If you’re looking into web hosting services, chances are you’ve come across uptime guarantees paired with impressive statistics like 99.9% or 99.99%. These numbers are quite good, ensuring your website will remain accessible to both users and search engines.
But what do these uptime guarantees actually mean, and more importantly, are they legit? Let’s break it down one step at a time.
What is Website Uptime?
Simply put, website uptime is the amount of time a website is accessible and properly functioning for users. It is usually measured as a percentage, such as 99.9%. Here’s how your website’s uptime matters:
Enhanced user experience: Downtime frustrates users. If a potential buyer visits your site while it is down, there is a high chance they’ll abandon the site. A website that stays up and running can enhance user experience and boost brand reputation.
Boosting SEO efforts: You might have spent thousands of dollars on on-page and off-page SEO, but if your website doesn’t have a competitive uptime, you won’t yield any benefits. Moreover, search engines like Google consider the reliability of a site. If your site is frequently down, you might face low search engine rankings.
Uninterrupted business operations: Users and search engines aren’t the only ones that rely on uptime. Downtime can disrupt operations, creating problems for internal team members.
Decoding Uptime Guarantees by Hosting Providers
Most web hosting providers boast near-ideal uptime percentages. 99.9%, 99.99%, and even 100% uptime guarantees are casually advertised.
But keep in mind that even if a website has an uptime of 99.9%, it could remain inaccessible for about 43 minutes every month. 43 minutes might not seem like much, but in the highly complex world of digital marketing, even a few minutes of inactivity can be costly. Moreover, a 99.99% uptime means 8.6 seconds of daily downtime and 4.5 minutes of monthly downtime.
Is 100% Uptime Real?
As mentioned earlier, many hosting providers advertise 100% uptime. Here’s the truth: It is more of a fantasy. Every system is immune to failures. Sudden hardware failures and software bugs are part of the deal. Beware of hosting providers that claim to provide 100% uptime. Most often, they have obscure terms and conditions, creating a loophole.
Choosing a Hosting Provider
Whether you’ve opted for a shared server or a VPS server, finding a hosting provider that ensures a reliable uptime percentage can be challenging. Here are some tips to get you started:
Look beyond marketing claims. Don’t fall for flashy promises of 100% uptime. Ask the hosting provider to show you real-time data and uptime reports.
Read the Service Legal Agreement (SLA). Before signing, carefully read all the terms and conditions to avoid any surprises later on.
Consider 24/7 support. Technical errors can occur at any time. A reliable hosting provider, such as Liquid Web, will offer 24/7 customer support to get your website up and running as quickly as possible.
Access customer service. Consider third-party review sites to read honest reviews. Watch out for red flags like hidden terms and conditions.
By following these tips, you can find a web hosting provider that will keep your website accessible for users and search engines.