Technical support
One of the most important features you should look for in a domain hosting company include the different types of customer care and technical support options they provide. Unfortunately some customers don't take it seriously even though most companies advertise this as their number one feature. Customer service is really that important, because if you have a problem with your website or your web server, you need to know that someone will be there to help you. Some hosting companies provide customer support by phone, email, online chat and even by a ticketing system. The technical support staff should be available 24/7. You also need to know that the person helping you will be fully qualified and capable.
Bandwidth
Of all the resources you purchase or lease from your web host, bandwidth is perhaps the most important. Web hosts will supply customers with different amounts of bandwidth, and all at different prices. It can be difficult to know how much bandwidth you'll actually need, especially if the website is a new one, and often requires trial and error when you first sign up for hosting. Make sure that your host will be willing to work with you and provide you with more bandwidth, or reduce the amount you're using if you don't need that much.
Control Panel and Website Management Tools
Pick a hosting provider that will allow you to manage your website and email accounts without help. The control panel should be user-friendly. You can even request for a demo to check out the features of the web hosting company's control panel. If you easily understand ways to use the control panel, it will be much easier for you to manage your website on your own.
Free transfer
This is another feature of web hosting that many don't often consider; but it's just as important as any other. When you make the switch from one web host to another, the time and frustration of transferring your website from one host to another can almost make the entire process seem not at all worth it. However, there are many web hosts that will provide this service free of charge, all just to get your business. This can be a huge benefit to consumers, especially if you're not tech-savvy or have never transferred a website to another host before.
Data Backup Measures
For restoration of your website and important data, you should ask for the frequency at which data backup is taken by the web hosting service provider. In case your website data is lost, there should always be a copy available with the hosting company. This way, your business online will not get affected.
Location of Your Server
Nothing upsets online visitors than a slow functioning website. This is the reason why finding out the physical location of the hosting servers is important. Most of the data centers are located in US. If you and your hosting company's support staff are in the same time zone, the advantage is all on your side. Also, servers located near your country will help visitors access your website faster, making the browsing experience more pleasant.
Agility
As a beginner, you might choose to buy a basic web hosting plan for your new business. But, your hosting service provider should be able to help you upgrade to better plans as and when your growing online business demands. Upgrades include additional disk space, increasing email account and much more to help your business flourish.
Features of the Server
The OS of your server controls the different kinds of scripts you possibly can incorporate. You can choose from the two important OS - Windows or Linux, depending on your website's requirements. Stability can be assured from Linux servers; however, if you are planning your website in ASP scripts, you should choose a Windows web hosting company.
Payment Policy
Some web hosting companies will ask you to pay for an entire year, in advance. There is no obligation for you as a service seeker. You can always opt for a web hosting provider that asks for payments in batches of one or three months. In this way, you can evaluate the needs of your online business and upgrade to better plans as and when needed.
Truthfully there are many things that you'll want to be on the lookout for when you make the switch to hosting, or to another web host. These are some of the most obvious, and most over-looked, things you'll want to look for that will make your hosting experience a much more pleasant one.
