In this piece, I will be discussing some indicators that your website needs a different hosting service. So, stay tuned.
Most Startups start with shared hosting as their first hosting, primarily because it is affordable and easy to manage. However, with time the website grows and gets more and more visitors than it usually does. Thus, the needs change over time. More the visitors, slower the websites become. At one point, the site may be so slow that it begins to affect user experience on-site.
This is where all the troubles begin. For one, websites that are slow to load have high bounce rates. Second, search engines seldom rank slow pages. So, over time, your dedicated server hosting plan will backfire and you will start to lose visitors.
It is essential that you know when to upgrade your hosting service or migrate to a new host.
In most of the cases, websites don’t send out discernible signals of distress. So, we thought it was imperative that we come up with a blog that can help fellow readers to know when the perfect time to switch to a different host is.
1. Slow loading speed during high-loads
Always choose a server that can accommodate peak loads on your website. The best practice while choosing a server is to make a note of the maximum visitor’s counts, give a buffer of 10% and buy a server that can easily handle that much.
Your website is only as good as the host, so it is important that you host with the right provider.
Slow load speed during peak hours are the initial cyphers that your website might need to switch host, or you need to upgrade your server.
2. Security Concerns
If your website collects user-sensitive data such as personal details, credit card info and location, you shouldn’t host shared servers in the first place.
Chances of theft and malware attacks are quite high, especially in shared hosting.
Even if your website has implemented enough security measures, you are still as much vulnerable as you’d be without those measures. This is so because there are other sites on your server, which could contain potentially harmful apps. And since the server is shared, it is only a matter of time before the malware leak into your websites.
3. Custom requirements
A server that cannot cater to your needs is up to no good. You should proactively switch away from such servers/providers and obtain a customizable VPS or dedicated server.
Shared hosting isn’t very customizable and, hence, not suitable for websites that need tailored solutions on their site.
The best move would be to choose another data center in India and migrate the website on a private server instead.
4. If you frequently run out of resources
Over the course of time, the resources allocated to you – bandwidth, data transfer, etc. – might feel like “insufficient”.
This is likely to happen due to two reasons –
- Average traffic on your website has surged.
- Your website is bigger than it used to be, or you have more files on your server than you once had.
Instead of frequently reloading credits on your account, you should plan an upgrade instead.
Though upgradation might look like an expensive affair at first, you are three times more likely to save in the long run.