Does Web Hosting Location Matter?

Does Web Hosting Location Matter?

Quite often we come across users that say that their website with another hosting provider is slow or not as fast as it could be and how can we make our website faster?

They is several factors when it comes to website speed that we will address here that can help speed up your site.

Server location

The first thought when buying any website hosting package is the servers location. If you live in the UK as an example but the server is located around the other side of the planet in Australia you will notice a significant delay due to information relaying to and from the server.

As a recommendation always try and buy from a web hosting provider that is in the same country as you, so for example if you live in the UK then you might choose Web Hosting UK as your provider which have servers based in the capital, London.

Web hosting features

We like to know what we get when we buy a product or service especially when it comes to hosting. Some of the typical questions you should ask your provider are:

• Do you offer support?
• Ways in which you can contact your provider For example live chat or ticket support.
• How long have they been in business?
• What server hardware do they use.
• What features are included? For example control panel, backup options, software installer.
• How long does it take to activate after you've ordered?

Secure datacentre

Make sure your website is located in a secure datacentre for best speeds and uptime. If your hosting on a server which is based at someone's home or workplace in will degrade both speed and uptime due to datacentres having much faster upload and download speeds

Server Uptime

We don't like to suffer endless downtime when it comes to our website which is why you should find a provider that have have a 99.99% uptime guarantee or SLA (Service Level Agreement). 

Any provider that provides an uptime guarantee but doesn't meet the requirements for that month should offer you a money back guarantee which is usually written in their terms and conditions.

Try before you buy

Some providers do also offer a try before you buy or trial period, usually between 7 and 30 days. During this period check the host has all the requirements needed to get your website up and running and any other features such as email address for business or personal use.

Summary

Research your provider before you buy, check they have all the features you need and they offer some form of support should you need them.

Ask them where their servers are located so you have a good idea if they fit your needs and the uptime so your website doesn't suddenly go offline.