1. Frequent downtimes

A website is nothing unless it is online. Put simply, when no one can access your website it doesn’t exist as far as your visitors are concerned. Almost all web hosting companies today promise that much uptime, but it is pretty important that you consistently check your website, especially during peak times, to see if the host is making good on the guarantee.

If your website is integrated with a store, the importance of having it online all the time can not be stressed enough. Since only people who actually visit your website can purchase something, frequent downtimes can result in a massive downward spiral of the number of sales you make.

2. High costs for measly services

If your web host looks to milk as much cash from you as possible by making it necessary to sign up for a whole year, it’s easy to tell they want to get the money and run. While the web host won’t technically ‘run’, they’ll likely not offer the same level of customer service once they have already got their money for a whole year. And if they don’t fulfill their obligations on top of that, you need to get a new web host ASAP.

3. Your site is getting consistently compromised

Uptime is not the only thing that matters. Another very important service that website owners overlook is the security that the host provides. Nowadays, hacking through DDoS and other means has become so easy and powerful that even servers of huge corporations, like Sony, are getting compromised. Therefore, tight security is a big necessity for efficiently hosting a website and you should keep testing yours frequently.

4. Weak Customer Service

If you are greeted with an answering machine or an outsourced call center every time you have a problem, your web host’s customer service isn’t nearly good enough. The customer service should show professionalism, be helpful, and should be ready to serve you with dedication.

You should also prefer web hosts who have a solid community surrounding them. This will help you in the long run, as petty problems can easily be solved using the community’s advice. Those web hosts who are involved with the community themselves can be considered to be among the best.

5. Long load times

Long load times can result in a massive headache for visitors, and if a website takes too long to load, the visitor may simply close the tab. Internet users are used to lightning quick loading times on everything from news articles to streaming videos, and if a website takes too long to open up they’ll be far too disappointed to actually pay attention to what’s inside. The visitors will also be deterred from taking out their credit card and making a purchase.