6 Signs That it’s Time to Change Your Web Host!
In an ideal situation you will choose a web host that offers you support for the long term. But what happens when your chosen host lets you down?
Sometimes you can choose a web host and quickly realise that they are not right for your WordPress site. Other times you can be a loyal customer of a host for years before problems start occurring more frequently.
There’s a common misconception that changing web hosts will lead to downtime, corrupted files and a whole list of stressful issues. But, this is not the case.
If you have experienced any of the following issues then it is time to change your web host.
1. Regular Downtime
The majority of web hosts have at least a 99% uptime guarantee. But what sets hosts apart is which of them actually keep your website up 99% (or more) of the time.
Whether it is hard downtime such as a hijacked page, dead page or HTTP error or soft downtime such as a slow loading page, having any regular downtime is a sign of trouble. The impact is the same whether the regular downtime is planned or unplanned.
Website downtime can be due to a number of reasons such as; the system overloading or hardware malfunctions. Or, even worse, a hacking attempt.
Whatever the reason, regular downtime can lead to;
- Reduced search engine ranking
- Bad user experience
- Negative brand reputation
- A loss of profits
Regular downtime is definitely a reason to consider changing web hosts.
2. Website Suspension
There are valid times for a WordPress site to be suspended. However, having your WordPress site suspended without warning or for unfair reasons is unacceptable.
Website suspension can have an immediate impact as your visitors cannot access your site which leads to a loss of traffic and sales.
In the long term this can also affect your SEO and brand reputation.
If your web host suspends your site without notice, without fair reason or on a regular basis you should look into changing your web host.
3. Poor Customer Support
Good customer service is essential to any business including web hosts! A good web host should offer top notch customer support and assist you wherever they can. Their customer service should be good regardless of whether you are a new or long term customer.
It doesn’t only constitute being friendly and available but ideally your web host will have technical knowledge and be able to assist you without passing you from staff member to staff member until you are helped. If this is not the case, we suggest you move to a web host who can further support the success of your WordPress site.
4. Slow Loading Speed
Website speed is an official Google ranking factor so speed really does matter. There are ways that you can increase your site speed yourself. But, for the most part, your web host impacts your sites loading speed.
Furthermore, if your web host promised you a fast WordPress site but doesn’t use a CDN your website will automatically load slowly for visitors from other countries. Your website speed will also be effected if they are still using HDD instead of SSD storage.
If your website is loading slowly and upgrading to a package with higher resources isn’t for you then moving hosts would be a good option.
5. Frequent Connection Errors
It is normal for WordPress websites to experience errors now and again but if your WordPress site is frequently experiencing errors such as 500 internal server errors or database connection errors then it is time to take a hard look at your web host.
Connection errors can sometimes be down to the user or the site owner. But, most connection errors are down to an issue with the web hosts’ server.
If you are frequently experiencing connection errors then your visitors will be unable to visit your site. This can lead to; higher bounce rates, customer dissatisfaction and a decreased search engine ranking.
Frequent connection errors are a strong indicator that it is time to change your web host.
6. Regular Security Breaches
Whether it is your WordPress site specifically or the web host themselves getting hacked regularly it is far from ideal. A web host is there to protect your WordPress site which is not the case if you’re experiencing regular security breaches.
There are many negative implications of security breaches on your WordPress site. Essentially, your brand reputation can be ruined. Not only that but your SEO can be destroyed and sales lost.
Ideally your web host should be using an advanced firewall, doing daily virus scans and updating your WordPress version, themes and plugins regularly in order to keep your WordPress site secure.
There are only so many security precautions you can take before turning to your host to secure your WordPress site. If they fail to do this it is a sure sign you should change your web host.
Is It Time To Change Your Web Host?
If you are experiencing any of the issues we have raised then we would recommend you change your web host. It is a daunting decision, especially if you have been with the same web host for a long period of time. But moving to a web host with a better service is the right move for your WordPress site.
If you would like advice on how to go about choosing a more suitable web host, you can find our recommendations here.
Our WordPress experts offer free advice if you would like to discuss changing your web host. In addition, we offer free website transfers if you would like to change to one of our Managed WordPress Hosting packages.