Small businesses sometimes try to save money and cut corners by hiring a cheap, low-cost web host. This can be a bad business decision because the problems that a cut-rate host causes can really hurt your profits. Keep reading below to learn some solid advice and hosting tips for those with small businesses.
Different hosts may have different features and add-ons like website builders or one-click installs of third-party content managers. When comparing hosts, compare the levels of services and features offered. 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.
Have a list of several possible hosts that you like before you pick a single web hosting service. Depending on the recommendations of one or two people can backfire, especially if those providing their opinions lack experience or have some kind of affiliation with the host they recommend.
Beware website hosting companies with frequent outages. Don’t choose a company that makes excuses for lengthy outages. Do not make any commitment to such companies because this is a big sign that they are unprofessional.
Do not register a domain name through your hosting service; if your relationship with your host deteriorates or goes sour, you will be able to transfer your domain name to a different server, rather than losing it. You might not have any control over your website’s registration, the host will.
Web Host
When deciding on a web host, choose a provider that tracks your traffic statistics for you. Add a site visitor counter so you can cross reference with your web host’s stats. This type of data allows business owners such as yourself to fine-tune a site to suit the target audience.
When you’re looking to hire a web host, perform online research in addition to reviewing the company’s promotional materials and what is stated on their website. Look at sites that offer customer reviews and independent evaluations of the hosting company. This will help you to form an opinion about their reliability, professionalism, and capability. These reviews will help you recognize a quality service from other hosts.
Remember that you often get what you pay for with free hosting sites. Free hosts pay for themselves in several ways, including adding banner ads and other distractions to your site. This means you don’t have any control over the ads that are displayed. Advertising for a variety of products on your site, will make it appear untrustworthy and unprofessional.
Try to talk to other users of the host to see what they think on forums. These channels are helpful for finding honest, unbiased reviews and feedback that can make your decision much easier. These discussions will also increase your confidence in a good company. There’s nothing like picking the brains of current customers for useful information about a company.
Website Hosting
As you can now see, it is not the best idea to keep costs low in the area of website hosting. Anyone needing to maintain an online presence must be able to depend on their website hosting service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Using the tips you’ve read here will help you to avoid mistakes that others make when it comes to web page hosting, allowing you to stay with the host you choose for the life of your site.