A website’s success depends on a variety of factors. While most everyone has heard a great deal about search engine optimization, or SEO, not everyone is quite as aware of the impact Website Hosting has on the site and, consequently, their bottom lines. Before selecting a hosting service, site owners are encouraged to explore their options carefully.
Cost Isn’t Everything
Every business owner budgets carefully to make sure all their bases are covered financially, so cost is a consideration when selecting a hosting provider. However, selecting a provider based only on cost can be a mistake. Every service is somewhat unique, suggesting asking a few questions prior to making a selection is simply good business. Security should always be a top consideration when selecting a web hosting service. Given the proficiency of today’s hackers, it’s important to use a service that takes every precaution to prevent security issues at the server level.
Speed is Crucial
Search engines like Google rank sites using several criteria. One of the elements is how fast the site loads. When site visitors are forced to wait for the page to load, they tend to migrate to a competitor’s site. That’s not good for the user, Google, and it certainly isn’t good for the site’s owner. Downtime is another factor to consider when selecting a hosting service. While the majority of hosting services are reliable, not all provide the level of service clients expect. It’s always a good idea to check the service’s history to determine if downtime or slow load times are issues.
Google Cares Where the Host Server Is
Google is far and away the nation’s top search engine, so paying attention to their ranking tools makes sense. Although their algorithms are constantly evolving, it appears that Google cares about the physical location of your hosting server. Avoiding distant, and especially foreign-based, services is strongly advised, as a site’s Google ranking will suffer if the server is too remote. Of course, the reputation of the host server is also an important factor to consider.
There are a number of high-quality hosts providing services today, so the decision generally boils down to the level of service provided. If a host service takes steps to enhance security and provides the speed necessary to appease Google, they’re worth taking a closer look at.