Choosing web hosting, and more specifically a web host, should be done thoughtfully because it guarantees the performance of a website or a personal blog.
To decide easily, you need to take the essential selection criteria into account. What are they? Discover them in this article, written in association with LWS, 100% French web host.
1. The type of web hosting
The first thing to do before starting is to understand the types of web hosting available for your website.
Shared hosting
It's also called shared hosting, because several administrators share the same server. It's the least expensive option, but with limited performance.
Shared hosting is ideal for a small personal blog or a company showcase website, for example, but unsuitable for a high-traffic site.
VPS hosting (virtual private server)
Choosing a VPS is a good compromise between shared hosting and dedicated hosting. A VPS provides good performance for your website.
Its cost is also an attractive alternative. This hosting is therefore particularly suited to companies that plan to grow quickly and whose needs are likely to expand in the medium term.
Dedicated hosting
This solution is useful when managing a high-traffic site or for an e-commerce site.
This way you can customize the configuration according to your needs. Dedicated hosting is more expensive, but you get a specific server with an operating system that is yours.
Cloud hosting
Your website needs great flexibility, The cloud is the most suitable hosting solution.
The administrator has access to a virtual server that can be resized according to needs and traffic fluctuations. This solution is more expensive.
LWS offers all these web hosting solutions to meet everyone's needs.
For a hosting web shared hosting, LWS offers three plans: Perso, Starter and Performance.
Once you have defined your needs and chosen the corresponding type of web hosting, check the following points.
2. Storage capacity
The required storage capacity varies depending on the type of site you want to host. Your storage needs will be very different if you create a personal blog with a few illustrated posts or an e-commerce site with many product photos and explanatory videos.
Your storage requirements will determine which type of hosting you choose: shared (with limited storage capacity), dedicated, or cloud (unlimited storage).
At LWS, shared web hosting plans offer storage starting from 100 GB up to unlimited.
3. Protection and security level
A good web host provides enhanced security for your data, whether in case of an outage, hacking, or severe weather...
At LWS, the security provided includes:
- HTTPS/SSL certificates
- regular server updates
- protection against DDoS attacks
- automatic backup
- quick data restoration
4. Speed and guaranteed performance
It is related to bandwidth. This refers to the speed at which visitors landing on your site can access the information they are looking for.
It is important to have high bandwidth to avoid bugs when the number of users viewing the site simultaneously increases.
Significant bandwidth allows for more traffic without the site losing performance.
At LWS, speed and performance are guaranteed thanks to several elements, including:
- RAID10 SSD servers
- an unlimited number of MySQL databases (depending on the chosen plan)
- unlimited bandwidth
- a CDN that speeds up media file loading
And of course, websites hosted on LWS high-performance data servers in France.
5. Domain name and email addresses
Domain name registration and hosting are two distinct services. By choosing a host that offers both, you make migrations easier if you change domains.
Having email addresses linked to your domain will also help you appear more professional to your contacts, thanks to addresses like name@yourcompany.com.
LWS plans include a free domain name with your web hosting. As for email addresses, the basic plan (Perso) gives you 10, the intermediate plan (Starter) gives you 150, and the Performance plan offers an unlimited number of email addresses.
6. Scalability prospects
When they first start out on the web, administrators most often choose a shared hosting plan with limited storage capacity. This meets their needs at a given time, for a moderate cost.
However, as your activities grow, you will need to switch to a more powerful, faster, and more secure plan with larger storage capacity.
It is therefore essential to choose a web host offering a scalable plan based on your needs (unless you anticipate no growth for your site…). You will then be able to increase your storage capacity and performance easily.
LWS makes it easy to switch from web hosting to VPS (Virtual Private Server) as your storage needs increase.
7. Ease of use
This is an essential criterion if you're taking your first steps in managing a website. You must be able to configure your hosting, domain name and email addresses without calling in a specialist.
If you use a content management system (WordPress, Prestashop, or another), the chosen host must be compatible with the CMS you plan to use.
In general, the hosts already include a few pre-installed CMSs, as is the case with LWS and itsWordPress hosting for example.
From the LWS Panel customer area, you can easily manage and configure your web hosting.
Also, check carefully the options included in web hosting plans. Some web hosts offer a complete installation package, while others only provide the bare minimum. Everything you need is already pre-installed and included in LWS's web hosting plans.
8. Customer support
Launching a website alone with no bearings is a project bound to fail. To reach your goals, choose a host that supports you at every stage of your site's or blog's life. They should provide responsive technical support, available at all hours and every day.
That support can take the form of online tutorials, advice, or technical assistance you can request at any time.
LWS provides all of this to its customers regardless of the plan they have chosen, thanks to quality customer support available 7 days a week in French and numerous online tutorials.
Key takeaways for choosing your web hosting
Don't take your choice of web hosting lightly. An unsuitable host could cause service interruptions during high traffic, or conversely cost you a lot for very few visits.
By carefully studying the criteria listed above, you will be able to select the offer best suited to your site.
The solutions offered by LWS are designed to be easy to use and get started with. Suitable for individuals as well as professionals and even experts, LWS web hosting provides an all-in-one service that includes the domain name and dedicated email addresses, as well as pre-installed CMSs. So whether you plan to launch a showcase site or an e-commerce site, you’ll find the plan that best meets your needs.
