Least Important Factors to Avoid When Choosing a New Web Hosting Provider
With
all the options and features available through modern web hosting packages it’s
easy to scan for a few keywords and choose your host a little hastily. There
are, however, several factors regarding your potential web host that you should
not avoid reviewing. It will only take a few seconds for you to determine if a
host has the features you’ll need for your websites after learning which
factors are truly important and which can be somewhat overlooked.
Pricing Structure
While it’s nice to get a discount on your first month’s bill, introductory
prices are usually no reason to choose a particular host over another. If your
website is even mildly successful in the coming year it will pay off to look
for extended-plan discounts that can save you money every month. This is
especially true of introductory pricing that lasts less than a couple of months
and renews at a higher than average rate.
Longer-term pricing, however, is a factor you don’t want to overlook. Check to
make sure that the amazing deal you’ve found on your next web hosting package doesn’t expire and suddenly transform into a
less-than-reasonable price in the next few months.
Type of Website Hosting
One of the factors you shouldn’t avoid checking when buying a new hosting
account is what type of server your website will be placed on. The type of
hosting server you use can affect everything from speed to ease of use. Look
for a hosting provider that offers your preferred hosting format, whether it’s
VPS, cloud hosting or a shared server system.
It’s also important to check if your potential host offers optimized hosting.
With optimized hosting you will be able to install the CMS of your choice in
just minutes and the server will be pre-configured to help it potentially rank
higher in search engines.
There are several types of hosting formats to choose from and you should be
aware of the main differences between each. Shared hosting allows you to share
resources with other random websites which can sometimes save you money on your
hosting bill. VPS hosting allows you your own server in a virtual setting for
increased security and more administrator control. This is a great option if
you want to take a more ambitious approach to SEO or need added security
due to handling financial data.
SSL Certification
SSL certifications allow users to know that any information sent to or from
your website will be securely encrypted. This is essential if you accept
payments or store passwords or other sensitive data on your website.
Many website hosts allow you to purchase SSL certificates directly from them
for a discount. You always have the option of obtaining your own SSL
certificate from a third-party if your host doesn’t seem to have a good price
on certifications. Some hosts, however, offer help installing a free SSL
certification from an independent certificate like Let’s Encrypt. This makes it really easy to secure your website and
begin making sales directly on your site or blog.
Email Limitations
Email limitations are an often-overlooked factor of web hosting that can
actually have a large impact on your business. Many web hosts limit your email
accounts to either a single account or a few dozen.
Email accounts are quite useful and you’ll likely need more unique email
addresses than you may initially estimate. Consider all the employees you’ll
have or the separate roles you yourself will be playing at your company. Some
popular examples include customer service, refunds, returns, info, and other
common business prefixes. On top of these standard email addresses you’ll want
room to create email addresses for each name of every person associated with
your business or website. You should also check to see if your potential host
allows third-party email systems like RoundCube or offers an in-house solution for
webmail.
These uses for email addresses add up quickly so if you intend to use an email
system with your own domain name and hosting it’s a good idea to choose a host
that allows unlimited email addresses and configurations. Keep in mind that
your email storage will typically reduce your overall allotted server storage.
Reseller Hosting
You may not have considered the option of getting reseller hosting but it’s
often a profitable venture for those willing to find a few clients. This
often-avoided factor of website hosting can help you mitigate your hosting
expense and even turn your hosting account into a strong source of income if
you’re interested in leasing out some server space while you’re already
subscribed to a host.
By looking into these sometimes-avoided or neglected factors of website hosting
you can make the most of your hosting experience and even turn your hosting
bill into a profit if you choose a host that allows reseller hosting. Try to
find the technical specifications and any expiring special pricing to make sure
your next host is going to be a good deal in the long run so that you won’t
have to transfer your website when your contract ends.