Choosing a Good Web Host For Your Website
by Stuart Livesey
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If there is one thing that any person who is bringing their business online needs to know it is that your web host can make or break you.
A good host is one of the most vital assets you will ever have. A bad host can destroy your business in just a few minutes.
Therefore it is obvious that choosing a good host is vitally important to your future success. But how do you choose a good host?
How do you know that the hosting company you choose really does have the ability to host your site and keep it online 24/7/365?
It really is very hard to tell. Just look at some of the host’s websites and they will show you impressive images of data centres filled with rows and rows of servers. They sites will talk of redundancies and back-ups, load sharing and big pipes and 24/7 service but is it all just hype?
How do you know that the images you are seeing really do depict the resources of the host?
How do you know that what they are telling you really is true?
The short answer is that you don’t know if it is true or not. There is no guarantee that the images you are seeing are of the host’s data centre and there is no guarantee that what they say on their site is not just hype.
In fact, if you have a look around at many hosting websites you will soon see the same images appearing again and again because these hosts don’t own or operate big data centres filled with servers. What many of them may own is a lease on several servers that they are then on-selling to you.
If you host with these guys you may find that their 24/7 technical support disappears in a puff of smoke as soon as you need help.
Of course not all hosts are like that. There are some very reputable and reliable hosts out there who really do own their own data centres and do have all that their websites claim.
But again, how can you tell who is reputable and who is not?
The short answer is that you can’t tell for sure. The best you can do is to weigh up the evidence and ask around for recommendations and then choose one that seems to best suit your needs.
When you have made your choice it’s then time to choose the plan you want to sign up for. Choosing the right plan can be a real headache too but the best rule of thumb is to choose the lowest plan that will suite your requirements.
Don’t start with a plan that exceeds your requirements and then try to grow into it because that is just a waste of money. Instead start at the bottom and gradually move up to the next plan as your online business grows.
Don’t be fooled by all the bells and whistles that are offered with the more expensive plans either. If you don’t need fancy scripts and a million email addresses then don’t pay for them.
Any host that is worthy of your business will be happy to let you do that and they will even allow you to change plans in the middle of the month.
When you have decided on your plan then sign up … for just one month. Many hosts try to encourage their clients to sign up for months in advance but you need some flexibility. If you find that your host is not meeting your requirements then you will want to change to another one but if that happens in the first month and you have a six-month contract …
So what are some of the things you should look for in a good host?
With out a doubt the most important thing to look for is 24/7 technical support. If your site goes off line at 3 am on a Sunday morning then you want someone there at the data centre to fix the problem immediately.
You also need to have the ability to pick up the phone and talk to the tech support. Trouble tickets and emails are fine but there is nothing that cures a problem faster than a phone call.
Are there hosts out there who can provide a quality service? There is no doubt; they are out there and their services are not always the most expensive.
Finding them can be difficult but don’t give up until you do because the success of your business will depend on them.