Every single website available on the internet has a web host. This is where all the files, information and content hosted on the website is held, allowing users to access it freely. Choosing the right web hosting company is the backbone of having a successful website. If your chosen company cannot support the speeds you need or the memory required, it will have a detrimental impact on the usability of your website. That’s why it’s important to know what questions to ask and what information you need to gain before making such a vital decision. Here are our top 3 questions to ask before choosing a web hosting service.
- 1. How Strong Is Your Security?
The data that your website generates and holds is sensitive. It may contain contact information for customers or classified information about your online activity. Either way, you need to know that the web hosting service you use has a good security structure put into place to protect this data. Ask what size their encryption keys for data are. Those offering 256-bit keys are considered the most encrypted of services with a near-on impossible-to-crack configuration.
If you have an eCommerce website or one that stores sensitive data, you need SSL certificate support. This ensures you are able to create secure connections between your website and that of the customers. It encrypts the data to make it unhackable.
- 2. What Support Is Available?
You need to work with a web hosting service that is there to support you 24/7. Especially if you’re in the eCommerce field, you need to know that support is there to prevent you from losing sales should something go wrong. Ask your service provider what type of support programme they have in place. Are you restricted to emails or an online ticketing service? Or do they have people on their online chat or telephone services all around the clock? You may need to look at larger businesses in order to achieve this but make sure to shop around for a service that suits your needs.
- 3. What Performance Levels Do They Offer?
If you have a primarily online business, consider how much space and bandwidth you need. You don’t want to reach their limit within a month and be restricted by a contract that prevents your company growth. You need to know that they can support you as your business expands. Ask whether they have the option for you to scale up your plan, should you need more resources. Ask how their performance compares to that of other web hosts. Ensure the package you sign up to is flexible enough to suit your needs.
- 4. How Stable Is Their Business Model?
The last thing you want to do is sign up for a 5-year plan with a company that then goes bust within a year. Not only would you have wasted your time researching and comparing businesses, but you’ll also be left without the support you need. Question how long the business has been running and how long they’ve been offering the specific service you require. Ask to see testimonials and even contact past clients to see how they worked with this service.
- 5. What Are Their Responsibilities?
In order to have a successful business relationship, there needs to be clear guidance as to who absorbs responsibility for what. In terms of an outage, for example, you need to understand who is responsible for getting the website back-up and working. Understanding this will identify when charges are due or when contracted fees should be paused or suspended accordingly.
Here at Media Orb, we offer a scope of tailored website hosting packaged through Rackspace. One of the leading names in cloud hosting and email, they accelerate the value of the cloud. This means you’ll be able to maintain your website and attend to your customer’s needs while receiving full customer support at all times. Learn more on our website today.
