Ecommerce is one of the main trends of the 21st century. Thousands of online stores that do not have a physical outlet, but are still thriving. However, it will take a lot of effort directed towards marketing for outlets without online stores to survive. Getting a website is not as easy as it sounds. It takes a lot of effort and input, these efforts when inputted properly can yield the desired results.
One of the process of getting a website is the acquisition of a web hosting plan or service. This is very crucial as your web host will be entrusted with ensure the speed and security of your website. In addition, your web host will be entrusted with providing you with the adequate support as it regards keeping your website running. Without the proper or appropriate web host, even the best website development company or web development company can be made to look like amateurs. This is to show you how important this stage is. Some of the tips stated below will guide you on what you MUST consider when choosing the host for your website.
List your requirements
This is the stage could make the executions of your plans end up successfully or fail before they even start or dead on arrival. It is very true that we have big plans for every venture we are starting up. However, the earlier you become realistic with yourself the better for you. When listing out your requirements, you have to consider what you are expecting to materialize in the short term first. This is not to say that you cannot be futuristic, it means that you should work with the now as futuristic plans will come later. Before you choose a plan ask yourself questions like: what is the amount of traffic you are expecting for a start, how much do I have at hand, how long can I continue to pay for this particular service, will I be able to afford it till I get my ROI and so on. After listing your requirements, you are now more directive when choosing a web host as all you need to do is match your requirements against their plans and features.
Consider the plans of your web host
I remember when the 4G LTE service was first introduced a couple of years ago. I had a 4G enabled phone but my service provider could only provide me with 3G services. When selecting the hosting plans of your web host or potential web host as you may choose to call it, you have to consider a number of factors. One of those things you have to consider is the upgrade options of the particular plan if you want to select and the features of those upgrade options. This is very important especially if you are a budding brand with plans for expansion. This will help you foresee any future complication and avoid it. Does your web host support the web or content developer you are working with? If no, then you need to reconsider a number of things.
Consider the features of your web host
Lest I forget, the price of the web host is very important. Be careful of promotional offers, make effort to find out the original price to avoid cases where you will be struggling to meet up with paying up your web hosting bills. Do not allow any web hosting company sell you the “unlimited offer” crap. This so called “unlimited offers” usually have an expiry date or a clause that triggers its deactivation that these web hosting companies will not divulge so as to make the offer look enticing.
It will do you a lot of good to find out if the hosting service is reliable, fast and secure. No web hosting service can give you one hundred percent, there are good one out there that can offer you 99.9%. How is their customer service? Do they work twenty-four hours? Do they work only on working days? You must answer these questions to give yourself the best of what you need at it applies to hosting services.
Always consult reviews
No company will ever speak ill of itself, it will always tell you how it is the best. Who then can you meet to get the truth about the “mouth-watering offer” the company is selling you? The answer is simple, ask people that know about it. Always consult experts via their online reviews as well as individuals that have experience in web hosting before choosing it. a saying in Africa goes thus “na person way done go there go tell you the true story” meaning “it is only somebody that has gone to somewhere that can tell you the truth about what happened there”.