WordPress is an easy choice for many businesses and web professionals for the simple reason that WordPress websites are visually appealing and give users and visitors a great experience. Which is why it is critical that you put your WordPress website in the hands of a good web hosting provider. But what makes a good web hosting provider? Is it the pricing? Not always. Is it a kind of service? Well, yes. But these are banal pointers that anyone will talk about. In addition to these, there are some more parameters which play a crucial role as you choose a web hosting provider for your WordPress website. Would you like to know about them? Jump right in then.
Storage space and scalability
Most WordPress web hosting providers give you a guarantee that the storage space will be sufficient till you figure out that you will need more space. Also, in case you ramp up your resources, you may find yourselves muddled with ‘space beyond normal site usage’ messages. This is mainly due to the lack of awareness on the part of the customers or fraudulent practices on the part of the service provider. So, when you are buying a WordPress web hosting plan, be aware of the terms and conditions that come with the storage space, to avoid problems at the 11th hour.
Provision for bandwidth
Getting a clear idea about the bandwidth for your WordPress web hosting website is essential. For the simple reason that you don’t want to be in that grey spot where you are stuck with questions like ‘ should I scale further?’ or ‘should I switch to a different service provider?’. Allow us to explain why. Suppose your website has been allocated 1GB of data and your monthly bandwidth is up to 10GB and a visitor on your site views every page, then they would have downloaded 1GB of data. This will leave you with very few visitors in that month unless you are paying extra over and above. So, to avoid such problems, ensure that you have enough bandwidth allotted for your WordPress website.
Server uptime
Along with storage and bandwidth, checking for the server uptime guaranteed by your WordPress web hosting provider is absolutely critical. You will see quite often that hosting providers will stretch the truth by claiming that they provide 99.9% server uptime. However, this isn’t entirely true. What it actually means is that there is very little chance of downtime. A good WordPress web hosting service will give you an idea beforehand with respect to the particular days a downtime is expected e.g in case of server maintenance. This clarity will give you an idea and allow you to make prior arrangements in advance.
Domains and Subdomains
If you are running an online business, there might be a time where you feel that you need more than one website. More so, with two separate IP addresses. In such a case, it will be hard to manage to host each site. Hence, make sure that your WordPress web hosting provider allows you to host multiple domains. The admin panel provided by your WordPress web hosting provider will have a section wherein you can add domains as well as subdomains. With these functions made easily available, you don’t have to worry about having an extra website any time in the future.
Backup for Site
Every website is susceptible to data loss. This is why your WordPress web hosting provider should have a backup plan in case your WordPress website ever goes down. This can happen primarily due to a cyber attack or malware etc. In such a case, get an idea of what your WordPress web hosting provider’s back up plan is. Ask the provider if he uses a security add-on like CodeGuard, a cloud-based backup recovery product. With a security addon like this, you can rest assured that you will never lose the data of your website.
Database support
If a WordPress web hosting provider does not provide you with database support that complies with your requirements, that service provider is probably not right for you. There are several service providers who advertise a database product at the cost of a client’s requirement. Today, most small and large websites have a database on the backend. MySQL is the one used most extensively. However, if you prefer PostsgreSQL, Oracle or any other database support, ensure that your service provider takes it into account without forcing you to buy into one of his advertisements.
Security
You shouldn’t be moving ahead with any web hosting provider unless he gives you a complete guarantee of your website’s security. In a bid to find a good WordPress web hosting provider for your WordPress website, ensure that your website’s data will be secure. There are add-ons such as SiteLock that are totally compatible with WordPress. SiteLock essentially frees your website of any viruses and makes it a safe bet for visitors to manoeuvre.
Other important things
In closing, we would like to add things like email accounts and features, tech support, free domain etc. But these are nice-to-haves. A good wordpress web hosting provider will ensure that the aforementioned parameters are met. In most cases, you will find hosting providers who will not guarantee one of these, but as a sound consumer, it is up to you to make the right decision.