Many people think it doesn’t matter which web host you choose, but they’re in for a big surprise. Similar to most things in life, there’s a chance to make errors when looking for a web host. This article is packed with practical advice and tips, that will allow you to bypass the common hazards of shopping for a web hosting provider.
Dedicated or shared hosting, which one is right for you? Shared hostin provides limited resources and is probably not the right choice, if you experience a high volume of traffic and a fairly complicated site. If this is the case, you are better off with dedicated hosting.
Web Host
Select a web host that has infrequent outages. Any web host which has many outages, or makes up lame excuses for their downtime, is not going to be reliable. Regardless of how little they charge, you should never sign on with a host that experiences frequent outages.
Look up backup host sites if you don’t like particular aspects of your current hosting company. If your web host ends up not being what you expected, you can find another host and move quickly.
Be sure that you register your domain’s name using a different company than your web host in case there’s some kind of disagreement between the two of you. This way you can still have the domain name, and can put the site on a different server. If you register your domain through your host, they have control of it.
Choose a host that will allow your growth. A single page composed of HTML may not take up too much space, but images and videos quickly gobble up space. Be mindful of any storage space limitations a company might have.
Look for a hosting service that lets you have access to statistics and detailed information about your traffic. Independently add a traffic counter somewhere on your website, then compare its results to those that are provided by your host. It is in your best interest as a business owner to closely monitor and manage this data.
If a hosting package says they offer unlimited services, consider their statements carefully. For instance, if a web host provides unlimited disk space, it might impose limits on the types of files that are permitted. Also, unlimited bandwidth sometimes means a payment plan that is tiered. Be sure to understand all of the terms and conditions of these unlimited deals so that you can make a very educated decision.
There are many options available for free hosting, if you want to reduce costs. Using a free web host means that there will be advertising on your site. Also, you won’t have as much space for your site’s storage. However, if you wish to have a professional site, you should avoid this type of hosting.
Don’t join a free host just because they’re free. Most free hosting services post banner ads on all the websites they host. In some cases, the ads will not be related to your site and you will not be able to control what appears on your site. Having ads appear randomly on your site also makes it seem less professional.
If you are just starting out in web design, choose a hosting service with helpful customer service instead of a lot of fancy options. Being new, you will have a lot of questions concerning the features of the web hosting package you choose. Good technical support will offer you more value than free applications.
As you have seen, choosing a host for your website can be a treacherous process. Once you know the important things to look for, you can avoid the common pitfalls of poor website hosting services. The knowledge you’ve gained here will ensure your search for the best web host will lead to a positive result!