Preparing to set up a new website will require you to make a few important decisions. The main question that you will face here will be: What web host should I opt for?

From website stability to page loading time, a variety of critical aspects depend on the web hosting you’ve selected. That is why you should be confident in your choice, before actually starting to work on your online platform. According to Amazon’s research, every 100ms of latency caused them a 1% decrease in sales. Website speed can have a significant impact on conversions as well, and so do a few other aspects that are directly linked to the hosting service. So you can clearly see why making the right choice here is essential.

With so many options available, however, it might seem challenging to figure out in what direction to go. With minimum expertise on the topic, you could easily end up relying on a hosting service that doesn’t rise up to your needs and expectation.

What should you focus on here? How can you ensure the efficiency of your choice?

Here are the primary guidelines of web hosting selection:

What is Hosting?

What makes setting up a site complicated is the fact that you will stumble upon concepts and terminology you might not be exactly familiar with. The entire process might seem confusing if this is the first time you are handling this type of project. That why you should take it step by step, and the first thing to do is actually understanding what hosting is.

To put it in simpler words, a web host or web hosting provider maintains specially configured computers, referred to as servers. Having similarities to your own computer, what servers do differently is allowing users browsing the web to access content, is designed to stay open to the public.

The business that can provide you with the services and technologies you need for your website to be viewed on the internet, by putting all of your site’s files onto the server, is called a web host.

Type of website and select hosting accordingly

The next step in the process is determining the type of website you are planning to set up. Hosting should be selected in accordance with the purpose of your online platform, different site types demanding different features and capabilities. Some hosting providers excel in terms of eCommerce functionality, while others have more appealing features for blogging platforms or are more suitable for search optimization.

Think carefully about your intended goal here. For each website type, there is a host that provides the most useful characteristics

Blog

Let’s go over the first type of website and that is a blogging platform. If you’re a writer and wish to share your content on the internet, the best approach here is to choose a WordPress hosting approach.

WordPress currently powers over a quarter of all websites found online, crossing, more specifically a 28% mark. WordPress functions as a content management system, and being so easy to pick up, it’s understandable why it has become possibly the most popular option for bloggers.

“Bloggers and writers choose to work with WordPress due to the simplicity of the system. Setting up and managing a WordPress site doesn’t require extensive technical knowledge. While having appealing capabilities, WordPress makes website set-ups easy and fast” – says Marc Hruby, website manager at WoWGrade and Studicus collaborator.

Virtually all hosts give you the possibility to access a one-click installation of WordPress, but some providers go the extra mile and bring to the table unlimited storage and bandwidth, upgraded hardware and on-going expertise and support for any questions you might have in regards to WordPress.

Bluehost is an option worth considering here. It provides WordPress hosting, which is secured by experts and affordable at the same time. This provider’s plan can include the following:

Automatic WordPress Install and Updates

Hundreds of WordPress themes

SSL Certificate

Secure configuration of login credentials

WordPress staging environment

Online store

Consumers have been buying far more things online than from physical stores for a few years now. That explains the rise of online shops. Whether you are moving an already established business into the online environment, or you are developing an exclusive virtual shop from scratch, you’ll need a host that has strong eCommerce options.

Currently, businesses setting up an online store usually choose:

Woocommerce hosting – different hosting plans are available that include webspace, different numbers of monthly visits, essential and premium WordPress features, Free Cloudflare CDN, smart caching, daily backups and many more.

Shopify – this host stands strong in the world of eCommerce. Store setup, SEO, 2,500+ apps,, a variety of tools and many other specifics make Shopify a popular web hosting provider for online stores.

An online portfolio or resume

Job seekers have understood the importance of having an online presence in these digital times, and developing their own site has become a priority. If you want to set up an online portfolio or resume, a website builder is a right way to go here. You don’t need a complex approach to produce a professional online presence and share your work with recruiters and the internet.

Search for a host that has partnered with a website builder. With a website builder, you won’t have to worry about coding skills, because these usually have drag and drop capabilities, making it easy to set up a page.

Wix is an appealing example here, coming with the following options:

100s of templates with niche-specific designs

Mobile Editor

Design freedom

Logo maker

Custom domains

Personal website

If the website you want to create is neither a blog, nor an online shop, and you won’t be using it as your virtual resume, the category you might be looking for is personal websites. It doesn’t matter if you want to post pictures, upload event information, or share product reviews, you will need a high-value, low-cost host.

For personal websites, ease of use and affordability are the main criteria to look for in a hosting provider. Shared hosting, in particular, is great if you intend to host multiple sites on the same hosting. Bluehost has a shared web hosting option available. Their plus plan grants you access to unlimited websites, unmetered bandwidth, unlimited SSD storage, unlimited domains and many more features that contribute to the full functionality of a personal website.

Big business sites

Even if your business doesn’t have an eCommerce profile, you still need to be visible online to ensure effective marketing and brand recognition. Choosing a host for a big business site means focusing on scalability opportunities. You should receive a strong shared hosting plan with a long-term commitment, a web host that can keep up with your needs as your business grows.

“A business’ website goes through different changes as the business itself grows. That is why it’s important to select a hosting provider that can offer support in the long-haul, having appropriate features and capabilities available” – explains Neal Zeiger, IT specialist at IsAccurate and Supreme Dissertations collaborator.

Bluehost as a next-gen VPS hosting option (1) and a dedicated hosting plan suitable for business websites (2).

– SSD storage, flexibility, 24/7 support, multi-server management, access control, file management, domain privacy

– performance, security, free SSL certificate, improved cPanel, spam protection.

Other questions to ask before selecting a hosting

While a web host might seem to deliver perfect service, they might simply not be the right fit for you, if the requirements revolving your projects are different. This is why you need to have a few things sorted out before you actually compare different hosting services and their plans. Answer these relevant questions first, and based on the specifics of your hosting requirements, you can get a clear picture on the matter:

What level of security do I need?

Any site, regardless of purpose, needs to be secured. However, some online platforms need more attention to the security department than others. For an eCommerce site, for example, you’ll need to store personal info (passwords, emails, etc.) and process customer credit card details. These actions should be done safely. If your security requirements are high, search for a hosting company with a strong infrastructure, monitoring services, firewalls and other add-ons that can boost the security level of your site.

Do I need email hosting?

Decide if you want to set up one or multiple email addresses associated with your site’s domain, for email marketing purposes. If you do, seek a provider that has email hosting features available, so you won’t be required to search for another company for your email hosting.

How large data I will store?

Consider what you will be showing to your visitors. For bigger file sizes, you will demand more bandwidth and more storage. If you want to post a lot of high-quality pictures, for example, you’ll need more storage. Assess your data requirements and find a host that can cover them.

What volume of traffic do I expect in the future?

Do you believe your traffic levels will go up over time? If you anticipate your volume of traffic to grow in the future, your site should be able to increase in capacity over time, and your hosting provider is the one that can ensure you of that possibility.

Final thoughts

Setting up a website doesn’t have to be complicated. Your responsibilities in this department can be tackled, as long as you choose a web host that delivers a suitable plan, one that is in accordance with your specific needs and requirements. The information presented here can help you with your host selection.