Choosing a web hosting provider: 5 common mistakes to avoid

Dark servers data center room with computers and storage systems

(Epitome credit: Jasmin Merdan/Getty Images)

As a first-time website owner who'due south likely just taken the time to choose from the best website builders to create your site, you might be daunted by then needing to select the best web hosting provider. Reviewing options and deciding on the right one can be overwhelming, with so many packages and providers out there.

In turn, at that place are no shortage of online directorate and experts keen to share their advice with yous on which host to become with. At the early stages of creating a website and launching it, this tin can feel like an all-out barrage, and and then making errors at this phase is really easy to practice.

We aim to inform y'all well-nigh the near common mistakes when it comes to choosing a spider web hosting provider, and this article outlines non only what these are, but how to avert making them in the beginning identify.

ane. Choosing a free web hosting provider

As appealing as a costless web hosting service might audio, don't forget at that place'south ever a danger your site could end up covered in pop-ups and banner ads. Also, sites hosted on free services aren't always Google-friendly.

Still, if y'all simply want a website to promote a particular involvement, weblog, or community group, and y'all don't heed losing SEO (search engine optimization) points, information technology could still exist an option.

There are a number of services available that we'd consider the best free web hosting providers, simply you'll need to do some digging outset to find the best of what tin be described as a bad agglomeration. These services tend to be very unpredictable with inconsistent speeds, little to no guaranteed uptime, and express support.

The trouble is because you haven't paid anything for the service, the service provider is under no obligation to provide you with any assurances. Don't wait any avant-garde features, and exist enlightened that hosting with a free provider tin result in your business losing a certain caste of legitimacy.

This point is particularly valid if yous choose to go with a complimentary service that trades nether the proper noun of freehosting4u.com—or something as unprofessional sounding. Equally with any service, you often get what you pay for. And if you're getting something for free, yous don't really have any grounds to mutter about the quality of the service or the features that exercise or don't come with it.

If budget is a major business organisation, there are enough of cheap spider web hosting providers offer a superior service at a minimal cost.

ii. Avert web hosting packages that don't offer a refund guarantee

servers locked behind metal frame door — Any reputable web host should refund you if you're not happy with their service (Paradigm credit: Unsplash)

Not choosing a spider web hosting bundle with a refund guarantee is an like shooting fish in a barrel mistake to make/ and is particularly important to avoid as a new website owner. As you have little feel in the field, you may well have selected an unsuitable package the first time around, so it's essential your provider offers a money-back guarantee.

Whatever reputable web hosting company should be happy to give yous a refund, or even transfer you onto a more suitable package, if you observe the service yous've signed upwards to doesn't arrange your requirements. In the end, a happy customer could well be a repeat customer.

Although numerous companies do offer guarantees of this kind, the length of fourth dimension they are valid for is inconsistent. Usually, an offer like this would remain valid for xxx to 60 days, but one of the service providers we identified had a money-back guarantee lasting 90 days.

In that location are ii main kinds of web hosting packages: shared or virtual individual server (VPS). If you only accept a basic, barebones site then it's best to opt for shared hosting. You lot only need to go with a VPS if your site is generating a lot of traffic.

Keep an eye on the volume of traffic coming to your website, and if needs exist shift over to VPS, or even dedicated, hosting. But retrieve, you'll save a cracking deal of money by sticking with a shared hosting packet right upwardly until the point where switching is a necessity.

When deciding betwixt shared or VPS, take a detailed await at what's being offered in the package. Ideally, you want to observe a provider and programme that can scale upwards at the aforementioned rate equally your company. For example, you might find bandwidth and e-mail limits a headache every bit your business grows in size and popularity.

4. Don't just go for the all-time-priced selection

computer cabling and server units — Don't just become for the highest-priced provider: do your research and plan your search carefully (Image credit: Unsplash)

You lot can approach this issue in ii means. The first option is to merely presume that all web hosting providers are the aforementioned, and go with the cheapest option. The 2d is to assume that the more yous pay, the better the quality of service, so yous pay for a premium option.

It's at this point that you have to ask yourself, "What do I want my website to go?" One time you decide how you'd like the future of your site to pan out, you can make a conclusion on a package that volition suit your growing needs—any they might be. But price shouldn't be your just consideration

In such a competitive industry, many companies will introduce special offers and slash prices to draw in customers, so stay alert for whatever discounts. It's as well important to remember that a cheap package could well exercise the job required to host a small-scale site or web log, so yous don't always demand to pay more for quality.

And recollect, that tempting offering is usually simply representing a month of hosting. When it comes to paying, you'll probably discover this figure multiplied past 12 with the improver of VAT on pinnacle. It's not always a bad thing, though, and many companies will offer discounted rates for longer contracts.

5. Being unaware of limitations

During your pursuit of the best web hosting provider for your site, you'll no dubiety encounter limitations. In some cases, these limitations could be detrimental to your business: for example, if a provider puts a limit on the number of dissimilar products you can sell in your online store.

This is why it's so of import to observe a web hosting provider that can adapt your hosting plan equally your business grows. You want a service that can scale easily and at the aforementioned pace equally your business concern. If restrictions are as well tight, yous might discover yourself in a situation where resolving an issue harms your site.

Be certain to scrutinize terms and weather. Look out for personal file storage constraints and restrictions on streaming and other media in item. Limitations are there for a reason. They ensure the service they provide is consistently reliable for all users and can save web hosting providers a groovy deal on running costs.

Get through this checklist before signing up and ask any potential providers the following questions:

Is it possible to maintain multiple POP accounts?
Is there a way to add statistics to my account?
Am I able to install any WordPress plugin I desire?
Can I add together a shopping cart to my website?
How many items is it possible for me to list on my ecommerce website?
Is there a scheduled backup of my data?
How comprehensive is your client support program?

The final question in the above checklist is particularly important, as you never know when you lot'll need help—twenty-four hours or night.

This is an excerpt from an eBook called "The ultimate guide to web hosting", published past TechRadar Pro in association with Planet Hippo .

Choosing a web hosting provider: 5 common mistakes to avoid