There are so many different options for web hosting, so how do you know where to begin? Just one simple search performed on a single search engine returns an overwhelming number of results for web hosting, cloud hosting and all kinds of other options. How do you know which option will be right for you? Here are some factors to consider when thinking about web hosting:

• Price. Whilst low-cost options might seem like a good idea, check what the costs you’re paying will cover and whether they will go up at any point. You don’t want to be caught out further down the line.
• Services included. Is there a support service? If so, is it the host themselves or do they outsource support? It’s worth knowing – if your website goes down, you need to know whether you’ll be able to speak to someone directly who can help. This is an especially important consideration if you rely on your site to make you money and you’ll struggle without it.
• Hardware. Whilst you may not be an expert yourself, if you find out the kind of hardware the hosting company uses, you can do some research and work out if this will be the best option.
• Reviews. Read up on the company and read recent customer reviews. These will give you a good idea about the levels of service you can expect.
• Bandwidth. You’ll need to think about how much traffic you’re expecting on your site and whether or not the server will be able to support this.