With more web hosting services on the market now than ever before, how do you decide which host to use? There is no one perfect answer to that question because each website has slightly different needs. No matter how simple or complex your website, however, there are 5 important things you can expect from any quality WordPress host:
- Adequate Storage and Bandwidth
How much bandwidth does your website need? What sort of traffic do you reasonably expect? If you aren’t sure, here is a simple guide to help you understand the basics. You will pay a higher subscription fee for more storage and bandwidth, so it’s helpful to have a reasonable estimate of what you need. If you find yourself between tiers, always move one level up to give your website room to grow.
- Site Security and Backup
Does your WordPress host provide any site security or automatic backups? It is easy to assume that you will never need an emergency backup, but chances are good something will go wrong with your site at some point during its lifetime. The problem could be as simple as a server glitch or as malicious as a hacking attack. When your website goes down, how long will it take to get it back online? A lot of that will depend on the host.
- Extra Features
In addition to basic site hosting and backup, look for a WordPress host that offers extra features like design tools, automatic domain registration, or an easy transfer from your previous host. If you have the option to preview the host’s website builder, make sure you are comfortable with the tools before signing up.
- Positive Reviews from Other Users
All hosting services want to put their best foot forward, and most of their landing pages will include positive reviews from blogs or individual readers. It can be helpful to check more reviews if you can find them to see how the average user’s experience has been with a particular hosting service. A few negative reviews is not a reason to immediately discount any one host, but a record of consistent problems should raise some red flags.
- Customer Service and Design Help
How much help do you anticipate needing in the design, launch, and upkeep of your website? You will pay more for hosting services with 24/7 customer service, but it can be well worth the cost if even a few hours of downtime will cost you customers and profit. If you are hosting a basic blog, on the other hand, you may opt to save some money and go with a host that has a longer wait time on customer service tickets.
Ultimately, the specific needs of your website will determine which hosting service is best for you. Whichever provider you choose, look closely at the fine print and terms of service and make sure that your WordPress host has these five important traits.