By Quinne Lowe | Published August 6, 2018
There are many reasons why switching web hosting providers is necessary. Excessive downtime, poor or non-existing web support, slow page load time, low bandwidth space and perhaps the top reason is cost.
If you are contemplating switching website hosting for one of or any other reasons we at Osky Blue suggest that you read this before you make your decision. In your mind, it may seem like a smooth move, but if you miss any of these following steps, the transition could be a long one, and you might even lose your data or your sanity in the process.
Research is perhaps the most challenging and time-consuming step in the entire website transferring process. We suggest that you find at least three hosting site options and do a thorough comparison and contrast of each. Do not let the issues with your current hosting site rush you into selecting a new provider without having considered all factors. If your current web host struggles with slow page load time, don’t jump to the first hosting company claims it can provide faster times. Think about all of your must-haves and determine if the new host answers the majority of these questions with a yes before switching.
There is no worse feeling than leaving one host only to encounter more significant issues with your new one.
In the past, there was a big push to ensure your current website was adequately backed up, but with current File Transfer Protocol (FTP) procedures that require you to download your site to move to the new host, the new concern is determining where to store that downloaded file. We suggest using an external hard drive as most external drives have ample storage space and usually are not connected to a power source which eliminates the chance of a surge corrupting the drive space.
Now that you have the file downloaded and backed up, it’s time to transfer it to the new hosting site. You can do it yourself, which will consist of:
Or let your new hosting site handle it. Many hosting websites offer this service free of charge, and if you aren’t tech savvy, this needs to be taken into consideration when choosing a site host.
Now that your website has been transferred to the new hosting location, it is time to see if it works. If you changed site host because of technical issues, pay attention to how the previously troublesome areas of your site now function. Use this checklist to make sure every aspect of your new site passes your quality analysis:
You’ve tested the site, and everything works perfectly! But before you cancel your subscription with your old web host, wait for seven to ten business days to ensure full functionality. This grace period also gives you time to deal with the buyer’s remorse that could develop if the transfer did not do all that you expected. Many web hosting sites offer a 30-day money back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with the service or you realize there wasn’t enough of a significant change to validate the switch.
If you have read this far, it either means you’ve mustered up the courage to transfer your current website on your own, or you are completely stressed out and have started to look for a resource to help make the move for you. If it’s the latter, Osky Blue offers secure and reliable website hosting, first-rate technical support and seamless site transferring to ensure your website is up and on-spec at all times.