Given the fact that there are tens of thousands of different companies offering web hosting services, finding a good web host is not always simple. There are also a few fly-by-night web hosting companies in operation that you need to make sure you avoid. Continue reading to learn six tips that will help to make your search for the perfect web host and hosting package a little easier.
1. First find out whether or not you actually require a web host. If you are just seeking to run a personal blog or share some static information with a few friends, a free blog provider or a simple Facebook page might be better suited to your needs.
2. Check out one of the many popular hosting directories on the web. These directories index thousands of web hosting companies and provide you with ratings, customers review and detailed information about the hosting packages that are available from each company. Some directories even have built in interactive comparison tools, making it easy for you to compare multiple web hosting companies and web hosting plans simultaneously.
3. Unless your website uses ASP.NET and ODBC, Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL databases, you should consider limiting your search to web hosting provider that have Apache (Linux) servers. Windows servers are much more expensive than Apache (Linux) servers and they are unnecessary unless you want to use some of the features mentioned above.
4. Once you have chosen a web host, don’t purchase any of the hosting plans on offer without first accessing what your specific hosting requirements are. After all, it would be foolish to pay a premium for a hosting plan that comes with 2TB of disk space if your website is only 30MB in size. Similarly, if you want to place large multimedia files on your website, it is no good opting for a cheap hosting plan that does not come with a generous monthly bandwidth restriction.
5. Always find out where a web hosting company is based and ask where their data centers are located. Offshore web hosting providers often offer low priced hosting packages, however, their data centers are often not properly secured, meaning that your website’s confidential data could be at risk. Furthermore, if any problems arise with your website, you need to be able to talk to a customer service representative that can speak your native language.
6. If you are running a serious, professional website, it would be best to stay away from free web hosts. These hosts generally recoup their costs by placing third party advertisements on their client’s websites. The advertisements they use are very intrusive. For example, they typically open in separate browser windows and contain loud audio clips along with brightly colored, flashing animations. Your customers are unlikely to appreciate these ads and may even be tempted to leave your website because of them. The servers that free web hosts use are also not usually very secure, so a website with them will probably be vulnerable to attacks from hackers.
As previously mentioned, finding a good web host is not always easy. Hopefully, some of the tips featured above will come in useful when you being your search. Finally, don’t be afraid to change your web hosting provider. Given that there are so many web hosting companies around, there is no reason for you to stay with a web host that gives you poor service.