How to choose a Website Hosting Company: A Laid-Back Guide
Consort Creative
December 1, 2023
Picking a website hosting company can be a real brain teaser. With so many options out there, it’s tough to know which one is the right fit for you. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you break down the basics and make this decision a breeze.
What’s the Deal with Website Hosting?
Imagine hosting as the apartment building where your website lives. It stores all your website’s files and makes sure it’s always visible to visitors online. There are different types of hosts, just like there are different types of apartments.
Shared Hosting: This is like sharing a dorm room with a bunch of other websites. It’s affordable, but you might have to wait your turn for the shower (bandwidth).
VPS Hosting: This is like having your own studio apartment. You get more space and privacy, but it’s a bit pricier.
Dedicated Hosting: This is like owning a penthouse suite. You get the whole place to yourself, top-notch performance, and a hefty price tag.
Cloud Hosting: This is like having a virtual apartment that can expand or shrink as needed. It’s super flexible and reliable, but it can be a bit more expensive.
What Matters Most When Choosing a Hosting Company?
- Uptime: Imagine your website is a store. You want it to be open for business as much as possible. A good hosting company will keep your website up and running 99.9% of the time or more.
- Performance: Think of your website as a race car. You want it to load quickly and smoothly. A good hosting company will use powerful servers and software to make sure your website zooms by.
- Security: Picture your website as a bank. You want it to be safe from robbers (hackers). A good hosting company will use a variety of security measures to protect your website from harm.
- Customer Support: Imagine your website is a needy child. You want someone patient and helpful to answer your questions and fix your problems. A good host will have 24/7 customer support that’s always there to lend a hand.
- Pricing: Think of your website as a budget. You want to find a host that fits your spending plan. There are plenty of plans out there, so you should be able to find one that makes sense for you.
Finding the Perfect Hosting Match
- Know Your Website’s Needs: Before you start swiping right on hosting companies, take some time to get to know your website better. What kind of website is it? How much traffic do you expect? What features do you need? Once you have a clear picture of your website’s needs, you can start narrowing down your options.
- Do Your Homework: Don’t just jump into a relationship with the first company you see. Take some time to read reviews, compare plans, and talk to other website owners to get their recommendations.
- Choose Reliability: You don’t want a fickle partner who’s always down. Choose a company with a proven track record of uptime, performance, and security.
- Read the Fine Print: Don’t just sign on the dotted line without knowing what you’re getting into. Carefully read the terms and conditions of the service, including the uptime guarantee, refund policy, and cancellation policy.
- Get Started: Once you’ve found the hosting company of your dreams, it’s time to make it official. Create an account, set up your website, and let the world see your amazing creation
Our Recommendations:
Personally we have been hosting with IONOS for over a decade. The bandwidth and speed is much faster than some of the popular hosts and you get a free domain name and SSL certificate. Most other hosts charge for this service. Plus they will plant a tree for any referral!
Recently we have used WPMU hosting as well. They have a 99% uptime, fast CDN servers and their suite of pro version plugins are great for security, image compression, seo and analytics monitoring. You can learn more HERE.
If you need help selecting the right hosting plugin for your needs, feel free to Contact Us.
Remember,
Choosing a hosting company doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By following these tips, you can make an informed decision that will help your website thrive. So, relax, take a deep breath, and get ready to find your perfect hosting match.
CONNECT.
Do more than just imagine
– let's create something amazing!
95% of our clients become long-term partners with their best interests at our hearts. Let’s get together, grab a coffee & throw some ideas around.
Contact Us
