Concerning user experience (UX), website functionality and performance are of vital importance. In fact, a recent study suggests that 79% of consumers that don’t like what they encounter on a website will go back and search for another site.
That said, one of the most effective ways of ensuring your deliver an optimal user experience and consistent website loading speeds to your prospects is by choosing the right host and CDN (content delivery network) for your business.
To help you make an informed decision and choose the right combination of web host and CDN, here are some key considerations you should make.
FYI: Currently on our website, we are using a combination of Cloudways hosting and Key CDN. Both are giving us a very good performance.
How to Choose a Web Host
A web hosting service is a type of digital hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible through the World Wide Web while utilizing functions that serve to help maintain its presence and security through a server. Fundamentally, web hosting is the foundations of the digital house on which your business is built.
To help you choose the best web hosting for your business, here some tips:
- Consider the type of business you are running. Different web hosting services offer different features and functionality, and by looking at your commercial aims with key stakeholders within your business, you’ll be able to make an educated choice. For instance, if you’re an eCommerce outfit that sells custom t-shirts, you will need far less comprehensive features than a multimedia service provider with a number of international branches.
- Expanding on our previous point, you should also ensure your potential web hosting service provides the right level of bandwidth for your business.
- Don’t let price motivate you alone. Choosing the cheapest web hosting option won’t necessarily yield the best results or suit your core commercial needs. That said, you should always explore all options in detail and make a balanced choice, striking a happy medium balance between cost and functionality.
- Look at both consumer and industry reviews based on potential web hosting services and ensure that the one you pick has the capabilities to scale with the growth of your business and handle enhancements to your website’s infrastructure. If the consensus is ‘no, they can’t’, avoid the service at all costs.
How to Choose a CDN
Content delivery networks (CDNs) are often considered the backbone of the web, particularly when it comes to the delivery of digital content. CDNs aren’t physically visible, but you most likely interact with them on an almost daily basis.
Fundamentally, CDNs are utilized by businesses to prevent site latency, a delay that occurs from when you request to load a web page to the point in which the content physically appears in front of you. Latency has an adverse impact on site performance and CDNs help to prevent this on a sustainable basis. Moreover, CDNs also serve to drive down bandwidth costs and significantly boost website security through a series of network optimizations.
To help you choose the best content delivery network for your organization, here are practical hints on how to choose a CDN:
- Study your website in detail in a collaborative environment. Cite your website’s core functionality, characteristics, and ultimate commercial goals. From this process, you’ll begin to understand all of the essential attributes you’ll require from your potential CDN service provider.
- Look at the security protocols of all potential CDNs in detail. Security is vital to the safety and success of your organization, so it should be of top priority. Look for a CDN that allows your data to be distributed safety over the internet through a Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates (or similar) to build secure HTTP connections that will prevent evil entities from hacking your business, causing you unwanted issues and losses.
- Think about your business’s budget and ensure that your CDN provides each of the essential services you need within your set price point. Finding the right balance between cost and functionality is important, so make sure you conduct an ample level of research before making your choice.
- Commit to a CDN that boasts and can demonstrate detailed content and network optimization data as well as analytical functions. Digital insights are being keyed to growth, evolution, and success, and having access to the insights relevant to your organization will help you to make informed improvements to your digital assets on an ongoing basis.
You may also like: Progressive Web Apps: Everything You Need to Know About.
Final Words:
Once you’ve selected the perfect web hosting and CDN for your business, before making a tangible commitment, the last thing to do is to make sure that these two entities are compatible with one another, both working in unison to deliver optimum results for your organization.
Some basic research will return the information you need – don’t overlook this process as it will prove vital to your ongoing success.
For more invaluable business advice, read The Best Way of Cooperation with any Outsourcing Partner.
This article is written by Veselina Dzhingarova. She has long experience in internet marketing and SEO. She is passionate about blogging to share her expertise. Veselina is a regular contributor at many online publishers. She is the co-founder of Blogforweb.com and others. You can get in touch with her on LinkedIn & Google+.
This article is written by Veselina Dzhingarova. She has long experience in internet marketing and SEO. She is passionate about blogging to share her expertise. Veselina is a regular contributor at many online publishers. She is the co-founder of 
Web developer and SEO specialist with 20+ years of experience in open-source web development, digital marketing, and search engine optimization. He is also the moderator of this blog "RS Web Solutions (RSWEBSOLS)".
