There are several tools you need to get your blog up and running, and web hosting service is one of them. This allows your site to be viewed on the internet.
When looking for a service agency, make sure the company is reliable, flexible, quality and offers competitive pricing options. Following are considerations when choosing a web hosting service for your new blog.
Choose the Best Hosting Service for Your New Blog
1. Hosting needs
Before choosing a host, ask yourself the following questions:
- What kind of blog do you want to build?
- Will your site need windows applications or special software?
- What is the estimated website traffic?
Answering these questions is the first step toward selecting the right agency.
2. Hosting Account
As a newbie, start with a shared hosting account and grow from there. It is easy to maintain, cost effective, and sufficient for most new blogging sites.
If you intend to build a multi-million dollar blog, then start with a shared plan from day one. However, if you think traffic to your blog will grow within the next 12 or 24 months, then consider upgrading to a dedicated or virtual private server. You’ll get more memory capacity, processing power, better security features and disk storage.
3. Web Host Essentials
There are three essential things you should look for in a web host service provider:
- Uptime scores/server reliability
- Refund policy
- Easy-to-use control panel
Uptime Scores/Server Reliability
The service provider you choose should operate 24 hours a day; has powerful network connections and powerful servers; and maintain an uptime score of 99.5% and above. This means that their servers are performing at nearly 100% all the time.
Before paying for a subscription, track the uptime score with server monitor tools.
Refund Policy
Be sure to check the company’s refund policy. Get answers to the following questions before investing:
- If I cancel within the trial period, will this provider offer 100% money back guarantee?
- Will there be any cancellation charges?
- What is the company’s refund policy after the trial period?
Beware of agencies that charge high cancellation fees to users that terminate service during the trial period. Also, some companies provide money back guarantees all the time.
Easy-to-use hosting control panel
The service should provide a functional, adequate, dedicated and user-friendly control panel to help you easily set up and manage your site. This will make your blogging experience more enjoyable.
4. Costs
Shared hosting is cheap and affordable, but some companies charge higher renewal fees. Check the renewal prices and make sure they are reasonable before signing up for service.
Above are four things to consider when choosing a web hosting service for your new blog. It may take time to find a service, but choosing one that best fits your need is worth the effort.
What About You?
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About the Author:
Julian Hooks is a hosting geek and likes to find deals for web hosting plans. He writes about hosting technologies , marketing and blogging related topics.