Good quality hosting is crucial to website performance. If you choose a bad host you could find your site going offline often, experience poor load speeds and even encounter security problems. Downtime and slow loading can harm the ranking of the website too, undoing your SEO efforts. Take the time to choose your host wisely so you don’t get stuck with a bad one. Here are some tips to help reduce the likelihood of unsuitable hosting.
1) Look for a long trial period
A host offering a long trial and guarantees on service clearly has confidence in the quality of the service they offer. This is a good indication that you can put your faith in them. It also gives you a level of protection in case the service is poor.
2) Register the domain elsewhere
It is generally a good idea to register your domain with a different registrar than the company responsible for your hosting. This may cost slightly more but it will give you extra protection if you decide to switch hosts in the future.
3) Avoid blacklisted IPs
It is important to check the status of the host’s IP before you choose them to look after your website. Steer clear of blacklisted ones as it will harm your reputation and it could result in blocked emails.
4) Back up regularly
It is important to back up your site regularly, or you run the risk of losing your hard work if there is a problem. Save the data often and ensure it is stored safely so you can retrieve it if necessary. There are a number of plug-ins to help you do this with WordPress sites and you can also do it through cPanel.
5) Monitor the uptime
As we mentioned, downtime can cause big problems for your website, affecting your rankings, performance and the level of service you offer to visitors. You should monitor it when you choose a host, ensuring they deliver as close to 100% as possible. Naturally there may be some downtime when updates are done or because of small issues, but these should only be very short periods.
6) Understand your needs
Before settling on a host you should carefully consider your needs and ensure the provider you choose can satisfy them. Remember to plan ahead and consider where you want your website to be in the medium to long term. By thinking about this now, you can determine whether you’re likely to need to switch hosting at some point.