Both newbie and experienced bloggers will face some confusion when it comes to blog hosting. Most of them just look for recommendations from popular sites like WordPress. There are a number of choices for reliable web hosting in Dubai as well.

Though there is no disagreement that these recommendations are reliable hosting companies, not every blogger will find these hosting companies to be the right choice. This is due to various factors from pricing to server reliability and support.

How can you pick a good web host for your blog then? 

Simple. You just need to take into account a few factors and find one that suits your needs, rather than blindly buying the service from a host recommended by others.

1. Reasonable price

Uninformed bloggers are considered to be valued targets by many web hosting providers. These hosting companies can easily convince a newbie blogger to avail their services. Their features may sound too good to be true. But they may be in for a surprise when they get the bills. Pricey. 

Make sure you compare multiple web hosting providers for the services offered and the cost of those services. Also try to check their control panels. You don’t want to use a dashboard that is too complicated to handle. cPanel, vDeck etc. are user friendly control panels.

2. Reliable technical support

If you encounter any issues, and you probably will, you will need it dealt with as soon as possible. So make sure the hosting service provider is always there offering technical support when needed. 24/7 support is a good deal. However, there should be multiple ways to contact them should the need arise; text, email or telephone.

3. eCommerce features

What if you require eCommerce solutions in the future once you have grown accustomed to the web host? You will be spending a lot of time finding one. So make sure your web hosting service provider can get you SSH access and SSL certificates. 

4. Easy management

This factor is important if you have a tight budget. The control panel of the web host should make it easy for you to install WordPress or any content management systems you want. If installing one is too complicated, you will be out of options. This means you will end up hiring an expert to install it for you, adding to your expenses.

Make sure to check the availability of this feature when you try out the control panel demos of web hosting providers you shortlisted, before signing up. 

5. Server uptime

There are many web hosts out there with a lot of server downtimes. Frequent server downtimes are downright annoying. While shortlisting a couple of good web hosts, make sure to check if they provide a 99% server uptime guarantee. You can use tools like Uptime Robot to track your site’s uptime.

6. Payment

Most providers offer interesting payment plans. You may get a yearly subscription offer at a reasonable discount. But it’s better to go for a flexible payment plan. For instance, 6 or 12 months subscriptions. 

7. Website growth

Can the host keep up with your website’s growth? Can you upgrade to a dedicated server or a VPS when necessary? These are important questions to take into account. You may reach a point where you have no other option but to upgrade. Migrating your website to another web host for an upgrade is not easy as it sounds. A reliable web hosting company in Dubai will definitely support scalability.

These 7 factors can give you an idea why it’s important to evaluate the needs you have for a web hosting company. Blindly following recommendations might get you trapped with a host that fails to meet all your needs as a blogger.