With over five billion people having internet access, it’s no surprise that 71% of businesses now have an online presence. But building a website is just the first step. Choosing the right hosting plan can go a long way towards ensuring your website’s success. [1] [2]
Go for one that’s too large for your business, and you’ll end up overpaying for resources that you may never even use. Go for one that’s too small, and that’s poor performance and technical glitches that can cost an arm and a leg.
Here are options to explore to find your web hosting sweet spot.
1. Free vs Paid Hosting
Free options may be quite tempting depending on your business situation. But ‘free’ often comes at a cost: you and your visitors may have to deal with popups and ads that could significantly take away from customer experience.
Not only that. You’ve also got limited storage and, of course, restrictions on web pages, bandwidth, and essential software. Such can limit your site’s functionality and growth.If you’re still comfortable going for free hosting, weigh your options and go for the best possible fit. If you prefer the paid version, but on a budget, HostingCoupon.Codes or any similar sites can set you up with the right discount for your hosting needs.
2. Start Shared, Upgrade Later
Data from Statista shows that between 2010 and 2020, the number of users on shared hosting grew year on year. The market, worth only about USD$ 7.7 billion at the start of the survey, hit highs of USD$ 22 billion in 2020. [3]
Now, why this exponential growth? The rise of ecommerce saw many people take up websites and go for shared. It’s cost-effective, sure, but the real appeal is its user-friendliness.
Shared plans are a practical choice for beginners because they’re easy to set up and manage, perfect for businesses just starting out. You won’t be paying for a ton of resources you don’t need yet. But it may not be ideal for fluctuating traffic.
Cloud hosting offers superior performance and scalability, perfect for businesses experiencing growth. While it might have a higher upfront cost, you can find discount coupons for cloud hosting services on Earthweb that can significantly help reduce your expenses.
Cloud hosting is a significant upgrade from shared hosting. For starters, it comes with scalability and reliability that the latter simply can’t match. It can also guarantee your website’s uptime and performance, even during traffic spikes.
Also, it avoids many issues that come with shared hosting, like when someone on your shared plan hogs more resources and affects your site performance. Or malware attacks one site, potentially spilling over to yours.
So, while it’s cost-effective to start shared then upgrade, make sure you know what you’re signing up for. Go for reputable service providers to help you get the best possible deal within your budget.
3. Focus on Features, Not Just Price
You may be tempted to search for a cheap hosting option. Sometimes you may be lucky, but sometimes cheap means bereft of features that can really help your business.
Look at your business and list the features you need. Is it email accounts? Are you focused on security measures? Is customer support central to your business model?
If you get a cheap option that offers all this, that’s great. If this isn’t the case, you may consider paying a few dollars extra for a more reliable host with helpful support. It’s worth it.
4. Look for Long-Term Deals
Many hosts out there offer deals that run for longer, allowing you to spend less than on short-time deals. For example, a hosting provider may offer USD$ 95.52 for four years of hosting. This same provider may have a plan that sets you back USD$ 4 every month should you go for that tier.
In a short-term deal, you would’ve spent USD$ 768. However, subscribing to this four-year plan saves you USD$ 672.48 over the period. When going for such deals, ensure you’re ready to commit to the hosting provider over the long term to benefit from the reduced expenses.
5. Beware of Hidden Fees
Some hosting platforms offer deals that seem too good to be true. Sometimes, they may be. So, make sure to read the fine print. You may find that the advertised fee doesn’t cover your exceeding storage or bandwidth. To be safe, go for a plan with clear pricing to avoid surprises.
In Closing
You already know that a website is very important in your business today. So, as you focus on hosting one, make sure to strike a balance between cost and your business needs. This way, you’ll get the best possible hosting without veering outside your business budget.
- “Internet Usage Statistics In 2024,” Source: Internet Usage Statistics In 2024 – Forbes Home
- “Top Website Statistics For 2024,” Source: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/website-statistics/
- “Size of the shared hosting market worldwide from 2010 to 2020 (in billion U.S. dollars),” Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/500554/worldwide-shared-hosting-market-size/