With hundreds of web hosting companies to choose from today it can
be hard to know which ones are actually worth using. Below is a guide
of things to look for in a web host:
Services - A lot of times we are
sold on the idea that bigger is better. I like to look at web hosting
companies with a quality over quantity perspective. If lets say you
need a site to just simply host your little guy’s minor league
soccer team, do you really need a terabyte of bandwidth? Are you ever
going to make use of all of those gigabytes of storage space. A lot
of webhosting companies will oversell their servers in this way, and
rely on the little sites that won’t reach their limits to keep
things running. These companies are spreading themselves thin, and I
wouldn’t recommend getting on board with one of them. Find a host
that is going to meet your sites current needs, and that also allows
room for growth.
Prices - I’ve seen small packages
go for expensive sums, and large packages go for very cheap. This goes
back to the point above, and also the point below. Make sure that you
are actually getting what you pay for! Getting more than you pay for
isn’t normally a good thing, as chances are you aren’t with
a top quality host as they recognize that to keep things running they
need to charge more. Another way in which Web Hosting companies will
often cut costs is in their Customer Service. Most hosting companies
online are simply reseller services, and can have terrible response
times and customer support, as they are over extended or simply don’t
care.
Customer Service - This I feel is
the most important aspect to keep in mind when looking for a good web
host. Don’t over look this! Chances are at one point in the life
of your website you are going to have a problem with your host, or a
question, inquiry,etc. What good is it if they don’t answer? Look
for hosts that provide 24/7 email support. Email is the most common
although a lot of hosts will also offer live chat, and some even phone
support. Support I feel is what makes or breaks a host. Datacenters
are all pretty similar, and often times a lot of resellers are at the
same datacenter. Test out a company’s response time. And over
a couple days. One my first hosting experiences I found a site with
live chat, got online, asked my questions, and then joined. A few days
later I had some support problems, and there was no one there, same
thing a month later,etc. Even just to cancel my account took a month.
Quality hosts will be consistent and timely with their support.
Web hosting can be a pleasant experience or it can
be a nightmare. Take your time and test out a company before you join.
A little time now, will save you a lot of time/energy/money down the
road!
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Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following
caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.
About the Author
Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Web
Hosting Which is a great web directory and information center on
Web hosting and related topics like Unlimited Domains web hosting.
