Many small businesses look for cheap web hosts, first, to keep costs down. However, this can be a terrible decision for budding businesses, and leads to a loss in profits. Keep reading for the best advice on choosing a hosting service for all of your online needs.
What types of sites does your hosting site offer? Many free sites will only offer static pages, meaning that you really cannot add in your own language scripts. If the nature of your website requires dynamic scripting capabilities, it may be in your best interest to opt for hosting on a paid server.
Be sure to allow for the future growth of your website when choosing a hosting service. Will you have the storage space to expand your website if needed? You’ll want to have at least 100 megabytes of space allotted to your account with the ability to add more at a reasonable price.
Secure Server
Think about paying extra to get secure server certificates for site safety purposes. A secure server is a sign of trust to a potential customer. You will want to use this option if you are asking your site visitors to provide you any sensitive information, like their address or financial details.
Most web page hosting companies already require that you backup your own data. It is very important that you do this, not just for compliance, but mostly because you want to have your data backed up and safe. This way, if something ever happens, all of your site’s information is still available to you.
Be wary of web page hosting packages claiming unlimited services. For instance, if you’re offered unlimited disk space, the caveat might be that not all file types are included. The unlimited bandwidth claims may actually be part of a tiered pricing system. Get all the information that pertains to these plans, and never assume unlimited really means unlimited.
Limited Storage Space
Some web page hosting sites are free and can help you save money and cut costs, but these usually come with a catch. Free hosts offer limited storage space, and may include extensive ad placement. Free web hosts generally don’t work out if you want to host a business site. The ads and limited storage space can make the site appear unprofessional.
Does the company offer a portion of your money back if you want to end your contract early? A 30-day probationary period is typical, allowing you to leave the host and get a full refund within the first month of service. However, not all companies that offer web hosting are as well-functioning as they claim to be.
Do your homework and research online and don’t just choose a web host based on what their promotional advertising tells you. Scout out some customer reviews or reviews written by watchdog sites to find out how satisfied their past and present clients are. Objective reviews by past or current customers will give you the most honest assessment of a web host.
It’s often the case that web hosting services are actually a middle step provider getting their services from a larger host. They will purchase a given amount of space on the larger server, usually at a reduced cost, and then profit by renting that space to business owners like you. You should check out different web hosts under the same company, as you may find a better deal this way!
Search for web hosts that give you a cPanel. A cPanel makes it easy for you to add popular applications to your website with only a few clicks of the mouse. The majority of these applications offer high functionality and user-friendly navigation. As an added bonus, your website management will be much more efficient!
Customer Service
If you are a novice in web design, go for a web host that offers great customer service rather than a lot of bells and whistles. When you first start out there are a lot of questions that pop up in your head about website hosting, so you’re going to want a host that has great customer service available and ready to answer all of your questions. Good tech support beats any number of extra bells and whistles hands down.
Look for opportunities to interact with current or past customers of different web hosting providers, check online discussion boards and communities. Having the ability to ask questions to address any concerns you have can assist you in eliminating companies that don’t meet the needs you require. Positive discussions will also bolster your confidence in the host you ultimately choose. If you have the chance to talk to a current customer, you will have access to the best information.
Ask any host you are researching how many email addresses you can have with the plan you were considering. Pick one that uses POP 3. This will ensure that emails are linked to your domain and will be accessible from anyplace on the web.
If your website is brand new, a web host that boasts SEO services may be the right fit for you. This will get your site registered on search engines. On the other hand, if you’re willing to do the work of registering with search engines yourself, you can use your expert knowledge of the site to write detailed descriptions. You might get a better ranking that way.
Hosting Company
Find out the history of the hosting site before you choose it. Make sure they have been in business for a long time and that they have a solid background. You should find out whether the web hosting company has been in business for more than a year. It is important to make certain that the hosting company will not become a failed business in the near future.
Choosing low prices over service and features is not a good solution. Consider a good web host as an investment for the success of your business since you will make your money by developing a good online presence. Apply the tips you just read to avoid making bad decisions when selecting your web host.
