and choosing the most reliable web host is as well. Hopefully having gone through these 5 key tools about Web Hosting you are more able to determine which web host is suitable for you.
Additionally, with the above information, hopefully many questions you had in mind about web hosting were answered. If there should be an ultimate take away from this topic it would be this: do sufficient research/queries about a web host before starting the service. When you do this, you will be more satisfied with the service you receive from your provider.
