Web Hosting Providers – How to Choose the Best One

Web Hosting Providers – How to Choose the Best One

Hopefully you are reading this article because you are looking for the best hosting provider to host your WordPress or small business web site. Well look no further because I going to tell you how to choose the best hosting providers currently available.

E-commerce is/has taken over the retail world, it has become the most lucrative channel for most retailers. However, the quality of the hosting services experienced by many small businesses often leaves a lot to be desired. In the UK alone, a recent report showed that one in three Britons have abandoned their online transactions because of either poor website design or inefficient hosting.

According to research from hosting company 1&1’s ‘2011 Digital High Street Audit':

• 37 per cent of consumers have walked away from a small business because of its poor website.
• A total of 46 per cent of British consumers have cancelled plans to spend with a small business after finding a poor quality website, according to research released today by 1&1 Internet Ltd, www.1and1.co.uk, a global leader amongst web hosts. From a study of more than 1800 UK adults, 37 per cent have walked away completely whilst a further 9 per cent have opted to spend less as a direct result. Many consumers feel that small business websites today are mostly unattractive and often contain errors. Whilst 1 in 3 consumers are willing to provide valuable feedback to business owners, a further study of small firms finds that half have never asked clients about their experiences of using their website. [1and1.co.uk]

That’s over 1/3 of buyers not completing their purchase because of poor web hosting and design.

When looking for a web hosting there should be four important, primary criteria at the top of your shopping list:

1. Reliability = Uptime & Speed.
   You need a web hosting provider with 99.9% uptime and as high a speed as possible.
2. Customer Support.
   When something goes wrong with your hosting you want it fixed fast.
3. Price.
   Remember that FREE is not always the best deal and the most expensive are not always the best. There is always a reasonable price somewhere between the two extremes.
4. Facilities.
   If you are using WordPress for example, you’ll want an automatic on key install utility. You’ll also want a MySQL database and good database utilities. You may need a particular shopping cart. Make sure the service you are buying can handle your needs both now and as your web site and business expands.

Avoid making trial and error judgments with your business web site hosting. It’s just costly and a real waste of your time.

Other criteria, such as free domain names, are just icing on the cake. There nice to have but are you really going to make a decision for your business based on saving less than $10? I don’t think so. Just make sure your key criteria are right.

So how do you pick a good web hosting provider?

To pick a good web hosting provider simply follow the path finders. Follow people who have already done what you want to do. There are webmaster out there showing you their choice based on experience. They’ve made the mistakes, so you don’t have to.

The choices I’ve made for my web sites are JustHost and GoDaddy because I find them to be reliable, with good customer support and very competitive pricing.

How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting Conclusion

Don’t lose customers and sales because your web site is slow and simply not performing adequately. Research your best options for domain name choices and hosting providers at any of my recommended domain name registers. Most of these registrars provide domain name registration, domain name hosting, free domain name search facilities and some even provide your domain name for free when you register for a domain name hosting package.

If you need a web-page design software solution then see my article, website design software solutions for my recommendations. Some of the design solutions presented are free, others, for a price. There should be an application to solve every problem you’re likely to encounter.

Should you require more information on email marketing services (autoresponders), then you will find my article, top recommended email marketing service providers valuable. If you’re an affiliate creating an email list (the monies in the list) these are the services you need most.

If you’re trying to get an online business started and need a fast-track solution, I would recommend you take a look at Chris Farrell Membership.

Well, I hope you found something useful and enjoyed this article, How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting.