Is it time to break up with your web host? It’s scary to end any relationship, and ending your relationship with your web host is not an exception.
Not only is it a hassle to switch web hosts, but it’s also risky. If you don’t really know what you’re doing and don’t get the help you need, switching web hosts can negatively affect your website (or blog).
However, there comes a time when the cons of the relationship outweigh the pros. When that day comes, you shouldn’t hesitate to switch web hosts. To help you identify those red flags, following are 10 signs that you should switch web hosts. If these problems arise, it’s time for you and your web host to go your separate ways.
A word of caution: Don’t abandon the relationship without giving your web host a chance to answer your questions and solve your problems. It’s always worth it to work on a relationship before you replace it.
1. What kind of customer service support does your web host provide?
Can you call a support line at anytime and speak with a live person to get help? Is there a live online chat support option? If you have to email support, how long does it take to get a response to your question? Poor customer service is one of the most common reasons that people change web hosts. If your web host isn’t giving you the attention you deserve, it’s time to break up.
2. Does Your Hosting Service Perform Poorly?
No one likes to get stood up, and that’s exactly how it feels when your website is slow to load or completely unavailable because of problems with your web host. Don’t tolerate excessive downtime or poor performance in your dates or your web host.
3. Does Your Web Host Suspend Service Without Warning?
What would you do if you tried to visit or log into your website one day and you get an error message stating that your site is not available? It can happen if you’re using a shared host and your site exceeds one of your account limitations. If your host ever disables your site without warning you of impending problems (or if you hear that they’ve suspended someone else’s site without warning), ditch that host immediately. At the very least, you should receive a warning so you can address problems before they become catastrophes.
4. Is Your Hosting Service Priced Too High?
If you’re spending a lot of money on your web host and not getting the service and support you need, or if the price keeps going up with no additional services added, then you should shop around for a better deal. Don’t just go with the cheapest host. Instead, look for the host that offers the best value for your money.
5. Is Your Web Host Lacking Features?
If you need features that your web host doesn’t provide, such as email hosting, dedicated servers, a dedicated IP, or reseller accounts, don’t settle for second best. You deserve all of the features you want and need, and there is another web host that can give them to you.
6. Does Your Hosting Service Have SSL Issues?
Ecommerce sites must be secure. If you want to sell products through your website, but your host doesn’t offer Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption (or charges too much for it), then you’ll have to switch to a new web host that does offer the encryption you need.
7. Have You Outgrown Your Current Host?
Don’t let your current web host relationship limit your growth. As your site grows with more content and more visitors, it will have greater demands on your hosting server. If your host can’t keep up with your growing needs, you need to find a new one.
8. A No Hand-Holding Hosting Service
Remember when you and your web host first got together? Those were the good times, but today, there is no hand-holding. If you need extra help that your web host does not provide, then you should switch to a web host that offers managed services or more extensive help. A managed web host can make you feel like you’re the most important person again.
9. Is Your Web Host Safe and Secure?
Make sure your web host offers the most current security features, so your site and visitors are safe. In addition, ensure your host provides adequate back ups, so you can restore your site if disaster strikes.
10. How Is Your Host’s Control Panel?
If your web host offers a (control panel) cPanel that is confusing, slow with upgrades, or provides no documentation to show you how to use it to perform common tasks, then you might want to consider moving to another web host. Relationships take work, but your web host should do everything possible to make it easy for you to be in a relationship with them.
