For many entrepreneurs, bloggers, developers and other business owners, finding a reliable web host is the key to establishing the best online presence and maximizing profits. Many smart business owners utilize their blogs and websites not only to engage with their existing clients but also reach out to new ones.
A wrong web hosting can be disastrous. If your site keeps going down, how will your customers view and learn about your products? Worse still, if your website is hacked, you might not be able to recover your data; but how do you find the best web hosting without using a large sum of money?
Here are 5 tips to finding a reputable web host that won’t break the bank.
- Identify Your Website Requirements
Start by identifying what you really need. What is the purpose of your website? What type of website will you create? List down all the requirements needed to fulfill your purpose. For example, if you intend to set up an e-commerce website, you will need a host that will enable you to utilize other e-commerce applications such as the online shopping cart.
Also Read: Benefits of WordPress hosting
Once you are clear on what you need, you will be able to determine how much resources you require and chose a package that suits your specific needs.
- Check Their Features
A reputable web host should ensure that your website remains secure and accessible every time, throughout the year. The secret to saving money on web hosting is by checking the features and choosing the right hosting package at a good price.
Check the storage and bandwidth. Unlimited storage is always best. How many add-on domains do they offer? Don’t go for the poor ones that give one or even none at all.
Also Read: 6 Best Cloud Server Hosting Services for Small Business in 2018
Remember, a good price does not necessarily mean cheap. Even though shared web hosting is cheap, it may not work for everyone. If your website is very popular, you should consider the Virtual Private Server (VPS) option for faster and better quality web performance.
- Read Web Hosting Reviews
It is important to do your research on the reputation of web hosts before buying any package from them. Visit reputable websites and read reviews from current and previous customers. Find out how they deal with customer complaints. A reputable web host should respond to all customers, even the unhappy ones.
- Contact Their Tech Support Before Making Your Purchase
The internet never sleeps and so should your website. quality customer support is very important to get your site back up and running when a technical issue arises. When doing your research, test their customer support as well. Check which support channels are available. Send them an email, online chat or call their customer care number and see how they respond. If you are not comfortable with their customer care, move on to the next one.
- Are There Any Hidden Costs?
Beware of hidden caches in the web hosts terms of service. Do not fall for strong marketing language and end up paying outrageous prices when renewing. Read the fine print and especially their refund policy. In the event you purchase a web host that is not right for you, you should be able to get a fair refund policy.
Conclusion
Web hosting doesn’t have to be expensive; just do your homework, identify affordable web hosting that will enable you to pay less for more.
