How to Choose the Right Web Host Provider for Your First Website

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Choosing the right web host can be daunting, especially if you are just starting your first website. With so much information to digest online, it is easy to forget something important, especially if you are weighing down the pros and cons of different website providers.

The good news is, there are several excellent plans online that you can choose from. Making the right choice is all about considering your needs, as well as taking into consideration what every website provider can offer.

This post will help you choose the web hosting provider that is right for you:

1. Know Your Hosting Needs

You couldn’t choose the right web host without exactly knowing what you need. So, before you go along, ask yourself these questions:

What kind of website are you building?
How big (or small) is your traffic volume?
Does your site need special software?
Will you need Windows applications?
Will you need support for a specific script?

These are some common questions that you have to answer for yourself. Also, consider how much resources will your site need.

If you’re running a small blog, then it’s unlikely that you will need a VPS. Meanwhile, if you’re a large e-commerce business, then a dedicated server or a VPS is needed for extra reliability, and for you to be able to manage a large volume of traffic to your site.

You need to pay attention to details that fit the requirements of your site.

2. Look for Hosting Prices

Price is always an important denominator when it comes to deciding whether or not you will buy the product. But it is not always the only thing that you need to consider when choosing a web host.

Usually, a cheaper hosting plan could be better for your needs, than a more expensive one. Other times, you have to splurge to have a stable website.

According to Cheeky Monkey Hosting, one of the best website hosting in NZ, “The host’s renewal price is something that you have to factor in, as well. Don’t be drawn to a cheaper price in the first year. You also have to check what’s the price going to be after the first year is over.”

3. Check for a Refund Policy

In a perfect world, you’ll choose the right host for you, your site will flourish, and you don’t have to cancel your service. But sometimes, things don’t go according to plan.

So, if you have to cancel your hosting service for some reason, you need to stay away from excessive fees. It’s also best that you pick a host that offers a trial period so that if things don’t work out the way you want it to be, you can always cancel without having to pay any penalties.

4. Understand Server Types

The performance of your site depends on the type of server that you choose. There are various types of hosting servers in the market:

Shared hosting: Great for beginners, bloggers, and personal website owners. It is also one of the cheapest hosting options out there, usually costs between $5 and $10 per month. Ideally, if you are getting less than 5,000 visitors per month, you can go with shared hosting. But as your site grows over time, and gets more visitors, you might have to switch with a more powerful server.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting: Quite similar to shared hosting because it shares one physical server. The difference here is that you have your own server resources that are separate from other users. It is an upgrade from shared hosting in terms of speed and power, but less expensive than getting your own dedicated server.
Cloud Hosting: Incorporates hundreds of individual servers to form a giant server. What’s great about it is that you can easily scale up and upgrade your hosting plan if needed.
Dedicated Server: You have a whole physical server that is dedicated to your website. Not only you have full control of these various server resources, but you also do not have to worry about other websites that might take up your resources and slow it down.

5. Check Customers Review

Last but certainly not least, you have to check customers review. Any hosting company can advertise that they’re the best out there, but one thing is for sure ‒ customer reviews will be the ones to speak for themselves.

Also, keep in mind that although a prospective host might have bad reviews, check whether or not they’re being addressed and replied to. The most reputable hosting companies check website reviews and reply to them (especially negative ones), addressing them promptly and offering users viable solutions.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of things to remember if you are considering a web host, but it all starts in knowing what your needs are. That way, you will pick a host that is best suited for you.

So, hopefully, you will be able to choose the right host and set up successfully your website.