How can you decide if a web host is really good? Do the bandwidth and disk storage features still matter these days? Which type of hosting service should you go with? We will get to the answers for these question in some points checklist.
1. Know Your Own Hosting Needs
You can never get the right web host without knowing what you need. Forget about our general list of top 10 web host for a while and think thoroughly on your own needs.
- What kind of website are you building?
- Do you need Windows applications?
- Do you need a special version of software (ie. PHP)?
- Does your website need special software?
- How big (or small) can the web traffic volume go?
These are some of the basic questions to be answered. Have a plan with your website and try figure out what will happens next for the next 12 months.
For newbies, the general basic rule is to always start small with a good shared hosting account. A shared hosting account is cheap, easy to maintain, and sufficient for most new sites. Plus, you can always upgrade to VPS or dedicated hosting in the later stage when your site grows bigger.
2. Server Uptime Record
Nothing is more important than having a 24×7 operating web host. You need a web host is operating on a powerful server and stable network connections. 99.5% and above is the recommended uptime score; anything below 99% is unacceptable.
There are a number of different ways to obtain a web host uptime info. One way to do so is by reading my hosting reviews – where we publish uptime records based on our test sites from time to time (see samples below).
Alternatively, you can simply track your web host with server monitor tools – many of these tools are free on trial and are very to use. Do check out my guide on monitoring site uptime for a list of useful uptime monitor tools.
3. Multiple Addon Domains
Domain names are cheap – so cheap that it is hard to resist not owning more than one. In fact, most webmasters own dozens of domain names these days. To host these domains, you will need extra hosting space. And this is why it is important to have a hosting account that allows adding multiple domains.
Generally, most hosting companies allow at least 25 addon domains in one account nowadays but you can never be sure. Some years ago I was careless and signed up on a web host that allows only one domain. And, I was holding more than 10 parked domains at that time! Do not repeat my mistake – always check the domain capacity before you make a purchase.
4. Server Upgrades Options
Shared web hosts are pretty powerful these days. On a very rough guestimation, a shared hosting account should be sufficient to support a proper-optimized WordPress blog with 30,000 – 40,000 monthly unique visitors. You should be doing alright on a shared host if you manage to limit your concurrent database connections below 20 (this is why I said it’s always best to start with a shared hosting if you are new).
Those are the option that you have to verify which one is the best.
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