Searching for hosting is a real odyssey, we are lurking everywhere ads, sponsored articles and affiliate articles that point to the big brands of always. Not ending up in their networks and choosing the best option is usually within the reach of few. For all this I have decided to create a neutral article with the keys to choose a good web hosting.
Choosing a hosting provider Quality is essential for success on the Internet, since a low quality one will end up lowering the value of your web pages, since a bad hosting will always end up with:
- have a great negative effect on your SEO results.
- Wasting your money and hard work as well as other resources (like a customer’s patience) and your finances.
- As a final result, it will affect the value and presence of your site before clients or users.
I’m sorry to tell you that practically only those who have been in web development for many years and have had the opportunity to try a multitude of providers or, those who miraculously succeed, are the ones who achieve a web hosting provider that makes them happy with the service obtained.
We all (including myself, of course) have fallen into those hosting.
In this article I am going to transfer the keys to good hostingthat I, as a professional dedicated to web development for years (more than 7 years now), have learned to identify between errors, experience and conversations with other professionals in the sector.
I am sure that with the following criteria you will be able to escape the many poor quality offers that exist in the market, and you will be able to end up with your website in a quality hosting service (That there are even if it seems a lie).
Go for it!
Content
- Do not let yourself be guided only by the fame of the brand
- The cheapest accommodation may not be for you
- Try the technical support service
- Web hosting security level
- Daily backups
- SSL security certificate
- SiteLock
Do not let yourself be guided only by the fame of the brand
The reputable hosting providers They are companies that have achieved success with their brands, accumulating more and more fame over the years. And for that reason many times we get carried away, blinded by its overwhelming fame, and we do not pay attention if the solutions of hosting that they propose are suitable for our project.
Believe it or not, no web host has a solution that fits every type of project.
An example of this is 1and1’s shared hosting services, which do not allow you to use version control software such as GIT; a key service for professional developers. Also your ssh access is very limited.
I, for example, in my beginnings, fell into the networks of HostGator, a server that is known worldwide but which, at least in Spain, is of no interest, since its provider is outside of Europe and therefore offers unfortunate loading times.
My recommendation, therefore, is not to get carried away by the advertising of these monsters of web hosting, and not for that reason to discard them, but to compare them with other offers from web hosting providersa priori, unknown to the general public.
The cheapest accommodation may not be for you
I’ll start with an analogy: Is the cheapest car right for all drivers? For some, it sure is, and they will not need to pay more, but for others, however, it will be a ruin.
This is when we must prevent our eyes from going to the craziest web hosting deal. you have to do a stop, take a deep breath, and read the specifications of the service to compare with the competition. In case these do not appear anywhere, do not hesitate to fill out their contact form and ask them for all those features that you will need. For example, for me, the basic characteristics to upload my developments are:
- Installation of a version control system such as GIT.
- Server hosted in Europethat is, in the area of my main clients and target users.
- Zone or continent IP. In my case, for most of my projects I look for a Spanish IP, and in the cases of websites with a greater international reach, servers that serve the content depending on the visitor’s location, such as Amazon AWS.
- SSH access for database backups, running git commands, etc.
- PHP version 5.6 or higher or if there is a possibility to change it.
- Access to the database remotely with, for example, a client like HeidiSQL. Failing that, at least have access with phpMyAdmin.
- Finally I always look at the control panel is CPANEL or PLESKfleeing from proprietary or low-quality systems.
You must also ask yourself, does my website need any unique or specific software? If so, ask, do not hesitate, it is very likely that the offer that has led you to that provider does not have the possibility of installing it, and it is even more likely that you will be referred to an option with a much higher cost.
Lastly, keep in mind that a hosting with a slightly higher cost it is many times more adaptable to your needs, and it will prevent you from carrying out unwanted migrations with their cost in time, resources and many times failures.
Conclusion: make a list of the needs of your project and review the conditions of service, if they are not all, ask. Also, before deciding, compare with at least 3 other web hosting deals.
Try the technical support service
We must not underestimate the technical support service offered by different providers. Although it is not a technical specification of the server as such, it is often the deciding point. It happens that, in critical moments that our site will go through, this support will be the difference between being successful or suffering the consequences of the slightest problem.
Not only me, but a multitude of experts recommend the obvious: seek 24 hour support services 7 days a week, and if possible by phone.
Do not think that telephone service is barbaric 24 hours when we talk about web hosting, and it is that a hosting provider, at least decent, will have staff working in shifts to monitor all their computers 24 hours a day. As an additional point, we should be sure that they will attend to us with some brevity and in a language that we control.
The greater the impact of your website on your business or income, the more strict and enthusiastic you must be in finding the provider with the best technical support. In case of server crashes, malicious attacks on the site or configuration problems, it is a vital point.
Although I know that this point is difficult to verify, if you are undecided between choosing your ideal provider, I recommend that you make an effort and check this service thoroughly. to do the quality test You do not need to hire support, you can do it for free, carry out tests of different types and look at the results:
- Calling on the phone.
- Sending an email with a query.
- Try the website’s real-time chat.
Web hosting security level
Depending on the website you want to host You should be aware of the security features offered by your future hosting provider. Security also becomes essential if your website is the center of your business or a main pillar and through which all crucial and sensitive information passes.
Daily backups
Failures happen, and it doesn’t matter if it’s your fault, your provider’s or the web developer, because when the information is lost it’s forever. Therefore, when the time comes, you will appreciate that backup to recover data lost.
It is common for hosting providers to not only have a last day backup, some, the best ones, will keep a copy of your site for several days.
SSL security certificate
Have an active security certificate on your website is increasingly important, especially because of the importance that Google is giving to this feature of websites. If you also have an online store or a place where real personal data is stored, it is more than mandatory.
SiteLock
SiteLock is software that scans for malware and prevents your site from being blacklisted.
In addition, a badge of this software on your website shows the protection it has and gives confidence to the users who visit it.