Many people assume that web hosting companies are all the
same, but that is certainly not the case. There are many shady companies out
there looking to take advantage of inexperienced website owners, and if you
aren't educated on what to look out for, then you could be out a lot of money.
This article offers some helpful advice so you know if your web hosting provider
is legitimate, and offers a quality service.
If you have a small to
mid-sized company and want to cut hosting costs, you should go with a shared
server. If you do not get lots of traffic or do not wish to have control over
your server resources, then go with a shared host. Just keep in mind that you
will be sharing CPU, disk space, and bandwidth.
Ask about the kind of
security precautions a host relies on. These days, attacks are often launched
against websites, and many threats are always present. Be sure your host has
procedures to deal with various hackers and viral attacks. You need to ask about
the potential risks associated to your website if your web host is under
attack.
You must be familiar with band-width, or the amount of data that
is able to transfer in and out of your web hosting account. Different web
hosting companies offer different prices on different band-widths, so you need
to make sure you use this to help you make a decision as to who you should
select for web hosting.
Are you stuck between choosing between a free
hosting service and a paid provider? Remember that free hosts rarely offer
backup features. If you go with this option, you should be diligent in backing
up your own data. If one of your files vanishes, there's nothing to be done. If
this happened with all of your site content, it would be impossible to recreate
without a backup.
When deciding upon a web hosting service, take a close
look at the specific plans they offer. Price is not the only factor in deciding
a monthly plan; check to see that you understand exactly what you are getting
for that fee. Examples of what to look for include the number of sub-domains you
are allowed, as well as how many email accounts are allotted to you.
When
setting up a new web hosting account, be sure that you ascertain how much space
you will need for proper functioning of your site. If you will be posting and
blogging daily, it is possible that you could use up all the allotted space on
the more inexpensive plans. Realize that any plugins you use for blogging when
take up a good bit of allotted space.
If you want to have an e-commerce
website, look for a host that offers this specific kind of service. Other
services might not have the same security features. E-commerce features might be
a little more costly, but they will allow you to create a site that looks
professional and can support the kind of traffic you need.
When choosing
a free teamspeak 3
service, check to see how they make a profit from providing this service to you.
Ask if they sell your personal information to third parties, and whether you can
monitor which ads appear on your site. If there is no control over these things,
then fork out the money for a basic package from a reputable hosting
service.
If you want to establish a brand on the internet, think
about getting a web hosting service with a POP3 email feature. This feature
allows you to create your own email addresses containing the name of your
domain. You will be able to give your customer an email address that reflect
your professionalism and helps them remember the name of your
brand.
Don't choose a host only because of their prices. Examine all of
the options and features offered by each provider. You shouldn't choose a
package from a provider who doesn't meet your needs, even if the price is great.
Be sure you are really getting the best fit for all your needs.
Avoid
paying for web hosting space that you actually do not need. Some plans will
entice you into contracts that cost more by affording you unlimited space - but
do you actually need this? Remember that you can always upgrade later as your
needs increase. Unless you are a large company or are engaging in eCommerce, you
can probably get by with 10MB or less.
If you wish to add videos to your
site, look for a host that supports Flash FLV format. This format is currently
the most efficient way to host videos online and guarantee a fast streaming time
for your visitors. Make sure you are allowed enough storing space and bandwidth
for videos.
You will recognize a successful web hosting service by the
number of packages they offer. If you can subscribe for many different features
and get more storing space as your site expands, this means your web host is
making plans in the long term and has allowed many websites to grow.
As
you can see, not all web hosting companies are the same. If you understand a few
basic rules that make up a good host company, then you should have no worries
about who is hosting your site. Apply the helpful advice from this article so
you do not get hurt the next time you choose a company to host your site.