Blog Help: Choosing a Hosting Site
Just how many hosting site are out there? It seems that each day there is another hosting site that pops up.
So how do you know which one is right for you? I have put together some key points on what you need to look for when choosing a hosting site. Every host is a bit different so I recommend that you do some research and pick the one that fits your need. I do have one recommendation that you will see as you read this post.
I have tried many different host. As a blogger, I knew I needed unlimited data storage because of pictures and video. I also knew I need the hosting site to be reliable and offer excellent customer service.
Another key point for me was the ability to add domains to this hosting site. Since I also create info products I didn’t want to pay for a different hosting package with every product. That can get very expensive. So look for features that you need now and maybe some features that you will use in the future.
How to Choose a Hosting Site
1. Choosing a Web Hosting Service
- The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing a web host is your needs: just like it wouldn’t make sense to use a smaller web host if you’re building a huge website that requires multiple servers, it wouldn’t make sense to pay for a lot of storage and features you’re not going to use if you’re launching a small blog. If you are planning on starting with a small site that will become very large, your best bet is to choose a basic package with unlimited disk space, which will give you enough space for all of the pages you’d like to have and make you to accessible through search engines. When your website expands, you’ll always have the option of switching to a large host later to accommodate your traffic.
- Make sure your website has features in place to find the customers that you’re trying to reach. Almost all web hosts provide means of reaching consumers through free advertisement credits. Shopping carts and multiple email addresses can have a big impact on how professional you look to interested consumers. Checking security features would also be a good idea if you’re trying to set up a small shopping website.
2. Web Hosting Prices
- Many web hosting services let you choose from several types of packages, each with a different price and slightly different range of offerings. The prices can range from $4.25/month to over $40/month. These price differentials can be attributed to the different features included within each plan and to the eagerness of some newer hosting companies.
3. Bandwidth and Disk Space
- Even if you’re planning a small site, like a blog, you should look for a minimum of 5 GB of disk space and 250 GB of bandwidth from your web hosting plan. I like unlimited cause I like planning for the future!
4. Ease of Use
- Choosing an easy-to-use web host is particularly important if you are new to web hosting. I am a huge fan of JustHost.com because it is geared towards bloggers and using the wordpress install. Super easy to use. (disclosure: I’m an affiliate for JustHost)
5. Customer Support
- Both web professionals and novice webmasters will likely need assistance from their web host’s customer support staff at some point. Heck even a professional like me needs a lot of help. I don’t always understand all the technology but it helps to have great customer support.
6. Standard Web Hosting Features
- One thing that tends to complicate the decision of choosing a web host is the large (and often unnecessary) features list that each service provides. Although price, bandwidth, and disk space are often the biggest determining factors, it’s also important to evaluate what other features and add-ons each host offers.
7. Uptime and Page Load Time
- Of primary importance to the success of your website is whether or not your visitors will be able to load your site’s pages quickly and to see at a glance what your site is all about. This is often overlooked but if your website takes a long time to load people will move on. Don’t lose leads and customers because your page was slow to load.
Only twice has my hosting service gone down. But I have had the fastest load times and overall reliability of JustHost.com will keep me a fan for a long time.
If you got value from this post please share on Facebook and Twitter using the icons below. Share your favorite hosting site by commenting below.
Yours in Gratitude,
Chef Katrina
Stop the pain of struggling today. There’s an answer waiting on the other side, one simple system that I use to generate upwards of 20 leads a day for my business. (Unless You Already Have Too Many Leads) – Click Here For Instant Access
Disclosure: I’m an affiliate marketer with links to an online retailer on my website. When people read what I’ve written about a particular product and then click on those links and buy something from the retailer, I earn a commission from the retailer.
12 replies to "Blog Help: Choosing a Hosting Site"
Great information for anyone looking for hosting!
Thank you Heather! That is what I was hoping to share!
People rarely invest the time you have in writing about the key factors of hosting, so most people just ask a friend who they’re hosted with and go the same route. Yet there are so many things that can affect how well that host can serve you. Thanks for sharing all that valuable knowledge, Katrina.
My pleasure Sharon. Finding the right hosting site was something I didn’t think about until after I had it! Thank you for taking time to comment Sharon. Appreciate it.
Where were you 2 1/2 years ago when I was getting started? I had no idea what I was doing. I did not know you could separate your domain name with your hosting company. I went with both from the same company. I’m still with GoDaddy and really have not had any problems with them. They have been very helpful on the occasions I have called them so I have no complaints. Thanks for sharing this helpful info.
That is the big thing now… have your domain in one place and your hosting site in another. I am glad you are happy with GoDaddy. Stay with what works for you!
Great info and one that hasn’t been talked about much, or at least I haven’t come across. I have been satisfied with my host and found others who have had trouble with them. So many SM professionals have different preferences. I guess if what I have isn’t broken, why change?
Agree.. if you love your hosting site don’t worry about changing. But recently so many have been hacked or have gone down. That can really hurt your business. Thank you for commenting Roz!
Thanks for sharing this info on how to chose a hosting site, Katrina. It is so important to be with one that provides all the services you’ve listed AND great customer service. I changed hosting companies last year and am glad I did. I’ll keep your info in mind if I ever want to change.
Always best to find one that fits your needs. Price is not issue if the server keep crashing and you don’t have the ability to do business. And the best part about it… tax write off! 🙂
thanks, Katrina! I’m new to all this… green as grass, I’m afraid! Just joined EMP a month ago…trying to learn as much as possible & wrap my head around what I need to do. this blog was very helpful & I thoroughly enjoyed your webinar!
Thanks again… I look forward to reading more from you.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing 🙂 xx
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