If you are setting up a new website, then choosing the right web host is one of the most important decisions that you need to make. Your web host will determine where all your data is stored, the traffic to your website and the availability of technical assistance. Although, you will find several web hosts, it is essential that you carefully analyze what each offers and choose the one that meets your requirements best. To help out beginners, here is a list of things that you need to be mindful of when choosing a web host.
Price
You will be able to find plenty of free or extremely cheap web hosts and you can get easily tempted by them. However, it is important to note that most of the free or cheap web hosting services come with some disadvantages.An Asian friend of mine use to say…..
Cheap thing no good and good thing no cheap!
The appearance of ads is one of the most common problems associated with such web hosts. Furthermore, webmasters that offer extremely cheap hosting services also provide little or no technical services at all. Thus, rather than choosing a hosting service based on price, it is more important that you look at other features which are discussed below.
Reliability
Whether you are purchasing a small item from an online store or hiring a webmaster for its web hosting services, it is essential that you check the credibility and authenticity of the sellers. Most of the credible web host services offer its customers the chance to rate and review them and hence, all you need to do is go through these ratings and reviews. Only after you are sure about the authenticity and reliability of the service should you proceed to make a deal.
Technical Assistance
Although all webmasters offer their customers technical assistance that is claimed to be available 24/7, this claim is often not met. You might not realize the importance of having technical support in the beginning but once your business grows, support becomes essential in matters such as creating new email accounts etc. A good way to find out whether the web host you are planning to choose would be available for your assistance all the time is from previous customers. Moreover, credible services usually offer a ticketing system for queries rather than a simple helpline. Helplines are rarely available in time of need and are inefficient in solving queries.
Features offered
Web hosting services offer different packages to their customers and hence, you can choose according to your own requirements. Although it might sound like a simple task, in reality you need to put a lot of thought into this. If you plan to expand your business in near future, then you need to carefully choose the appropriate web package. Hosting companies like 1and1 have tons of features for all users, beginners to advanced users, thus, it is generally a good idea to list down all features that you require right now and those that you would require in the near future, as we can be tricked into buying services we don’t need, the more flexible the service provider, the better.
