What Is Web Hosting? And How To Choose Better Web Host Provider

What Is Web Hosting? And How To Choose Better Web Host Provider

You will need to choose a web hosting company to register the domain name with and  sign up for the hosting account to host your new blog online. A web hosting company provides you with space on a server to store your blog files. It’s similar to your personal computer files at home, except your blog files are available online where visitors can access them at all times by entering your domain name or by discovering your blog in a search engine. You can use free blogging platforms (as described in Chapter 1) and live with the restrictions, or take the leap and launch your own self-hosted blog, which 90 percent of top bloggers recommend.

How to choose a web hosting provider

The wrong web host can cause many problems with your blog. Just imagine choosing a mobile company that has no reception. Your web host is a major piece of the puzzle to maintaining a successful blog, therefore, it’s crucial that you choose a reliable provider. Often, when people are asked what services most important to look for in a good web host, they cite things like 24/7 phone and chat support, reliability and reputation. Good hosting providers offer additional features such as database support, back ups and free email. Most hosting companies offer similar options and features and as a beginning blogger, you won’t have to go deeply into technical details to use them.


11 point checklist for better  web host selection :

Good reputation 

The rule of thumb is to check the website of the service provider for signs that indicate credibility such as a physical address, phone number, general company information and testimonials. Ask yourself the question “Would I trust and give this company my personal information?”. Also check if the company is listed with Better Business Bureau (for North America); if they’re listed, what’s their rating?

Support 

If you are new to the Internet, you might need to lean a little more on your web host’s tech support. Look for a company that offers 24/7 support. (If you have a problem with your blog at 2 a.m., do you really want to wait for help?) Some companies offer real-time phone and chat support, others don’t. In lieu of on-call support, a number of web hosting services only offer online ticket-based support. This means you submit a ticket via email requesting support and wait for a response. Many people are specifically looking for U.S.-based support, since some providers use outsourced support. Our recommendation? Your best bet is to find a hosting company that offers 24/7 phone support in addition to online chats and support tickets.

Uptime 

As mentioned previously, it’s important for your blog to be available online with no break in service. But when you’re dealing with hardware and people, things can still go wrong. Most reliable companies have technology in place to make sure your site is up and running all the time. The industry standard for the good companies is “99 percent network uptime.” Do your own online search “[company name] uptime” and check for a provider’s uptime listing.

Money-back guarantee

Most companies offer full money-back guarantees for a limited period of time (usually 30, 45 or 90 days). You might see “anytime money-back guarantee” claims from some companies. That usually means that you’ll get a prorated amount back after the limited-time period passes. Make sure you read their “Terms of Service.”

Features list 

Are you thinking of a specific CMS (content management system), such as our much-championed Wordpress? Does your prospective provider offer it? The list of features can be long, but the more options the better. You might not need some of the listed features now, but once your blog grows there could be a need for additional items.

Email accounts 

Most providers will give you the option of having unlimited email accounts for your blog. Having several email addresses can help you manage communication with your blog visitors. For example, you might have personal addresses (john@yourdomain. com), sales addresses (sales@yourdomain.com) and webmaster addresses (webmaster@yourdomain.com or admin@yourdomain. com). At the very least, double check to make sure at least one email account is available for your domain.

Price 

First-time customer fees for hosting services normally are very reasonable—as low as a few dollars per month for the first year of service. But you need to understand that next year’s renewal price will be different. Before choosing your provider, double check the renewal price information on the web host’s website.

Site backup

Web host servers are not bulletproof. Data loss is possible, just as it is on your own computer. After all, servers are big computers that everyone can read files from. You’ll want to backup both your site files and your databases. If they don’t offer backup, you will be left with having to figure out how to do it manually. So make sure your host provider features an automated-backup option (a small monthly fee might be applied).

Scalability/room to grow 

So what happens when your blog becomes bigger? It’s good to know your host can provide you with different hosting plan options. When your blog starts to grow and gets a lot more visitors, you might need more power and speed. Think ahead and plan on a bright future for your blog!

Security

Your blog can hold a lot of information. The threat of site hackers reminds us of the need for top security. Most of the time it will be your responsibility to ensure you set up have secure passwords. But even then, malware and hackers can still strike, which can lead to downtime for your blog. Some hosting providers offer security monitoring services for an extra charge.

Third-party security 

Third-party providers, such as VaultPress and Sucuri, can also provide these backup and security services for you. You’ll need to compare these costs, combined with your hosting company’s monthly fee, to see if it makes sense to go with a cheaper hosting solution and third-party security or a more expensive hosting solution that has these services built in to their fees.