Any company, at any given point in time, cannot function better than its weakest link, which is often their web server or third-party hosting company. So if you’re not familiar with a lot of the jargon, when it comes to website hosting, you can get confused and make a mistake by picking the wrong type of service. When things get too tangled, we often decide to just pick anything at random and make a purchase. This article can help you cut through the confusion, gain a better understanding of web page hosting, and find the provider that best meets your needs.
Almost every web host has additional features available in their packages, although the exact add-ons may vary from host to host. When you are comparing web hosts, ensure that the service you are looking at includes any specific features you need. For example, one host’s low price advantage may disappear when you find that a feature you want is only included on a higher priced package.
Is shared or dedicated website hosting the best for your business? If you have a huge and complicated site that receives tons of visitors, you may discover that shared hosting is curtailing your advancement and limiting your ability to serve your customers. It is probably a good idea to look for a dedicated host.
Select several providers you are interested in, and keep their contact information. By doing this, if potential problems become deal breakers, it’s easy for you to quickly change to a brand new host that has less interruption in the plans you have than if a host server were to completely crash.
Ask about any security the web host may provide. Today, numerous threats are present and websites are targets for attacks. Ideally, your hosting service should have established protocols and contingency plans to address DDosS attacks and other threats. Know the potential risks to your site if your host is attacked.
Once you have selecting your website hosting company, you should opt to make payments on a monthly basis, as opposed to committing to a longer period of time. Predicting the future when it comes to your host’s company or your own business is impossible. If your host goes out of business or if your company outgrows them, you could lose any hosting payments you’ve made.
Want a website that’s safe? It may be worth getting a certificate for a server that’s secure. You can add this button to your website so customers feel it is a more trustworthy website to visit.
When selecting a web host, look for a company that offers you detailed site statistics and traffic information to your website. Add an automatic counter to the site so that you have something to compare with the numbers your host provides you. It is in your best interest as a business owner to closely monitor and manage this data.
If you are new to web design, select a web page hosting company that has outstanding customer service instead of just extra bells and whistles. If you can easily find the answers to your questions without having to pay fees for guidance, the hosting plan will be worth it’s weight in gold. The company’s technical support will most likely be the service you’ll use the most in the beginning.
Hosting providers value their reputations, because you can learn so much from what users report. Read reviews and articles on web hosts, and you will begin to see that some hosts have a reputation in their industry, that can offer you a sense of trust in doing business with them. You will be able to easily pick out the companies that’s efforts are lax, and don’t live up to claims that they make.
Does your computer have a dial-up connection? If so, don’t host your own site. If you want your site to be up and running at all times, it needs a secure, fast connection to the Internet. A slow internet connection can cause your site to go down, frustrating your customers and future clients.
View the site of the web host you’re considering. If their site is amateurish, obviously a template or riddled with typos, this is a huge red flag. This could be a hint of many problems, perhaps just inexperience, or maybe a company that is here today but gone tomorrow. A well-designed website shows that the company has good attention to detail and experience in the field of HTML and web design.
As your own business grows, as does the amount of viewers to your website, you may have to consider upgrading your hosting plan. Find out how the service handles upgrades. There should be a specific process for upgrading that minimizes problems and allows upgrades to occur quickly. Requests for increases in the amount of bandwidth allotted for your website should be accommodated very quickly. Switching from shared servers to your own dedicated one should also be simple.
Identify the positives and negatives of the hosting plans you’ve gathered information on. If you have already signed a contract with a hosting service, make sure you prime your IT technician as you prepare for a fresh port.
