No matter how great your site might be, it won’t be able to go far without a quality web host. You need to be certain that your site can handle incoming traffic, and that you’ll be able to get support when you need it. This is your guide to finding a web host that’s right for you.
1. Before you start hosting, decide what you’re willing to pay. Knowing your price range will help you narrow down your search from the very start. Be wary of free web hosts. While excellent hosts are absolutely available on a budget, you’re probably not going to get much if you don’t pay for your hosting at all. Don’t spend more than you can afford, but try to spend something.
2. After finding several potential hosts, start to research them. Look for reviews on the Internet, look for articles on them, and seek out any other information you can find. Try using dedicated hosting review sites or web hosting message boards to get a variety of different opinions. Before you agree to work with any host, you want to know the good and the bad.
3. Before signing up with a host, give their support system a test. Try sending a support email asking some questions and see how quickly they respond. Call their support line and make sure someone answers quickly. Try to find sites that offer 24 hour support. You’ll never know when you’ll need it.
4. If you find a good host that’s slightly out of your price range, see if there’s anything they offer that will make their hosting cheaper. Will they give you a free domain name in exchange for signing up with them? Can you pay a lower rate in exchange for displaying their ads on your site? Will your rates be lower if you agree to a long-term contract? Don’t rule out a host you love just because of their prices. Try to make them work for you.
5. Find other sites that use the host you’re considering, and check to see how fast they run. Don’t just check once. Try accessing the sites several times through out the day. Speed is essential to running a good site, and this is the best way to be sure your host will provide it.
6. Be sure that the host you use is secure. These days, site owners have to worry about attacks from a variety of sources. DDoS attacks, cross-site scripting, and a number of other attacks can do serious damage to your site. Contact the host and ask them to describe the kind of security they’ll provide. This is particularly important if you plan to run an ecommerce site.
When you have a good web host, you don’t need to worry about the little things. You just need to worry about making your site great. Hopefully, this guide will help you find a web host that will let you create and run the best site you possibly can.