There are a huge amount of web hosting companies out there, so how do you decide which one to go with? You want to make the right decision because choosing the wrong one could hurt you financially. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut feeling, but there are a few ways you can narrow down the field.

Here are some suggestions for things you might want before you hand over any money. Also, remember that you can move your website somewhere else any time you want. You will lose money, but you’re not locked in with anyone. I just want you to know this big decision you have to make isn’t life or death.

They are well-respected

If you look around you will find some companies that are a lot more respected than others. Just remember than a hugely popular company isn’t necessarily the best because they serve a lot more people. In those instances they will have a lot more haters too. You want to find a company that people love, but not many people hate. Find out why people like a certain company and decide if it’s because of something you’d like too.

Good value for money

If you go with the cheapest option it’s not always the best idea. That doesn’t mean to say the most expensive options are always far superior, but when you’re not paying a company much money per month you can’t expect a lot in return. That being said, it comes down to how much you can afford to pay at the end of the day, so you really want to get the most bang for your buck. If you shop around you will find someone who can give you what you need for a price you can afford.

Backing up your site

I bet you would cry your eyes out if you woke up one day and your site was gone. This happens to lots of people on a daily basis. You can’t expect a hosting company to be your savior, but if the unexpected happened it’s nice to know they could provide you with a backup of your site. You must remember it’s only a nice bonus, so make sure you backup your site by yourself because I’ve also heard stories of hosting companies failing to come up with a backup when asked.

Security is essential

Once a hacker gets into the backend of your website they can do so much damage. If you use shared hosting your site could be affected even if your site is fully secure because the hacker could get in through someone else who didn’t update a plugin. This is why it’s always better to choose a company who cares about the well-being of the sites they host. Some of the bigger companies will obviously have been hacked before, but this is sometimes a good thing because they will be experienced in dealing with it.

You can contact them 24/7

I don’t know anyone who would use a hosting company that can’t be contacted by phone or live chat. Some of the cheaper companies only offer email support, which is fair enough because they can’t afford to hire 24/7 support staff. If you send an email to someone you don’t want to wait weeks before your problem gets resolved. If you have the money it’s definitely a great idea to pay a little more per month just so you can speak with someone as soon as a problem rears its ugly head.

Now go and find someone

You know what you should be looking for, so now you have to go out and find it. You know you’re not stuck with someone forever, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look properly before you decide to get your wallet out. I’m sure you’ll make the right choice in the end.

Linda Phillips is a part of Yarra Web, a company offering complete web design packages and much more. Being tech savvy, she is well versed with the latest technological advancements. Click here to know more about her and her company.