When running a business website, there are many factors that you need to consider. One of which is your web host.

 

A website host allows your site to be available and accessible online. If your website is your home on the web, the host is your plot of land.

 

That said, it is essential to choose the best web host that you can afford. And to do that, we have listed ten hosting mistakes that you need to avoid.

1. No SSL certification

SSL certification provides an additional layer of website security. So, it would be best to look for a website host that offers SSL certification.

 

Some web hosts offer it for free as an add-on to your hosting plan. Nonetheless, you can purchase an annual SSL certification plan.

 

But why is it important? Because SSL certifications allow you to use an HTTPS protocol, which is used for secure network communication.

2. No precise requirements

It would be best to keep a list of website requirements so that you can figure out what your website currently has and what it may need in the future.

 

If you ever need to upgrade your current web hosting services, you can look at your list of requirements. That way, you can figure out which ones you need to upgrade and invest in the most.

 

It will be hard for you if you don't list down what your website needs. You might end up unprepared for the costs, or you might forget to get them for your site. Thus, listing them down can help you in both of those regards.

3. Choosing a free host

When choosing a hosting web service, the first thing that people inevitably will look at would be the costs. You want to be able to spend as little as possible. This habit of looking at the prices before anything else is why many people have opted to use a free hosting service.

 

However, you should know that if it's free, there's probably a caveat to it.

 

With a free hosting plan, you might have several disadvantages to your website. Your website will load slower because it's doubtful that you have a whole server to yourself with a free web hosting plan. Aside from that, your web host provider might place 3rd party ads on your site without telling you.

 

It's the last thing you want to happen to your business website, so avoid free hosting plans for your business.

4. Poor web hosting plan

Piggybacking off of the previous point, just because you spend money on a web hosting plan doesn't mean that it's a good web hosting plan.

 

The ideal web hosting plan should consider your needs from a website host first before the costs. You have to read up on reviews online to determine whether a web hosting plan is best for you.

 

For a personal website, you might be able to get away with using a shared hosting plan. However, if you're building a website for business purposes, you want to avoid having a shared hosting plan. That's because you don't have a dedicated IP address.

 

This also means that your website will be slower since you're sharing a server with someone else.

5. Neglecting security

Whether it is a company portfolio or an online store, you want to ensure that you have a secure site. This is imperative if you run transactions on your site, like paying for a product.

 

With that said, you have to pay attention to the level of security and the security features of your current web host.

6. No technical support

You need to ensure that you have some form of technical support for your business website. The last thing you would want is website issues that make it challenging for you to do your business operations. That's why when you're setting up your website, make sure that you have some means of technical support.

 

Your web hosting company should have technical support that can answer and guide you in case of any issues concerning your website. The longer your website isn't running smoothly, the more you're losing business through it.

 

As such, you must ensure that your web host provider has top-notch customer service.

7. Ignoring downtime and uptime

When looking for a web host, check the hosting provider's reputation regarding website downtime and uptime rate. The downtime or uptime rate are both indications in percentages of the time when your system is operational or not operational.

 

The ideal uptime rate for any website or the industry average should be between 95% to 99%. You shouldn't settle for anything less because you can be losing a lot of business from that.

8. Picking the wrong server type

For larger businesses, you shouldn't compromise and go with a shared hosting plan. You probably have more website assets, data, and other critical information on your website.

 

If you go with a shared server, your website will load slower, which you don't want because it can lose customers. Nonetheless, make sure that your web host makes switching from a shared to a dedicated host hassle-free.

9. No backup services

One thing that you shouldn't ever neglect for your website would be a backup service.

 

When you can encounter technicalities on your website, a backup service could come in handy. That way, should the worst happen, you don't have to worry because you have backup information.

 

Backup services for your website aren't as expensive as you'd think. So, the few dollars every month is going to help save you from a major headache.

10. Not checking company reviews

Before you choose a web host service provider, you should do your due diligence and research first. Often, you can see client testimonials on your preferred web host's website. You can also check out the websites they are hosting and see for yourself how they are performing.

 

Hearing the comments straight from previous customers or current ones will let you know the pros and cons of the hosting provider. You can then figure out for yourself whether these benefits and disadvantages are something that you can work with or not.

 

The online reviews will also tell you if a web host service provider is too good to be true. They'll also be a quick way of figuring out which plans and deals are the best that your chosen provider has to offer.

A small mistake in choosing a web host can hurt your business and online reputation. Hence, refer to this post when you start looking for a hosting service provider in the future.