There are several web hosting companies in Kenya with different capacities and infrastructure. However, before we drop names, one should consider some factors when settling for a web hosting company in Kenya. It is both technical and operational, which gives a complete package. Although most of these factors are basic, they make your website fast, easy to use, always online and rank higher on search engines.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Web Hosting Company in Kenya
- Uptime Guarantee
- Web Hosting Package Price
- Online and Data Security
- Storage
- Bandwidth
- Loading Speed
- Customer Service
- Online Marketing Tools
Uptime Guarantee
It is the guaranteed efficiency that a website will open fast enough. The quicker it takes to open any link, the higher the uptime guarantee. Slow response is annoying to the website visitor and search engines such as Google as they reduce the organic search rate. If you want a good website hosting company in Kenya, an uptime guarantee should be among the first feature you consider.
The perfect uptime guarantee is 100%, which shows the immediate opening of the website’s URL. However, this is not always tenable due to technical issues with hosting systems. However, it should not go below 99%.
Web Hosting Package Price
Cost is also a concern when settling for a web hosting company in Kenya. The amount you pay for a web hosting package should correspond to the service offered. However, there is no guarantee that the cheapest package is the best. Consider any other feature that makes the service cost reasonable.
Moreover, look at the duration of the package. Although most web hosting service providers charge annually, some have cleverly broken it down monthly. However, a summation of the year’s cost might be higher than the yearly bouquet. Paying yearly gives you convenience and makes the package affordable in the long run.
Online and Data Security
There is a sharp rise in hacking and unwarranted website access, making online security an important aspect of website hosting in Kenya. Ensure the provider has the latest security protocols to match the threat. They should reinforce it to deter unforeseen access to the client’s website if possible.
Besides individual website security, the web host platform should be safe from cyber criminals to prevent system tampering. For those who use debit/credit cards, the system should protect their details from external access.
Storage
The storage amount allocated for each cPanel influences the viability of the package. For web hosting companies offering more than one cPanel per bouquet, the storage set aside for each website should be enough, considering the type of website. If you have a bulky website, consider getting a web hosting package with enough space for your files.
On average, a web hosting offering 3GB or more is ideal for the Kenyan market. However, the web hosting service provider should be able to increase your storage if need be. Essentially, purchase web hosting from a service provider based on your storage needs.
Customer Service
The channels and reliability of a web hosting company’s customer service are significant. It is an ideal web host if you can call anytime and be served. To determine how to measure this before signing up, look out for the contact us page. It should have a phone number, email and a live-chat portal. Some even have a WhatsApp account for faster communication.
Customer service is important for a web hosting company since not all people who buy into the service are conversant with hosting technicalities. They need help to set up, activate and maintain their hosting accounts. Other activities like migration, upgrading or degrading hosting packages also need customer service involvement.
Online Marketing Tools
When setting up a website, looking for a web hosting company that complements online marketing is important. It should be compatible with content management systems and can allow the installation of supplementary programs to facilitate content marketing. WordPress is an ideal program used by the best web hosting companies in Kenya as it aids in positioning your platform for digital marketing.
Other factors a website owner should consider when choosing the best web hosting company in Kenya include:
- Payment methods – should be compatible with M-Pesa and debit/credit cards for easy transactions.
- Loading speed – it helps with positioning your website high in search engines
- Monthly traffic/bandwidth – it should have enough bandwidth to allow as many visitors as possible in a month.