Looking for a New Host? What to Consider (And What to Avoid)

If you’re on the search for a new web host for your online business or your blog, you might be wondering how you can narrow your search down. These days, there are so many hosts out there to choose from⁠—but they’re not all the same. You don’t want to end up with a host that slows your site down or that is vulnerable to hackers. What To Consider and Avoid Looking For a New Host

And going for the most expensive host doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best host. There are ways to get a budget-friendly package and still have a high-quality web host.

Here are seven factors to consider when you’re choosing a host.

How much traffic you expect

Choose a web host that can handle the amount of traffic your site receives. Host packages charge based on bandwidth and storage. The more traffic you receive, the more bandwidth is required for your site to run smoothly.

Be honest with yourself when estimating traffic. If the primary purpose of your site is to create an online portfolio to show off all your graphic design projects, you probably don’t receive as much traffic as someone who operates an online business.

Check that the host will allow you to grow

Look into whether the host offers upgrade packages. If you’re just starting an online business or blog, you don’t need the highest hosting package. However, if your site continues to grow, you’ll eventually need to upgrade your package to one that has higher bandwidth.

Some hosts will let you upgrade as needed, while others force you into a contract before you can upgrade. If you anticipate the traffic on your site continuing to increase, choose one that allows you to easily upgrade. So, consider this while looking for a new host to avoid issues.

If you are in desperate need for a reliable web host and don’t have time to properly research the options yourself, then pop over to the Hosting Foundry website as they know the web hosting industry inside-out, and can provide you with a great choice of potential hosts.

Who owns the domain

Your domain name is the URL of your website. Ideally, you’ll retain all the rights to this name. If you ever need to switch hosts, you’re going to want a host that will allow you to easily transfer the name.

Some hosts, especially the ones that offer free services, force you to register your domain through their site. This could mean that you would lose access to your domain if you ever switched hosts.

New Host: What To Consider and Avoid: Is the hosting renewal easy

If you’re happy with your web host and want to keep using them, you’re going to want an easy renewal process. You don’t want to accidentally forget to renew their services and suddenly find yourself without a site.

Most hosts offer a recurring bill setup. This can help prevent your site from expiring. You’ll also want to make sure that the host doesn’t have any hidden fees for renewal. Some hosts will increase packages each year, even if you don’t need an increase.

What security features are in place

A hosting structure’s infrastructure can leave your site vulnerable to hackers. If you want to avoid an online attack, look for a web host that offers firewalls, monitoring services, and SSL certificates. SSL certificates encrypt important information—this is essential if personal data is exchanged on your site.

You’ll find that VPS (virtual private server) hosting plans are typically the most secure. However, even an improperly configured VPS hosted site can still be hacked.  The more involved you are with securing the site, the better. As a result, consider this while looking for a new host to avoid issues.

Are there support services

A good support team should be readily available to help resolve any problems that you may be facing on your site. Most web hosts offer a 24/7 support team—these days, it is very uncommon to find a host that doesn’t offer some sort of support services.

The support team should also be regularly working to find patches and upgrades to make your site as secure as possible. Look for a host that updates frequently.

New Host: What To Consider and Avoid: What others are saying

Before committing to a web host, you should always make sure that they have a good rating and that others haven’t had any complaints. Even hosts that look good on the surface might have hidden problems lurking behind the scenes.

Lots of web host reviewers will look at factors such as security, support, and speed to rank hosts. A good review will go over both the pros and cons of a host so that you can make the most informed decision based on your needs.

New Host: What To Consider and Avoid: final thoughts

You can never be too careful when choosing a web host. The right web host should allow your business to grow without the worry of security concerns or slow speeds. Make sure to carefully research any host you’re considering by reading over their packages and reading the reviews.