Choosing A Web Host

Let’s try to avoid the usual “one size fits all” approach when looking for a web host. In this guide, we will not touch on topics such as: “What is the best web host?”

Instead, let’s explore some handy and useful guidelines when you’re in the process of selecting a web host that suits your needs.

Identifying Your Specific Requirements

In the process of selecting a web host for an existing site or for a new project, it is important to clearly identify your specific requirements. It is easier to look for the suitable web host when the need (or want) is known. Here are some guide questions in determining hosting needs:

• What is the current platform used? Is it powered by WordPress, another platform, or self-built?
• What are the published contents? Will it feature videos, high resolution photos, or mostly text-based (with occasional animated gifs)?
• How many visitors visit the site? What is the projected site traffic in the future?
• Where are the bulk of visitors (or target audience) coming from? Are servers required in a certain location or is it appropriate to distribute hosting geographically?
• What are the additional services required (e.g. email services, managed hosting, and offsite back-ups)?
• How important is uptime? Does the site generate income? What is the impact of 98% uptime compared to 99.99%?
• What are the required support channels? Will email support suffice or are 24/7 phone and live chat needed?

Determining the Need to Move

In the process of choosing a web host, it is good to think over the reasons why there is a need to change providers in the first place.

What are the services provided by the current web host and the inadequacies that prompted the need to search for other options? Finding that out will help identify what to look for and avoid in choosing affordable web host.

Knowing What Questions to Ask

The previous tips should help in formulating questions to ask when seeking advice while researching for possible hosting options. Asking specific questions are encouraged to ensure that recommendations given are relevant to the identified needs.

For example, in looking for a new laptop in the market, it is not advisable to simply ask, “What is the best laptop?” since that would lead to an endless flame war between Apple and Windows.

The same thing applies to web hosting. Instead of, “Which is the best web host?” it is better to ask “Which is the best web host for a WordPress site containing lots of video content and gets 1000 visitors a day from around the world?” The more specific the questions, the more relevant the recommendations would likely be.

Seeking Helpful Reviews

Most web host reviews or recommendations come from satisfied users. However, most of these reviews do not have comparison with other service providers. Some customers choose a host and stick with the provider even if problems are encountered. Looking for and trying out different web hosts is time consuming and can be a real bother thus it is logical that some people stick with the provider and happily recommend it to others. But it does not necessarily mean that it is the best service provider since there are better alternatives elsewhere.

When looking for hosting reviews, it is best to look for reports that compare services using relevant tests with data that back up results and findings. A good example is this comparison of the performance of seven top hosting companies. Comparing with just one criterion (such as performance) should not be the only measure in selecting a host. Having a comparative, relevant and factual data can greatly help in making a decision.

Beware the “Celebrity” Endorsement

While Brad Pitt might genuinely enjoy a can of iced coffee, and some popular bloggers might actually use Bluehost, it does not mean that it should be the norm. Ideally, the endorsers might truly believe in the products; however, some are actually doing it for the fee. People have different needs, thus, endorsements should not be taken literally.

For endorsements that are relevant to identified needs, it would be wise to contact the author and inquire for detailed information on experiences with the web host. In addition, a first-hand experience of using the web host’s site may give good insights to the service provided:

• What are the site’s page load times?
• Is the site’s use frustrating – with delays in loading images and videos?
• Were there noticeable downtimes?
• Was there a history of being hacked?

When someone is given an affiliate payment in exchange for endorsing a web host, that person must be willing and happy to answer questions and discuss the reasons for endorsing the host.

Following Up Testimonials

Majority of web hosts feature testimonials from customers and publish lists of hosted sites. Similar to endorsements and recommendations, it would be prudent to contact the listed clients and inquire of experiences with the host. Most of these endorsements are either outdated or a result of a customer’s satisfaction with the service early on and may not be consistent with what the client has experienced after a year or more. Moreover, it would be better to conduct personal performance tests on the website and see how it measures up. 

Conducting Actual Tests

While data from other people are of great help, conducting actual tests is even more useful, especially if there are no available benchmarks for the target web hosts. Load Impact and WAPT are services that allow the loading of test websites to see its performance.

This process is time consuming and costly and may only provide an insight into a certain criterion, however, those who are serious about finding the right web host can greatly benefit from it. Prime candidates for performance testing are those particular set of sites that provide similar services and have the same user metrics with the client. Aside from contacting site owners, online services such as HostingFacts.com (which is usually accurate) can be used to find out which host’s a particular website.

General Things

Taking into account all the things discussed above (such as identifying specific requirements and needs), there are still some general things to look for when evaluating potential web hosts. To get a well-rounded overview of the potential new web host, the following is a list of areas for evaluation and comparison:

• Type of hosting offered: shared, VPS, dedicated, fully managed; is there room for expansion once resources are capped in the current level?
• Support: what are the available support channels – email, forums, live chat, telephone, 24/7 or office hours?
• Features: what features are offered? Does the host use cPanel for one click installations of selected software? How much storage and bandwidth is available? How many domains can be hosted in one account?
• Server location: is the client particular with the location of the data center? Normally, a quick google search or email to the provider can provide you with the detailed location of things
• Areas of specialization: is it focused on specific platforms (such as WordPress) and is this the level of service required? Or is learning Linux needed (which is tough on a managed host)?
• Price: how much is the cost and how does it compare to other shortlisted hosts?
• General feedback online: A number of negative feedbacks from users can be just as informative as feedback from users having similar needs to the client – even indifference usually tells a good story. Looking for criticisms related to the general features (e.g. support and downtime) on blogs and forum posts is a good start. Social signals (hashtags like #yourhostsucks) that lasts over a day can be enlightening.

The complexity or simplicity of the process of selecting a web host depends on the client, however, the general rule of thumb is to be prepared and have a plan of action when problems and inefficiencies arise with the current web host.