5 Important Questions to Ask Your Web Hosting Provider

Your relationship with a web hosting provider is likely to be a long one, so it's important to make sure you ask the right questions and choose one that is suited to your personal requirements.

If the time has come to choose a provider, here are five questions you should ask before signing on the dotted line:

1. How many websites will I be sharing a server with?

If you have decided to go with shared server hosting, it's important that you know exactly how many websites will be on that server alongside yours – as well as how many could potentially be there in the future.

This information should be readily provided; if the hosting company seems reluctant to hand over this information, there could be something dodgy going on. If the hosting company overloads the server with too many websites (in a bid to make as much money as possible) then performance will be compromised.

2. Will my website be backed up?

If something untoward should happen, you want to know that your web hosting provider has you covered. If your site is properly backed up, they should be able to get it back up and running in no time at all.

There should be no extra charge for website backups and they should occur at least once per day.

3. Do you have a fully-managed plan available?

If you are new to the game, it is often best to choose a web hosting company that offers fully-managed plans. This means that they will not only host your website, but also take care of security, technical and support issues – allowing you to get on with important things, such as running your business!

4. Is there 24/7 support?

A good hosting company will provide around the clock support; after all, if your website is down it's probably costing you money! The better web hosting providers offer technical support 24/7, meaning you will always have someone on hand who can help. Don't confuse this with customer service support; some companies offer this 24/7, yet only offer technical support during business hours!

5. Are there any costs that aren't specified?

If you're a small start-up business, you will want to know exactly what the web hosting service is going to cost. Therefore, it's always important to ask if there are any hidden fees. Alongside the monthly hosting rate, make sure you are clear on fees surrounding account setup, website migration and account cancellation.

Choosing the right web hosting provider is important – and not something that you should rush into. Take your time, do your research and make sure you ask the right questions!.