- You forget to always focus on yourself and your needs
- Don’t get caught up with the price – and think about the big picture
- Speed and uptime are great – but don’t forget about security
- Don’t underestimate the need for competent support
- Is there a possibility to scale up?
- Last but not least: Honorable mentions
How to avoid the most common mistakes when choosing (or changing) web host
This post is mainly directed towards you who is either new to web hosting or just need a reminder: What’s actually important to find out – and what are the most common mistakes when choosing a web host, which we see recurring?
1. You forget to always focus on your needs
The fact that you’re reading this means that you’ve grasped the most important thing: Do your research. A good way to do that includes, among other things, comparing relevant options, but it also means visiting forums and discussion threads. Learning from other people’s experiences can be both enriching and nuanced.
However, it’s easy to get caught up in one or a few details; to get stuck in a thread where the requirements, criticisms and technicalities are different from your situation from the get-go.
What worked for someone else in a thread you read may not be the best for you, or work at all. What are the odds that what you read about and learn is fully applicable to your situation?
How to avoid it: Dare to prioritize
It seems simple, but don’t forget what you’re looking for. Put your critical glasses on.
Comparison is relevant and an important step, but before you do, decide (and dare to prioritize!) what’s most important to you:
- Having fast response times is important for most people – but what resource level is enough for you?
- Is security and GDPR important (or even critical) to your business (see point three)?
- What is your technical expertise – will you need competent and accessible support (see point four)?
- Are you planning to grow? Then you want to be able to scale up in the future as your needs change (see point five).
Answering questions like these will give you a better understanding of where you’re headed: are you leaning towards a web hosting account, a cloud solution (do you know about their differences?) or your own server where the web host is responsible for operations and technical maintenance?
Keep in mind that you should always put your needs first. Always start from you and your business, your business, your unique needs of what you require and need from your web hosting.
Listing your requirements and needs makes it clear what is most important to you.
2. Don’t get caught up with the price – and think about the big picture
Sometimes, you can’t see the forest for the trees. Don’t focus too much on a single detail, but try to look at the big picture. And choosing a web host is one of those things that can be difficult, as there are many details that make up a complex whole. This creates a situation where it’s easy to start focusing too much on individual details – not least lucrative offers.
Of course short-term offers in the style of “Web hosting for 1 euro for the first month” (or even free) offers spark your interest. And it doesn’t has to be too good to be true. But try to find out what happens once the honeymoon is over.
More than once, unfortunately, we’ve met people who have left hidden costs and unexpected price increases behind. It has cost them time, energy and, ironically, money. You don’t want to fall for the hosting equivalent of a honey trap.
How to avoid it: Take the time to research
Think about it: What’s included in the offer? What will it actually cost tomorrow, that which is “free” today?
Because once you’ve made your choice, you’ll want to stay with your hosting provider for a longer period of time. Compare the options based on the criteria you listed earlier (such as performance, customer service, security features and scalability). This ties in with the first point: choose a hosting provider that offers the best value for your needs.
And remember, the cheapest option is rarely the most cost-effective in the long run. More often than not, you get what you pay for – so allow yourself the time to do research.
3. Speed and uptime are great – but don’t forget about security
To have your site loading faster than Usain Bolt runs and that the guaranteed uptime is as close to 100% as you can get is and remains important. However, many people take security for granted, or even forget to think about it all together.
Lack of security can lead to data breaches and loss of sensitive information. Should your website, e-mail or application be subjected to a denial-of-service (DDoS) attack or other malware, both speed and uptime will suffer.
How to avoid it: Examine your security posture
So to avoid one of the most common mistakes when choosing a web host: don’t forget to check the security measures taken by the web host. No one can guarantee 100% protection against attacks, but there are aspects to look for, which work to reduce the risk.
For example, look to see if the web hosts you’re contemplating have:
- Automatic security updates
- Daily backups
- Multiple malware and antivirus programs
- GDPR-secure servers – what else happens to your data?
Reputable providers will have a range of tools and features that combine to create a safe, secure environment for your websites and applications – but make sure you get into the habit of checking it twice.
4. Don’t underestimate the need for support
Technical support can be likened to insurance: in the best of worlds, you shouldn’t need it. Ideally, everything should run like clockwork! Unfortunately, in practice, things are a little different.
Underestimating, or completely ignoring, the importance of being able to get help when problems pile up or you just need advice can be costly in the long run. We all need to ask for help at some point – even the best of us.
How to avoid it: Check what’s included
In most cases, web hosting accounts include basic support, such as what we call SLA Standard. Check that what’s included is right for you and your business, so you know what to expect:
- Do the hours of operation fit your schedule?
- What’s the set-up time?
- Is weekend support available?
- What channels are available – chat, email and phone?
A good way to check that the support offers adequate help is to check reviews and reputation (preferably from credible sites that verify their users). Perhaps you are a member of relevant forums where you can search for the providers you are considering? Or you could get in touch and get a feel for it. How is the reception? Does the response time meet your expectations?
The fact that you can rely on your web host’s support is ultimately worth its weight in gold.
5. Is is possible to scale up should the need arise?
Many people choose a hosting company that only fits their current needs without thinking about future growth. Therefore, don’t forget to factor your ambition into the equation. What happens when you suddenly outgrow your old hosting costume?
That’s why, if you recall, we bracketed point one: Always start from yourself. That’s true, but the point is that you shouldn’t forget to look ahead. Think present and see where you will be in two, five or ten years.
How do you do that while also making a good choice today?
How to avoid it: Choose a flexible web host
The easiest solution is to choose your own server straight away. It’s always the most flexible, where the server’s full capacity and resources are yours to use. But it might be “too much” for what you need right now.
So check that there’s an opportunity to scale up your current solution – and kill two birds with one stone(hello, bullet point four!) – by contacting the web host to get the information straight from the horse’s mouth.
Honorable mentions
We know, it’s a lot to keep track of. But with the tips above, we hope you feel well on your way to making an informed decision and avoiding making the most common mistakes when choosing a web host.
And as if that wasn’t enough: Before we let you go, we’d like to mention a few bits briefly, which might be good to have touched on.
- Somewhat related to the security aspect is where the web host has its servers. The geographical location of the servers can affect loading times and SEO. In addition, it’s important from a GDPR point of view that the servers are located within the EU, to ensure that the data is handled according to current laws and regulations.
- One thing at a time, absolutely – but at least give it a thought: will you want to add or move other services, like e-mail and domain? It might be worth taking a look at what applies there, as you might want to have everything in one place at some point in the future.
