What do bloggers need to take into account when choosing a web hosting package? Many bloggers tend to pay little attention when it comes to making their choice for a web host. Not many bloggers realize how important the choice of a web host is. Briefly discussed below are four of the most important things that should be carefully evaluated and decided upon in finding and choosing a web host.
1. Ability to Match Site Needs
The first question that should be asked is what the site needs. Before looking for a web host, it's vital to properly identify the technical requirements of the site. Cover all the basics. How much disk space is projected to be required by the site? How much bandwidth is needed?
Are there specific software that should be installed? Some web hosts throw in some free premium plugins that you may also have to consider in your decision.
Additionally, you may want to consider getting optimized WordPress hosting or managed WordPress hosting. If you are going to use WordPress as your content management system, you may want to take advantage of the conveniences offered by web hosting companies with regards to WordPress sites.
It's worth noting that optimized WordPress hosting packages can make things easier for you especially if you are not that familiar with the technical aspects of blogging.
2. Uptime and ReliabilityChoose companies that offer uptime in the vicinity of 99%. At this uptime rate, the web server should only be down for at most 1.8 hours in a week or 7.2 hours in a month (30 days). There are many companies that offer uptimes at 99.9% or even higher. Limit your options to these high-uptime web hosting service providers.
Of course, you can't just rely on their claims. You need to conduct your own verification. Refer to reviews to find out if these companies are really able to deliver the uptime rates they are claiming. Ask for comments from others who have already tried the web hosting packages of the companies you are considering.
In addition to the uptime factor, you also have to ascertain that the company you choose is able to provider good customer support. As much as possible, they should be able to accommodate requests for assistance 24/7 via telephone, live chat, or email. They should have competent staff who can handle complaints or troubleshooting needs.
3. Data Center LocationThe location of the data center of a web host is important for a blog. Depending on the location of the audience you are targeting, you need to make sure that the data center is located near or at the same location where your target audience is located.
For example, if you want to focus to US readers, your web host's data center should be in the US. It shouldn't be some rented offshore facility in India or China. Similarly, if you want to target UK readers or visitors, you should choose a look for a company with UK-based web hosting data centers.
The location of the data center is important because it affects the page loading speed and responsiveness of your blog. If the data center is located far from the location of your visitors', the request for access to your pages will have to go through several routes before the pages are served. Logically, the shorter the route, the faster the page loading time will be.
4. Cost-Efficiency and Upgrading OptionsOf course, the cost does matter. While it shouldn't be the main factor to consider in picking a web host, it is very important to ensure the cost-efficiency of the hosting package. Consult comparisons of web hosting packages online.
Just be careful with the comparison sites you use. Many sites that compare hosting services have outdated information or are intentionally misrepresented to favor a certain company. If you refer to these comparisons, be sure to verify the details first.
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Moreover, it's important to take scalability into account. Your chosen web host should make it easy to scale up or upgrade to a higher hosting package. This is to avoid problems when your blog starts drawing heavy volumes of traffic.
You can't afford to have downtimes because you've already run out of your allocated bandwidth. In the same vein, you can't get a hosting package that is more than what you need because it would just be an unnecessary, unproductive expense.
Certainly, there are many things to consider in choosing a web host. It can't be just a random decision. The four factors discussed above should serve as a guide. They are not the only things that should be given weight but they form part of the basics. Hence, you should carefully examine them before coming up with a decision.
