Good web hosting is not easy to come by these days. Sure, there are some ok services, but to get really good web hosting, you’re going to have to do some digging. The reason why there’s not a ton of great services out there is because there’s a lot of little things that can be taken into consideration by a company to get people’s money, and deliver nothing. Scams abound in the world of web hosting, and you’ll find that the best in the business aren’t going to be doing just that, but they will be charging. Web hosting should not be cheap or free for you, although lower prices can be attained from time to time. Free hosting, cheap hosting, and all the things in between can cause your site to not only collapse, but also disappear from the internet altogether. It’s important that you pay for good web hosting instead of dealing with the issues that come with the bad side of things.
It’s with that in mind that you should consider the 6 signs of a good web hosting company. These are telltale signs that you’re not going to get ripped off or have to deal with any issues related to the problems that others have to deal with. In fact, this very well may be something absolutely worth jumping ship for if you have lackluster hosting right now.
Web Hosting Storage
The first thing that you want to look for is storage. Storage should be high or unlimited. If you don’t find a web hosting plan that has unlimited storage, that’s ok. Be realistic with how much space you absolutely need and go from there. The average website could go with less than a 50 gigs of storage, but that’s not always a good plan of action for those that are establishing a large, grandiose site. That being said, consider storage first.
Website Design Tools
Once you have secured good web hosting, you will want to launch your site, right? Take a look at the design tools that come with your order, and also look for extras like shopping cart installation, blogging software, and just about anything else you can think of to help you get off the ground. Some services will have nothing in the way of bells and whistles, and if that’s the case, don’t go with them. Go with a plan that will help you meet your goals online.
Hosting Bandwidth
This is an issue that you will absolutely have to deal with. Bandwidth is very important, and it becomes vital if you’re going to set up a video streaming website or a site that is going to house your podcasts. If you’re going to have something heavy in terms of media, streaming, and downloads, make sure that you have a clear understanding of “unlimited” bandwidth is and speak to someone about this. Some web hosting companies will tell you that it’s unlimited, but at the end of the day, it’s actually limited and you’ll be charged for “abuse” of the system.
Technical Support
There should be a firm technical support protocol in place. You shouldn’t have to second guess this, and you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time on hold getting to someone that is going to help you with your hosting issues. If you don’t find a good web hosting plan that has technical support 24 hours a day, be wary of their workmanship. While some companies can get away with 8 hours of support, you may not like the fact that you can’t get a hold of someone in a shortened amount of time. If your site goes down at 4 in the morning, and you rely on it for business, this becomes a very important issue.
Customer Service (Money)
Billing is an important part of the web hosting world. Make sure that you can get a hold of someone immediately if you see your credit card charged, or you see double billing or anything. Always make sure that there is a customer service number and someone to speak to in these matters. Good customer service is key to picking the right web hosting company today.
Website Uptime
99.9% is the crucial number that you should look for. Most companies will tout this, but if you don’t find your web hosting company is doing this, then you will want to find another option. Always look for uptime margins and make sure that you do not go with a web hosting company that has anything less than 99%. Unless you are 100% trusting of a lower number, it’s best to go with higher options in this case. Web hosting uptime matters a great deal, especially for small business websites.
