A good website and web host is vital to any modern time business. According to, Internet Advisor as of 2017, only 45% of small businesses had a dedicated website. If you don’t want to deal with your site routinely crashing or slow loading speeds, you know the importance of finding a quality web host that can handle the bandwidth of your site.
Where some site owners go wrong is overlooking the importance of their web host. They look at a few different options and pick whichever one seems best. A few months later, however, they might realize that their host can’t support the amount of traffic visiting their site or that their site has been hacked.
No matter if you’re starting a new site or optimizing your existing site, you need to keep in mind that the web host you choose is just as important as your web design.
Here are seven general tips to help you choose the right web host in 2024.
Know what kind of site you want
Knowing what type of site you’re hoping to create will determine how much bandwidth you need and what type of host will work best.
For example, if you’re creating an online portfolio that will only generate a low amount of traffic, you can use a shared server. But if you’re starting an online store, you may want to invest in a VPS or a dedicated server. Cloud hosting is also becoming increasingly popular.
Look at renewal options
Most web hosts offer the option for auto-renewal. This is preferable because it prevents periods of downtime on your site. You don’t want to accidentally forget to renew and then find your site is no longer online.
However, with renewals, you’ll also want to be aware of any additional costs. Some providers may gradually increase prices with each renewal, while others might charge a fee for auto-renewal.
Think about the security standards
A mistake most site owners make is assuming that a hacker wouldn’t be interested in their small website site. However, 43% of data breaches happen to small business owners. It doesn’t matter how small your site or company is—a hacker might be interested.
At the minimum, you’re going to want a host that routinely offers new security upgrades, has secure file transfer protocol (SFTP), and has the option to install firewalls and anti-virus software.
Consider the features
Each web host is going to offer slightly different features based upon the needs of their audiences. Think about your own areas of expertise with web site management when looking at these features.
For example, some web hosts might have a step-by-step installation process that is meant to help beginners launch a site. Other web hosts might have more advanced features designed specifically to allow advanced users to have more
customization options.
Check to see if you can upgrade
The prices of hosting packages are typically determined by how much bandwidth is offered within the package. The more traffic you receive, the more bandwidth you’ll want so that your site will load quickly.
If you’re just getting started with your site, you may want to opt for a lower package. However, you also want to make sure that you have the option to easily upgrade your package if your site takes off. The right host should help your business grow , not suppress it.
Make sure they offer support
One feature that every good web host should have is access to 24/7 support. These are the folks that will help figure out what to do if your website suddenly goes down and answer any concerns you might have.
It is rare to find a web host that doesn’t offer some sort of support, but the support each web host offers will be slightly different. Some web hosts may offer live text chatting, while others might force you to submit an online help ticket.
Take feedback into consideration
As you start to narrow down possible web hosts, don’t just blindly select one that sounds good to you. Instead, consider the feedback of others. Remember that all web hosts want to make themselves look good.
The only way to determine if the web host is as good as they say they are is by reading the reviews of others.MangoMatter reviewed a lot of web hoststo help find the best ones.
Final thoughts
When it comes to finding the right web host, you want to carefully consider what your needs are and what the needs of your site are. This can help you narrow down your options. Then, when you have your top picks, always check out the reviews before making a final decision.
