Choosing a Website Host

Creating a website is a significant step in building your business and attracting clients. Whether you’re designing your website from scratch or having someone help, you still need a website host. This is a company that will host your website domain, providing you with the online space to build. Many people wonder what exactly they should be looking for when choosing a website host?

Choosing a website host comes down to a few key factors. You need to first consider your company. How much traffic do you expect? How much hand holding will you need? How long do you want your subscription to be? Let’s break these things down, and more, below!

Understand Your Business Before Choosing a Website Host

Before choosing a website host that is best for you, you need to ask yourself the following questions.

How much traffic am I expecting? This is important as most website hosting companies charge based on the amount of storage space you will need for your website. The more traffic, the larger space you’ll need.

What is my niche? Pending what field your business is in, you’ll want to choose a website host that can support your needs. For example, if you run an ecommerce store, you’ll want to focus on security measures to protect payment info. In comparison, if you run art store, your focus will be on speed and useability. 

Do you need a content management system? Content management systems are ideal for those who want a very hands-off approach. The system will handle things like email subscriptions and daily backing of content!

Determine how “all-in” you want to be with your subscription

The majority of website hosting companies offer at least 3 subscription packages. You need to determine how “all-in” you want to be with the company. Meaning, if you’re working with limited funds or want to test the waters, you’ll want a host with a short-term subscription option.

However, if you have the funds and you’re willing to go all-in immediately, you can subscribe for a long-term hosting service. The longer-term services also usually come with a discount so keep that in mind!

Identify how hands-on you want to be when choosing a website host

Some website hosts offer an interface and software that is extremely user-friendly. The software may even do all of the work for you. However, others require you to be more hands-on and play an active role in the building of your site. It’s a matter of preference, but you’ll want to play around with it before signing on with a host!

What kind of features do you want?

When choosing a website host. You need to consider what kind of features or add-ons would be beneficial to you. Some popular add-ons to consider include:

• Social media plugins
• Email subscription and list growing
• The ability to connect to payment software like PayPal
• The ability to schedule meetings or appointments with new customers/clients
• SEO formatting software
• Newsletter developing

Final Thoughts:

Choosing a website host is all about understanding your business and website needs. You want to work with a website host that can provide you with exactly what you’re looking for. Be it specific plugins, a completely hands-off software, or a short-term subscription! You’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for in a website host.