There are 300,000+ web hosting providers worldwide currently. If you are not careful you may choose the wrong web host for your website. Consequently, becoming successful online will be a dream that may never come true. So, how do you choose a web hosting provider that can help you succeed with your online business?
It’s simple. Just watch out so that you don’t make any of the killer mistakes I’m going to talk about in this article.
A Word About Starting an Online Business
Starting a successful online business is no easy thing.
You will have to work on your SEO, hire people to manage your business’ social media accounts and promote your business. You also need to think about the user experience on your website. For example, add different payment options to your website to give people more choices for checking out. Equally important, make sure that your web pages load quickly. This is where choosing a reliable web hosting company can help.
According to HostCalc, the web host you choose can make or break the success of your online business. The competition in the online business world is getting stiffer every day. For this reason, you need to make sure your web host can guarantee the speed, security, and reliability of your website.
Sometimes a few mistakes can result in unreliable web hosting. The good news is that you can migrate to another web host if your existing provider isn’t reliable.
The next time you are out looking for a web hosting provider, avoid these common mistakes.
6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Web Hosting Company
The common mistakes to avoid when choosing a web hosting provider include:
- Thinking that Free (or Cheap)is Better
- Not Trying a Web Host First
- Not Considering the Type of Server
- Ignoring the Security Factor
- Sacrificing Quality With Price
- Overlooking Customer Reviews
Let’s talk about each of these mistakes further.
1. Thinking that Free (or Cheap) is Better
When starting your online business, you don’t have enough money to spend on expensive tools. So, you may be tempted to go with free hosting on WordPress.com or a similar website, rather than buying a domain name for your company. In most cases, the $10 per year that it costs to lease a domain name is well worth it. The exception might be if you are starting a personal blog or you are a social media influencer looking to establish your online presence. Spend a few dollars per month on a paid hosting account and domain name if you want to run a serious business online. You’ll establish trust in your brand, and you’ll be taken more seriously by potential customers.
If there is anything you want to earn from customers, it’s their trust. The good thing is that web hosts aren’t as expensive as you may be thinking. Bluehost, DreamHost, and many other web hosting companies have great plans for people with small budgets.
If you choose a free web host, expect to grapple with issues like unreliable network connections, a decline in traffic, reduced or no sales, etc.
2. Not Trying a Web Host First
Some reliable web hosting companies will offer a free trial for a few days, or even a month or more, with a money-back guarantee. Take advantage of these offers when you can.
Usually, cheap web hosting providers don’t have trials and refund policies. Even though some are reliable, it’s good to check the reputation of the provider before choosing one.
Also be sure to weigh the pros and cons of paying month-to-month vs. paying for a year or longer up-front. You can save a lot of money by buying a year or more up-front. However, you’ll be locked in. If you choose the wrong hosting company, it’ll be money wasted.
3. Not Considering the Type of Server
If you are going to start an e-commerce store, and you are successful, then you are going to see serious traffic spikes. This can happen around the holidays, and if you’re fortunate enough to get press. For this reason, you may want to choose a scalable web hosting provider that offers cloud hosting.
As a rule, you will want your website secured against attacks at all times. In that case, a dedicated server would work best for you.
4. Ignoring the Security Factor
When doing business online, you are going to deal with cybercrime. I do not intend to scare you but to prepare you before you find yourself grappling with a cyberattack.
You want to make sure the information your customers entrust you with is kept safe. You are going to handle a ton of customer information, and need to be PCI-compliant. You don’t want to be the next Home Depot, a company that suffered an attack in 2014, and more than 50 million cards were exposed.
Your web host must guarantee the maximum security of your entire website. SiteGround is leading when it comes to offering top-notch security services to their customers.
5. Sacrificing Quality With Price
You might think that cheap web hosting is going to save you money to put in your pocket, or to invest in your marketing. And that’s true. But are you getting good quality services?
Sometimes cheap web hosting services lack enough features that can help you grow your online business. That’s why it’s more important than ever to choose a reliable web hosting service without considering how much you are going to pay for it.
6. Overlooking Customer Reviews
Those three, four, or five stars under every web hosting provider have a deep meaning. Usually, customers will leave feedback; thankfully many web hosting providers allow this. Ignoring this feedback could make you go with an unreliable web host.
Read what customers are saying about a particular web host and watch out for things like customer support complaints, downtime, and slow loading speeds, security issues, etc.
Did I miss any point you think is worth mentioning when it comes to choosing a web hosting company?
Let’s hear that in the comment section.