Some people, in attempting to cut costs, try to save money by choosing a cheaper web host. However, an inexpensive web host can result in issues which can lose you money. Keep reading below to learn some solid advice and website hosting tips for those with small businesses.
A lot of web hosts will offer a few add-ons that go with what their service, but these features vary from host to host. When comparing hosts, compare the levels of services and features offered. The price advantage of one host may not be worth the savings if they lack certain features that you require.
Shared or dedicated hosting, which is the better solution for you? If your site is very complicated, with a high volume of traffic, shared hosting may not be a good option. You’ll have to find a dedicated server to meet your needs.
Frequent Outages
Beware web page hosting companies with frequent outages. If a provider has a history of frequent and lengthy outages, the host may be incapable of meeting your needs. Frequent outages signify an unprofessional business. Don’t make commitments to these type of companies.
Sign up for monthly billing for web hosting rather than paying in advance for longer service terms. You don’t know how long the web host (or even your business) will stay open. If your business grows too big for the host or your business closes, you may lose the money you paid, unless the host states otherwise.
Choose a hosting company that provides the space you need for your website to grow. An individual HTML page does not take a lot of space, but if you decide to add pictures or even videos, you will quickly need more space. Look for a host that will allow you about 100MB of space, as this should be plenty to meet your growing business’ needs.
Be wary of web page hosting packages claiming unlimited services. For instance, there could be limited file types allowed for hosts that offer some unlimited limitations. Furthermore, unlimited bandwidth availability may translate to a payment plan that is tiered in nature. Get all the information that pertains to these plans, and never assume unlimited really means unlimited.
Web Host
When considering a web host, look to see if they offer money back guarantees. If you become unhappy with your provider, what are the consequences of canceling your service? This is a question you must be able to answer from your contract. You can have a reasonable expectation to be able to cancel within the first month of your contract. Not every web host is as good as advertised.
Remember that you often get what you pay for with free hosting companies. These services often require you to have banners and ads on your site. You will have absolutely no say in what sort of advertising appears on your website. The random adds that are on your site, will make it appear very unprofessional.
You want to select a web host who has a cPanel available. The reason is that cPanel is easy for adding popular applications to the site with just a few clicks. Applications, such as these, are incredibly easy to install and make the perfect middle man for management between you and your hosted files. Not to mention, it will help remove a lot of the excess clutter that might go by unnoticed to the non-machine eye and help your website function with less memory and higher speeds.
Pick a host that has received a number of accolades and awards. This can help you judge their service and support. Most of these awards are achieved through the legitimate process of site visitors voting, and they are a good indication that the hosting company is a good one with which to work. Hosts with lots of these fan-voted awards are ones that you should definitely consider choosing.
If you need multiple email addresses for running your site, find out which type of format a web host uses before committing to a plan. The most popular, and best type, for most people is POP 3. These are linked directly to your domain, and are portable for access from any location on the Internet.
Dedicated Server
Considering using a dedicated server in order to improve your web hosting service. With a dedicated server you will have more storage space and bandwidth and less risk of viruses or other attacks. Your customers will have the best experience when visiting your website. Customers that leave feeling good about their experience are likely to return.
If you are considering a particular web host company, have a look at their own website. If their site is amateurish, obviously a template or riddled with typos, this is a huge red flag. Such a website may indicate an inexperienced, incompetent or illegitimate provider. On the other hand, a user-friendly, professional website indicates experience, competence and more reliable service.
It is probably clear to you now that many factors go into choosing a hosting company and just how important it is for your online needs. Having a reliable web host is essential if you want to have your website up and running when you need it. Apply the advice from this article, so you can avoid the common mistakes that small business owners make when choosing a website hosting service.