To set up your own small business online, you need a web hosting service. While there are many platforms available today with many features and add-ons, choosing the best service will not only get you up and running in no time but cater to your requirements for the long term.Here are 10 features to look for in a web hosting service to help you make an informed decision and find the right service that you can rely on for years.

1. 24/7 Support

For most websites, downtime means loss of revenue. That is something every business owner must avoid. So when critical issues arise, you would need accessible and reliable support to fix those issues in the fastest time possible. An example of the use of this function can serve sites of uk online casinos, for which the attendance of players is very important. This feature provides round-the-clock support to players and helps to resolve contentious issues. Go for a web hosting service that offers 24/7 support.

2. Reliable Backup

Your data is critical to your operations. Just think about the awful feeling of accidentally closing a word document and losing pages and pages of content you didn’t save. For your website, this will be ten times worse.Look for a web hosting service that will provide adequate backup. A reliable hosting must have a good disaster recovery plan to ensure your data is secure.

3. Add-ons

While cheap hosting rates can entice you to sign up for the service right away, make sure you first to take the time to learn about the features included and NOT included. Why? Well, you may pay a small price for the basic service but have to pay more for every little add-on feature or tool you will require. You might as well pay for the reasonable price that includes the requirements you are after. So check the fine print and read the details to avoid being misled by cheap offers.

4. Scalable Service

For a small start-up website, bandwidth is not an immediate concern. However, once you build your website and gain considerable amount of traffic, bandwidth becomes a priority.You may be getting 1,000 visits per month in the first year but need to upgrade when you start hitting 10,000 visits per month. You need a host that can easily accommodate the amount of traffic and bandwidth your site is getting.A web hosting should be scalable for the future of your website. Find one that has easy upgrade options to support your growing requirements.

5. E-commerce Tools

If you are setting up an online store, you will need the necessary shopping carts and e-commerce tools to support your operations. Most hosting companies will offer single integrated shopping cart application but look for hosts that offer more options and e-commerce features and flexibility to third-party programs.

6. Uptime Guarantee

As mentioned earlier, downtime can cost you money. Nothing is more important than making sure your website is running 24/7. That is why you need a hosting service that can guarantee uptime of 99%. Always go for a hosting service that has a 99.5% or higher uptime score to ensure stable network connectivity.

7. Domain Capacity

Owning one or more domain names is common nowadays. You may own almost all versions of your company names including .com, .net, and .org domain names.Most hosting services will allow at least 25 domain names in one account. It is more efficient to have multiple domain names in one control panel for management purposes. When considering hosting services, so check for domain capacity.

8. Control Panel

Whether you’re an HTML master or a beginner, having an integrated control panel will make your life easier. You can manage all administrative options in a single location.If you want to easily manage and control each aspect of your website and easily locate features, tools, and logs, go for a hosting that includes a user-friendly control panel.

Conclusion:

When in doubt, always get more information before you sign up for a hosting service for your new website. If you have family, friends or colleagues who have experience setting up a website, chat them up to get good advice. These will help you choose the best service for your needs.