If you've reached this page, you are probably interested in hosting your site in Israel.
Still, there is a real dilemma (otherwise, you would not be here).
On the one hand, hosting in Israel is considered relatively expensive, and on the other hand, there is nothing like the speed and the blue-and-white support.
In this article I will try to address the pros and cons of hosting sites in Israel.
Convenience and modern tools in Hebrew
A few years ago, we would have expected to receive a simplistic management panel and get to work (usually, these were panels such as cPanel or DirectAdmin).
In other words, we would not get advanced functions for convenient storage management.
However, time passed and a welcome change occurred. Most hosting companies built custom panels, based on the panels mentioned (though greatly upgraded, of course).
These interfaces greatly help make work more efficient. And the highlight? These interfaces support Hebrew and are adapted for the Israeli audience.
As part of the interface capabilities you can find, for example:
- Installing content management systems in one click.
- Installing and managing free SSL certificates.
- One-click backups / scheduling of automatic backups.
- A convenient work environment for designers and developers.
- Duplicate sites in a click.
- Adding / assigning IP addresses to groups of sites (very useful for support sites).
If we purchase the services of one of these companies, we can save huge amounts of time; the modern interface and tools work wonders.
Moreover, if you are not well versed in the English language, Only the option of a Hebrew-language panel will save you valuable time in trying to understand the system's applications, even before you try the other advanced options.
Speed wins
Joining an Israeli hosting company means Using local bandwidth.
That is, our site will be hosted on one of the server farms in Israel.
Since the site is hosted on a server in Israel, load times can be significantly lower compared to sites hosted on foreign server farms.
Most websites in Israel target an Israeli audience. Therefore, a server located in Israel is an excellent solution for speeding up your site among your visitors.
Good speed means an improved visitor experience and better SEO results.
True, hosting in Israel through an Israeli hosting company will speed up our site, but there is another advantage.
Thanks to the high speed, the user experience on the site will be enhanced.
Why does it matter? Well, in terms of SEO, we can say that we will accumulate a few “credit points” with Google thanks to the above speed improvement. After all, the search engine devotes quite a bit of attention to site speed and the user experience of its users.
It is important to remember that in many cases the hosting company is not responsible for the site's slow speed.
In my experience, a site's speed may be poor due to poor construction, plugin conflicts and other problems.
In such a case, it is recommended to consult a programmer and find out where the problem is.
Customer service and technical support
As customers, it is important to us to receive quality support from professionals who can address sensitive technical problems. Let's start with the clearest advantage, which is service in Hebrew.
Many prefer to describe the problem and handle it through an Israeli representative who speaks their language.
In addition, many hosting companies offer Chat support which significantly increases the sense of confidence and communication with the hosting company.
Search engines' prioritization of local properties
It is news to no one that when we run a Google search with some term we get the result most suitable for us (even if an equivalent result exists in the US). Google tries to match the results as much as possible to the local market, and therefore if we search Google for some sportswear brand we will presumably get the result closest to us (in terms of content, in terms of things we like and Google has identified, and we also believe there are a few points of credit for the IP address of the server where the site is hosted).
Prices and costs
In general, prices in Israel are slightly higher compared with the endless supply of the international market.
However, it is important to remember that you get what you pay for, and in our opinion, in most cases the support, speed, interface and overall experience are worth the extra cost.
How do you choose an Israeli hosting company?
The right way to choose a hosting company is full of inquiries and checks of: the company's reputation online, reviews and recommendations, opinions from colleagues, etc.
At Digitouch, we host our sites with the hosting company uPress and therefore we decided to write the article on the company's website blog, but of course we would be happy to share tips even if you choose any other hosting company.
The most important thing is never to choose a hosting company at random and hope for the best…
We really do not want to be at the mercy of hosting companies – that is a recipe for failure. Therefore, when choosing, we would recommend looking closely at the following details:
- Company availability: If (and when) a problem, a potential breach, or any other matter arises, it is desirable that the company meet our expectations and handle the problem quickly and professionally. In some cases, time is critical: the company's availability by phone / digital means is critical to your sense of security.
- Professionalism: we should aim for companies with experience and knowledge in the field, who can help us in times of trouble.
How do we identify a professional company? Well, we can examine articles on the company's blog, customer reviews, and even speak with service representatives and examine the matter ourselves. - Dedicated customer service: We must avoid the worst case of all – landing on a hosting company that doesn't know what customer service is. Aim for a company known for its high-quality support and service.
There is no magic formula. Beyond relying on reviews and endorsements from customers, we will simply have to trust our choice. - Trial period: The experience can give us a real indication of the quality of the company: if the services and the overall experience satisfied us, we stay, and if not, we can move on. There is nothing better than a personal experience and a subjective assessment of the service you receive.
In summary
In this article, I tried to present the importance of hosting websites in Israel in the most objective and detailed way.
And finally, I presented a number of critical points for choosing an Israeli hosting company. If you use them, you can "be saved" from quite a few inferior hosting companies.
Remember, sometimes the cheap choice can end up costing dearly, especially when it comes to the most valuable asset we have.
