Picking a web host may seem like a very easy decision to make on the surface, but making an uninformed choice with something that important is very unwise. Consider the repercussions. If your web host is unreliable, your potential customers will be greeted with a dysfunctional web site when searching for your company. Do you think they will check back later, or simply move on the the next hit on their search? With the high stakes, it is important to get the best web host possible. The following questions are meant to help you get relevant information to make a discerned choice.

As with any decision, cost is a paramount concern. What are the costs associated with providing you your desired products and services? Certainly, cost shouldn’t be your only concern, but it should be among them. If you find that two different sites provide similar services of similar quality, then you shouldn’t pay more for one than the other. If, however, one is clearly better than the rest, a price premium may be justified. You need to decide what you are willing to pay for website reliability and security.

Does your web host provide add-on domains? If so, you should become familiar with the details provided by the web host.

In a typical week, month, etc., what is their average downtime? Just as the introductory paragraph states, the stakes are high with web hosting, and the less the amount of time you site is up, the fewer customers you will reach.

What amount of web space is available at the web hosting company you are considering? Most companies offer packages in varying size, and it is important to consider your needs and the products available before making a decision. If you only require 5G of space, you shouldn’t pay for 50G. Similarly, if the company offers a good deal on 50G, you may want to make room for possible future expansion.

In your introductory emails and phone calls, you should be able to get a good feel for the customer service. This is a great indication of what their customer support is like. Ask yourself, which company has the best customer support? You can also search the internet for reviews and ratings of each company you are considering. This feedback is great for getting an honest opinion on the company from unbiased customers.

Does the web host offer a c-panel feature? This feature may or may not be necessary for your particular company, if your needs are simple enough. It basically simplifies website and server management, but if your website is easy to maintain, you may not need this. If you don’t, you wouldn’t want to pay for it either.

By asking the questions in this article, you should be able to get a more thorough understanding of the intricacies of web hosting. By gathering the answers to these questions for several web hosting services, the right company for you should me much easier to determine. Good luck in your future business ventures.