Did you know the Ireland web hosting service you choose plays a critical role in determining the overall performance of your website? Things like site reliability, features, security, maintenance, and growth depend on the host you choose.
Even Google recently announced that speed is now a ranking factor for Google search and Ads. The hosting company you choose affects your site’s ranking, traffic, conversions, and ROI.
Finding a web host for your website is more than going for the cheapest deals on the web. Keep reading for a detailed guide on what to look for in a web hosting service in Ireland.
The kind of website you want plays a critical role in determining the best Irish web host. The following are the popular types of sites you may have in mind:
Note that you can combine various features into one site. For example, your business site can have both a blog and an online store. All you need is to ensure your hosting company offers packages to support these needs.
Before you dive into the search process, examine your needs. What kind of hosting services do you need? Answering these questions will make the process easier as you can filter through the hundreds of web hosts on the web today.
Below are the common types of hosting for websites today:
This is the most popular type of hosting today. It is ideal for small businesses which need to host a website on a small budget. In shared hosting, several websites are hosted on one server.
Shared hosting plans are simple and straightforward. Webmasters don’t need technical expertise to get their sites up and running. Also, they have the option to upgrade to better plans as the needs of the business change.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is a type of hosting where the business gets a virtual server but in a shared hosting environment. This is different from shared hosting where several websites are hosted on the same server and in the same physical machine (hosting environment).
VPS hosting is great for businesses whose needs cannot be met through a shared server, but they still don’t have the resources to get dedicated hosting. VPS offers better site performance, speed, and resources as compared to shared hosting.
In dedicated hosting, a website gets its own server which is not shared by other websites. Also, unlike VPS hosting where several virtual servers are hosted in one physical machine, dedicated hosting avails an individual server and individual machine for each website.
Dedicated hosting is great for high-performing websites which need an entire server to power operations. Site performance, speed, and security are optimal as there aren’t any other sites on the same server or machine.
With a clear mind of the kind of website you need and the best hosting service for your site, it is now time to find the best company. Below are some of the things you should look for when selecting the best web host for your website.
You don’t have to be a tech guru to be able to use a hosting service. However, not all web hosts in Ireland have simple and easy to use interfaces. A simple and straightforward interface simplifies tasks and allows you to better customize your website on the platform.
Find a hosting service whose platform has a simple interface. A user control panel is also a great feature as it helps you to handle all tasks such as domain and hosting, billing, site add-ons, and SSL certificate configurations among others.
Ensure the host offers simple navigation as well. You shouldn’t have to fumble around the site to find essential features. If the site looks complex, you’ll have a hard time setting up your new website.
You may not be a tech guru, but there are certain technical specifications you need to consider when choosing a hosting company. Some of the specifications you need to pay attention to include the following:
Your choice as pertains to these specs depends on the type of site you have. For example, a business or e-commerce site requires more processing power and bigger storage and RAM than a personal website.
Luckily, most web hosts offer unlimited storage across shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting.
Look for a host whose packages come with fast and reliable server drives. The hardware can significantly affect performance; therefore, go for companies that offer high RAM capacities to accelerate page speed.
When opting for shared and VPS hosting plans, you need a company that guarantees server reliability and reputable uptime scores. A few seconds of being online can be detrimental to your business.
Additionally, slow servers also affect overall site speed. Unfortunately, recent research indicates that 53% of mobile users leave a site which takes more than three seconds to load. What may seem like a small performance mishap can cost you huge traffic.
As you select a host, ensure they have reliable servers. They should have an uptime score of at least 99.5%. Anything below this can cause the following problems on a regular basis:
Cyber attacks are not a new concept around the web. However, 53% of these attacks cost businesses damages of more than $500,000. Customers navigate away from sites with poor security.
If you run an e-commerce store, security is paramount to building trust with customers. If your site isn’t secure, they’ll feel apprehensive about providing personal information as it could end up in the hands of cybercriminals.
Work with a hosting company that guarantees site security to avoid cyber attacks. Check the fine print to make sure the company uses top-notch software to secure their servers from malicious attacks and malware.
Do you intend to buy multiple domains for your business in the future? If so, you need a hosting company which allows you to host multiple websites and add domains and subdomains.
For example, as a business, you may want to buy the popular versions of your domain extensions to redirect traffic to your site. For example, if your primary domain is www.mybusiness.ie, you may need to add the .com, .net, .org, and .info subdomains without necessarily investing in new hosting plans.
This way, if someone erroneously types your website as www.mybusiness.com, they will still be redirected to the Ireland extension (.ie) which is the primary site domain.
Numerous sites lose valuable content due to malicious attacks or other web mishaps. If this happens, all the hard work you put into building your site and creating content goes down the drain.
You need a hosting company with site backup services. Most reputable companies offer cloud backup solutions. They do automated backups at regular intervals such as daily, weekly, or monthly.
If you accidentally delete content or you get hacked, you can recover it from the backup platform. A company which offers daily or weekly backup services is preferable to one with longer backup timelines.
Hosting add-ons add value to your package. They also save you from incurring the extra costs of buying certain tools from third-party developers. When choosing a host, look for add-ons which are best suited for your website.
For example, bloggers should get a hosting company that offers a website builder, email marketing software, and CMS such as WordPress. Look for features that distinguish the hosting company from other players in the industry.
Also, check for unique add-ons within the platform as well. These include multiple data centers for enhanced server performance, free domain privacy or SSL certificate, and energy-saving practices among others.
Every company has its rules and regulations in matters hosting. Before signing up, look out for any stringent limitations that may prevent you from optimizing the hosting package for your business.
For example, some firms prohibit users from installing software of their choice. Others prohibit the use of excessive amounts of CPU to run intensive scripts on servers. If this is part of the tasks your website undertakes, you may be fined or your site pulled down.
Read through the fine print and pay attention to the limitations provided by the hosting company, especially on shared hosting plans. If they aren’t favorable, move on to a company with relaxed limitations.
You have to pay for registration, hosting renewal, and maintenance costs. Whether you’re buying shared, VPS, or dedicated hosting, there needs to be reasonable pricing.
With shared and VPS hosting, the costs of hardware maintenance are included in the plan. However, dedicated hosting may require you to pay for maintenance costs, especially if you have self-managed dedicated servers.
Set a hosting budget and find a company whose packages fall within it. Avoid suspiciously cheap or hilariously expensive hosting plans as they may not be worth it in the long run.
Even with a reliable web hosting service, you may still need technical support once in a while. Choose a company that offers 24-hour customer service. If possible, they may also have a live chat feature on their website.
Before signing up, test their support. Engage them on live chat, call, email, or use any other contact means provided on the website. Examine their response time.
If the company isn’t quick to respond, the chances are they will frustrate you when you need them most. Prompt response and satisfactory customer service are essential in promoting convenience and reliability.
Have the following things in mind before choosing a web hosting service for your website:
Check customer feedback before engaging a web host. If the reviews are unsatisfactory, find another company to work with. Make use of the company’s website and popular review sites to find feedback and determine the quality of services offered by the firm.
You may have simple needs at the moment, but these may change with time, especially when running a business website. Work with a hosting company with flexible packages to accommodate growth.
For example, a company that offers shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting is a great option for small businesses. You can start with shared hosting and moved to VPS and later dedicated hosting as your firm grows. You’ll save money by being able to upgrade the package rather than switch to a new host.
Not many hosting companies offer free plans. Thus, start with a short-term plan, say one, three, or six months. Gauge the quality of services, ease of use, reliability or customer care, and overall performance.
If the company doesn’t deliver, it will be easy to move on if you have a short-term plan as compared to if you went for a long-term one. If it delivers, subscribe to a long-term plan.
Have these tips in mind when looking for the best web hosting service for your Irish website. Remember, the host you choose will determine whether the site meets your personal or business goals.
Are you looking for a reputable web host in Ireland? Check out our flexible and affordable plans and host your website today!
