How to Choose a Web Hosting Provider in 2014

There are many articles you can find on the topic of how to choose a web hosting provider. However, with the exponential growth in the number of websites created and the numerous changes and expansion of web hosting company services, I think we need an updated guide on how to go about selecting your web host. Let’s take a look at some of the criteria you need to consider here in 2014.

Free Domain Names are Not That Big of a Deal
Let’s look at domain names first. Most web hosting plans provide a free domain name with your hosting plan. Since you need a domain for your website, this seems like a good deal. However, the free domain is usually only for the first year—after which you’ll need to pay an additional fee. It used to be that your web host would provide a domain name free of charge for as long as you kept your hosting plan there—not any more.

There are a number of advantages for keeping your domains separate from your web hosting. First and most importantly, having your domain name tied to your web hosting company can cause some headaches should you decide to switch web hosts in the future—something I’ve experienced myself.

Second, many people decide to expand the number of websites they own and require more domain names. It’s usually more economical and easier to manage your domains if they are purchased and maintained separately. The bottom line here is: Don’t be influenced by the inclusion of a free domain name with your hosting plan. After the first year, you’ll have to pay anyway. And you can get better deals on domains from places like Go Daddy and Namecheap.com.

Look Beyond Unlimited Storage and Bandwidth
While unlimited storage and bandwidth is important, most web hosts are including it with their plans these days (with the exception of certain starter packages). At one time, getting unlimited disk space and data transfer was a big deal. But these days, any decent hosting plan should include these features—if not, look elsewhere. Instead, I would advise looking beyond storage and bandwidth. Make sure that you’ll have access to backups of your data—and that you can restore this data preferably without incurring additional fees. Also, be sure your web hosting company has a full array of support options including live chat, phone, email, and a comprehensive online knowledgebase.

Be Aware of Alternatives to VPS and Dedicated Hosting
It used to be that you just had to choose between shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting. If you purchased a shared hosting plan and traffic and resource usage exceeded certain levels, you had no other choice than to upgrade to a VPS or dedicated server. In the past year however, a number of web hosting companies have expanded their shared hosting and now offer premium packages. These advanced shared hosting plans provide more power and scalability while costing much less than a VPS or dedicated plan. And while having a dedicated server offers some distinct advantages, if you’re on a tighter budget, consider a web hosting provider that offers premium shared hosting options.

Website Speed Should be a Major Consideration
With website speed and page load times becoming increasingly important with respect to SEO, you should definitely consider data centers and network architecture when choosing your web host. Gone are the days when you had to sign up with a company having only a single data center to service all of their customers. These days, you should make sure that your prospective web hosting company employs multiple data centers (ideally with one close to your area), and that implements technology such as Max Speed Zones by InMotion—or alternatively, a content delivery network (CDN) for better speed.

Keep Up to Date
While the web is constantly evolving and web hosting companies are continually expanding and modifying their services, it’s important to make sure the criteria you use in choosing your web hosting provider is also up to date. Keep the above points in mind and you’ll be on your way to selecting the right web host for your site.