A web hosting provider is the bridge that allows people using the Internet to view your website. Doing your research before you sign up for a hosting plan is key to ensuring you get what you need at a price that is reasonable. This article contains some valuable advice that can help you along as you select your web hosting service.
It is vital that the hosting service you choose has all of the services and features that you need and want for your website. You definitely need the basics available to you like Microsoft FrontPage, SSL certificates, email spam filtering, and whatever else you know you will need.
When selecting a web hosting service, favor those that have received lots of hosting awards. This will give you a good idea of how efficient their service is. Having an award is a good indication that the web hosting company is reliable and has many satisfied customers. Try to choose a host that has a number of fan-voted awards.
Don’t rely on your website’s host in backing up your information. It is your responsibility to make sure nothing is lost, so you need to backup your information regularly. If your website is SEO intensive, it is especially important not to take a chance on losing all that work.
Don’t register a domain name with the hosting company if there are plans to own the name long term. If you switch providers down the road, you may not be able to take your domain name with you. To hold on to your domain name permanently, a separate registration company makes sense.
Do not go with a free web host just because the service is free. Free services typically come with the requirement of your website displaying ad banners. Furthermore, you are not allowed to change or control these advertisements. The presence of banner ads also gives your website an unprofessional appearance.
It is important that you know a lot about your hosting provider. If multiple web hosts are down, you will know it’s not your particular host’s problem, and that the issue is being worked on. If your host is inaccessible for more than a day, do not hesitate to ask questions in the forum about when service will be restored.
See about maintenance schedules from your host. Ideally, maintenance that is scheduled should only be scheduled for once every thirty days. This can limit your downtime if you use this company.
Avoid selecting a web host just because they are the cheapest. Finding great deals is always nice, but you usually get what you pay for so don’t make your choices solely based on a cheaper price. You may end up giving up quality service and/or support when you just choose the cheapest host.
Determine if your hosting provider offers the ability to run server-side scripts. Some free sites only offer pages that are static, which won’t allow you to write any of your own scripts. A paid host account will entitle you to more flexibility.
Does the web host offer your money back guaranteed? If you find you do not like the service in the first 30 days, you ought to have the option to cancel and receive a refund. Not all web hosts may actually be as good as what they advertise.
Test the customer support at any web hosting company you are considering by calling and emailing them. This way, you can ensure that they are helpful and professional when providing assistance. Getting a taste of the kind of customer service they provide beforehand can help you make the right choice and avoid grief later.
Look at backup hosts if you run into unfavorable services of a web host. By doing this, if you end up with issues that aren’t solvable, you have a place to turn quickly without having interruptions in your service.
Some hosting services give prorated refunds for site outages. This monetary refund policy is often just a few cents even if you lose a lot of money while the site was down. Seek a host that has a good uptime as opposed to one that gives refunds.
If you’re considering which web host would work best for your needs, investigate the forums on their website. The web host company is probably successful if the forum contains active members who are posting and chatting. If you notice an empty forum or it has a lot of complaints, then you may want to choose another company.
Don’t completely rule out web hosting providers who offer free services. While some free hosting services place obnoxious, unprofessional-looking ads all over your site, some free hosts do not engage in this practice at all. Think about it, having a free web host could keep you from spending thousands on hosting costs every year.
If you plan on keeping the same host for a couple of years, find out if you can get a better rate for a longer contract. You may find that you can save considerable amounts of money this way.
Make sure you understand your web host’s fee structure, including any hidden fees. Perhaps you will decide you want something else after a few weeks. Then when you want to cancel the service, you are slammed with huge cancellation fees. Many low-priced web hosts will include these fees to try to retain customers despite their poor service. Find out ahead of time how you can terminate the service with no fees if it does not work out to your satisfaction.
See if a prospective web host is a new startup or has been around for years. Companies that have been in business for longer periods of time tend to provide superior support. When an issue happens, the company should have the experience needed to deal with it. Most likely, the company will have set procedures in place to deal with the most common issues. If you choose a newer host, you might have to deal with inexperienced technicians and a lot of downtime.
You need a web hosting service in order to exist out there on the Internet. To prevent trouble in the future, remember a few things when you are choosing a web host. Utilize the tips found here when finding a web host.
