We grappled with an issue on a client’s website hosted on GoDaddy. This chaotic experience spanned over six days and compelled us to document and share this story. Before we get into the details, let’s set the stage by understanding the web hosting landscape and why choosing the right hosting provider is essential.
In the digital era, having an online presence is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a blogger, or entrepreneur, or run a Fortune 500 company, the performance and reliability of your website are paramount. As of September 2021, a report by Hosting Tribunal showed a 2% drop in GoDaddy’s market share within a year. Customers are actively seeking alternative hosting providers that offer better performance, customer service, and specialized features, especially WordPress sites.
The Bumpy Road with GoDaddy:
Our ordeal began with a client’s website, which had been initially set up with a suboptimal domain name. After we updated it to reflect the business name, the site functioned smoothly for several months. Then, suddenly, we were met with an unresponsive site riddled with 500 errors and suffered from snail-paced loading times.
What followed was a painful series of calls to GoDaddy’s support. The first technician was insistent that the problem lay with WordPress. Despite explaining that there had been no changes on the WordPress end, he remained unyielding.
Our adventure through the echelons of GoDaddy’s technical support was just beginning. The second technician admitted to a lag in MySQL, but this revelation did not translate into a solution. Instead, we were told to wait it out.
The third technician presented yet another theory. However, implementing the recommended changes yielded no results.
The final straw was a fourth technician who was confrontational. When it was eventually identified that a file had been renamed in error, correcting this got the site back up. This journey took six days and eight hours on the phone and was a veritable roller-coaster of emotions.
The Importance of Hosting Providers for SEO:
Your choice of a hosting provider is not just critical for the user experience; it has significant SEO implications. Google has time and again emphasized the importance of site speed and performance as ranking factors. A slow or unreliable website can wreak havoc on your SEO efforts. This makes the choice of hosting provider an SEO consideration that you can’t afford to ignore.
Exploring Alternative Hosting Providers:
SiteGround:
CodeinWP’s survey shows SiteGround is a top performer, particularly for WordPress hosting. SiteGround is reputed for its phenomenal customer service and high-performance offerings. Not only do they provide features like free CDN and SSL certificates, but also they are officially recommended by WordPress.org.
The West to East Consulting website is hosted with SiteGround as well as the websites of many of our clients.
Bluehost:
Bluehost is another highly rated option. It is renowned for its excellent uptime and robust security features. Furthermore, they provide a seamless experience for WordPress users. In fact, WordPress.org officially recommends Bluehost. With 24/7 customer support and a wealth of tools at your disposal, Bluehost is a solid choice.
Kinsta:
Kinsta is a managed WordPress hosting provider that is all about high performance. If you are looking for a hassle-free hosting solution where everything is handled by the pros, Kinsta is an excellent choice. With state-of-the-art technology like Nginx, PHP 8.0, and LXD containers, they ensure your WordPress site is blazing fast.
Cloudways:
For those who are more tech-savvy and want a cloud-based hosting solution, Cloudways is worth considering. With Cloudways, you can choose to host your site on DigitalOcean, Linode, AWS, or other cloud infrastructures, ensuring scalability and performance.
These are just a few of the popular hosting companies that are a far better alternative to GoDaddy.
Your website is often the first point of contact between you and your audience. It’s imperative that it functions optimally and reliably. My experience with GoDaddy was an eye-opener. In an age with a plethora of hosting options available, it is prudent to opt for a hosting provider that aligns with your needs and doesn’t leave you adrift in times of crisis. The alternatives to GoDaddy are not just competitors; in many aspects, they offer superior services, particularly for WordPress users. Take the time to research and choose wisely.