Many small companies look for a cheap web host because they want to keep expenses low. Cheap web hosts may lead to lost sales though. Continue on to the article below for some great web hosting advice for small business owners.
Most web hosts have various add-ons for their packages, however, the features offered varies host by host. As you compare your options, you should also take into consideration the expected service levels and support for each of the most important features. A cheaper host may not have the same level of features as one that costs a bit more but has a more robust plan.
Choose a web host that does not have constant outages. Don’t listen to their excuses! Any company that experiences frequent outages has clearly not taken the proper precautions to protect their clients. Web hosts that experience frequent outages cannot provide you with top-quality service, and you should not commit to any contracts with these types of companies.
The website hosting service that you select must be one that will allow you the needed space to grow your site. If you plan to add videos or pictures to your site, you will need more space than a site that uses basic HTML scripting. 100MB of space should be good enough to start, for most sites.
Research a bit online about the host you’re interested in before you actually sign up after reading any of the host’s promotional material. Look for customer reviews and make sure they are located on an independent site and not an affiliate of the company. While a host can control what is said on their own website, they can’t stop people from posting legitimate complaints elsewhere.
Stick with companies that have excellent reputations. This method will help you judge a host’s 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. It’s always a good sign if a host has won a number of voter’s choice awards.
Avoid falling for scams and hidden costs. Many providers won’t disclose extra fees up front. This makes it important to determine exactly what your package includes and which features are truly essential to your needs. Find a plan that will cover your needs at a price that is reasonable for you.
Some web hosts use Windows, while others choose Linux. There are some differences between the features of the two types, and you might have a small learning curve to get comfortable with using them. If you are able to navigate a Linux-based program, then you can save significant money over using a Windows based site.
When choosing a web host, do not use cost as your only guideline. Weigh the different features and benefits that you need. Many useful features are available, so do not select a host that does not meet your requirements just because it offers a good rate. Be sure that the host can provide all the features that you need.
Some hosts offer refunds for the quantity of time your website was not operational. In general, you need to be refunded for sales you couldn’t obtain because of downtime. Instead of banking on getting refunds every time the server is down, try to find a host that offers substantial uptime.
You might want to upgrade on the services that you get from your website’s host as you get increased traffic. Make sure to ask if there are set processes to ensure that the updates occur in a timely manner. It usually does not take a lot of time for a simple increase of bandwidth to your site. It shouldn’t be difficult to change to a server dedicated to your hosting needs from a server shared with others.
Choosing low prices over service and features is not a good solution. Your site needs to be live nearly 100% of the time to guarantee you can make money and prosper. Use this advice so that you do not have to go through the mistakes that people commonly make when they decide on a web host.
