You have carried out the hard part and that's creating the
web site. The next step is to get it hosted as to allow the public find your site. So why do so many first time
web host seekers fall into the trap of a bad
web host company? Well there are a number of factors to consider and none bigger than the price. We all want
cheap web hosting but unfortunately price is not always what you should go for.
You have to be more aware of the
web hosting company that you choose. If you have a budget stick to it, if you see
hosting for little or nothing and find yourself thinking "how do they make money" stay well away, the chances are your
web site will be hosted with very little bandwidth resulting in a very slow accessible and unprofessional
web site. You may also find that the customer service is little or none.
You need to clearly outline your own requirements to the
web hosting company, if you do not do so you are at fault and not in any position to point the finger at others. If you make a list of requirements such as particular files you need etc you can send your requirements to multiple
hosting companies and see who comes back with the greater service.
If you have more than one
web site to host such as affiliate marketers it is not a good idea to put all your sites with the one
web host
company server to start with, you need to be 100% confident with the service, so start with one
web site first as a test. Remember if you do host all your websites with one host company, all it takes is one problem to bring all your sites down and could result in lose of revenue for you. At least if you have some
web sites hosted by another
company they will still be online.
Some
web host companies offer testimonials on their own
web site from valued customers recommending them. Seeing is not believing, call these customers and get a face value recommendation for yourself.
What if I have problems?
Lets be honest, problems can occur and they maybe your fault and sometimes the
web host
company is to blame. Problems with technology can occur any time but it's how the
hosting company react to the fault that will determine if you stay with them or not. If you find your
web site dropping off line or downloading slowly at a regular basis simply change to another
web host company. On going problems not fixed is a very bad sign and it shows arrogance towards their customers. Support is vital from a
web host
company and it should be 24 hour if it's a large organisation.
Virus Problems and Hackers
It is up to the
web host
company to ensure that your files are protected from virus and hackers at all times. There has been plenty of companies who have had their
web sites hacked only then to find out that the
web host
company had not got the latest patches and security software applied. First timers to
web hosting should always ask how often updates and what software is used to protect
web sites.
Tips:
In business your
web site can be a large source of revenue or sometimes your only source. Always do your own backup of the
web site. If the
web host
company experience problems and for whatever reason has no backups available your whole business could be on hold. Backups are vital so do it as regular as possible or face the consequences. Some companies have testimonials on their
web site from customers, do not be afraid to call these guys for an up to date reference.
If you where taking on an employee you would check all references, this is similar. Always get the full contact details of the
web hosting company, many people simple go online and have an email address only as the contact. If their email goes down and you need to contact them you should have their full details at hand. Always shop around for the different
web hosting plans and compare, you will find large differences, after you settle with a budget ask the necessary questions before you sign up.
About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice to consumers on purchasing a variety of
Affordable Web Hosting and
Cheap web hosting, and more! His numerous
articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.
Copyright Declan Tobin -
http://www.no1-in-web-hosting.com/