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What makes a good Web Hosting service, great?
When looking for what makes a good Web Hosting service, what should you be looking for? Knowing what makes a good Web Hosting service will help to make your search much less confusing and more straightforward.
Here are 25 qualities that you should look for in what makes a good Web Hosting service great:
- Reliability.
- Uptime.
- Customer service and support.
- Pricing.
- Scalability.
- Security.
- Backup and disaster recovery features.
- User-friendly control panel.
- Bandwidth and storage limits.
- Easy site migration feature.
- Free SSL Certificate.
- Money Back Guarantee.
- 24/7/365 Technical Support.
- Green Hosting.
- cPanel Hosting.
- One-Click Installations.
- Malware Protection and Removal.
- Regular Software Updates.
- WordPress Optimization.Staging Environments.
- Version Control.
- MultiplePHP version support.
- Firewalls.
- Intrusion detection and prevention.
- DDoS protection.
These are just a few of the qualities you should be looking for. A great web hosting service will have most, if not all, of these qualities. So when you’re looking for a web hosting service, be sure to keep these in mind. You won’t be disappointed.
However, to truly answer what makes a good Web Hosting service let’s look at what makes up a hosting package in general. What are the main things that should be included when shopping around for a good Web Hosting service?
Typically, a good Web Hosting service will offer you at a minimum a domain name, website builder CMS like WordPress, email accounts, and 24/7 customer support.
If you are looking for what makes a good Web Hosting service the above features are a good place to start.
Additionally, many hosts will also offer additional features such as online store tools, marketing credits, and more.
It’s important to remember that what makes a good Web Hosting service is what works for your personal or professional website. What makes a good Web Hosting service needs may vary depending on what you are using it for.
For example, what makes a good Web Hosting service if you just need an email account? etc.
Good Web Hosting FAQs.
Why are you setting up a website?
Different sites require different setups, so what’s suitable for one might not be for another. Are you doing ecommerce or building a website to share large files with users?
A simple blog or website might not need all of the features that a VPS hosting account offers for example. Getting a Shared Hosting plan might be just what you need as well as saving you quite a lot of money in the process.
How much traffic do you expect your site to generate?
If you don’t know, you can use a tool like Quantcast to estimate your monthly unique visitors.
As a rule of thumb, most Web Hosts offer what’s called “unlimited” storage and bandwidth, but what they actually mean is that you won’t be charged extra once you exceed a certain limit.
Be sure to read the fine print to find out what that limit is.
What type of Hosting Plan do you need?
Speaking of hosting plans, again, this depends on what your site will be used for. If you need to install software on your own server, something like a VPS or dedicated server might be what you need.
However, if you’re just starting out and don’t want to deal with the hassle of maintaining a server yourself, shared hosting is a good option.
What’s the difference between shared and VPS hosting?
Shared hosting is what it sounds like. Resources are shared between multiple users on the same server.
There’s usually a limit to what each user can do, but that’s what you want if you’re just starting out and don’t have any special needs.
If you need more flexibility or control over what your server is doing, consider getting a virtual private server (VPS) instead.
With VPS hosting, the resources on the server are separated and dedicated to you, but some functions like root access might require a little more technical know-how than what shared hosting offers.
What’s the difference between shared and dedicated hosting?
Shared hosting is what it sounds like. Your site shares resources with other sites on the same server.
This option is best for small to medium-sized sites, as servers can quickly become overloaded if too many people are using them.
Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, is the option for users with high traffic websites that need full control and access to install software on their own servers.
Will my website be automatically updated?
If you’re using what’s called a “control panel,” some Web Hosts will allow you to update your site easily from one place.
For example, if you’re using WordPress and your site runs on PHP, PHP and or WordPress comes out with an update, your site will be automatically updated to reflect that change.
However, not all hosts offer this convenience, so it’s something to keep in mind if you’re looking for a hassle-free hosting experience.
What is domain registration?
When you register a domain name (e.g., example.com), you’re becoming the legal owner of that name.
The domain name is what people use to find your website, so it’s important to choose something that represents your site well.
Most Web Hosts offer domain registration as part of their hosting packages, but you can also register a domain name through a separate registrar if you prefer.
What is DNS?
DNS, or the domain name system, functions as an address book for the Internet by mapping human-readable web addresses (e.g., news.google.com) to what are called “IP addresses” (e.g., 74.125.227.188).
Your ISP automatically provides you with DNS settings, but you can also use a third-party DNS service if you prefer.
What are SSL certificates?
If you want to collect sensitive information from your visitors (e.g., credit card numbers) or send secure email messages, you can acquire an “SSL certificate.”
This encrypts the data being transferred between your website and visitors’ browsers, securing what would otherwise be unencrypted information.
However, not all SSL certificates are created equal.
Since Google now gives the “Your connection may not be secure message.” Otherwise known as a “Mixed Content” message. Which could be the kiss of death, discouraging visitors from clicking on to your website.
Many Web Hosts nowadays will include a free albeit minimum level SSL with their hosting, so these “Mixed Content” pages don’t pop up to your website’s visitor.
But many Web Hosts only offer this as an add-on service. So check beforehand before signing up to any Web Host, regardless of advertised pricing.
What is IP blocking?
IP blocking allows you to block certain IP addresses from accessing your website. If, for example, someone were spamming your website or making it inaccessible to other users, this would be a good tool for keeping them out of the picture.
Most hosts offer IP blocking as part of their hosting service so you don’t have to install any third-party software.
What are user databases?
User databases allow you to easily store and access information about your users in one place, rather than having to create individual entries for each of them on your site’s backend every time they register.
For example, if you want to allow people to login to your site using their social media profiles, you’ll need a user database.
Many Web Hosts include user databases as part of their hosting packages, but they’re also available as standalone products.
What is cPanel?
cPanel is a control panel software that lets you manage your website’s files, email addresses, databases, and more from one place. It’s what you would use to upload files onto your website, manage your email inboxes, etc.
All of the most popular hosting providers offer cPanel as part of their service because it’s a huge convenience for webmasters.
It essentially takes care of all the nitty-gritty technical details that can sometimes become overwhelming, and it’s what you’ll come to love when the time comes to start managing your site.
What is a one-click installation?
One-click install makes adding new WordPress software onto your website a breeze by automatically installing what you need with just a few clicks of the mouse button.
This can be installed manually as well, but it’s a great timesaver if you don’t have the technical know-how or desire to go through what would be a more complicated process.
Many hosts offer one-click installation as part of their hosting packages, so be sure to ask what’s available before you sign up.
There are a few other things you’ll want to look for when choosing a Web Host, such as whether or not they offer unlimited storage space and bandwidth and what kind of customer support they provide.
But these are some of the most important considerations, and by taking them into account you’ll be well on your way to finding a Web Host that’s perfect for your website.
What Makes a Good Web Hosting Service? Conclusions.
When it comes to choosing a Web Hosting service, there are a lot of things to keep in mind.
You’ll want to make sure the host you choose offers all the features you’ll need, is easy to use, and offers top-notch customer service.
Choosing the right Web Hosting service can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. By considering the questions above, you’ll be able to find the service that’s right for you and your website.
And remember, if you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your host’s customer service department for help.
