Unhappy with your current web host but overwhelmed with the thought of leaving it for another? You're not alone. But moving from one host to another can be a painless process if you consider a few tips beforehand.
First, make sure that the new host has the features you need for your website. There’s nothing worse than discovering your new host doesn’t meet your needs after going through the work of purchasing hosting and moving everything over. You may want to make a checklist of your current needs and confirm that your new host offers them. Common overlooked features are database access and scripting. In the least, if you find that some functions used by your website are not available, plan how you will adjust it to the new hosts system.
Another word to the wise would be to keep your old site as a backup. Even if your website isn’t large, you may want to stay with your old host for another month, if only for peace of mind. That way, if you forget to move something or can’t remember your old setup, you’d have the original copy to refer to. You may not even need the old host once you’ve switched, but it’s much better to be prepared for the worst.
