A company relies on their web hosting platform to be online at all times. If you’re not a programmer by nature, all of the fancy words and directories can get confusing at times. Once the information and choices become convoluted, many people just shut down and randomize their choice. Although this might sound confusing, this article can help clear some of the confusion.
When comparing your options for web hosting providers, pay close attention to the types of websites available. Some free sites only offer pages that are static, which won’t allow you to write any of your own scripts. You may have to search for a pay service if you need, or want, to create dynamic pages.
Ask about the kind of security precautions a host relies on. Today, numerous threats are present and websites are targets for attacks. Choose a host with procedures efficient enough against DDoS attacks. Find out what could happen to your site if a virus or hacker targets the web hosting service.
Figure out how large your website will be within the next year and choose a hosting plan that gives you enough hard drive space. A single page composed of HTML may not take up too much space, but images and videos quickly gobble up space. Having access to about 100MB of space for storage can give you adequate room for your site to expand.
Most hosts already require you to back up your own site. A regular back-up procedure is essential, not only so that you comply with the terms of your contract, but so that your data is safe in the event of an unforeseen issue. In case your website or host goes awry, you have all of your data secure and poised for quick relaunch.
Web Hosting
The less you know about web hosting and web design, the more important it is for you to go with a host that offers good support. When you first start out there are a lot of questions that pop up in your head about web hosting, so you’re going to want a host that has great customer service available and ready to answer all of your questions. You will get a lot more from a technical support person than the applications that other companies may offer.
Find a way, such as message boards or forums, to discuss a potential web host with its current customers. Having the ability to post questions that take up your concerns, will benefit you because you can eliminate this company if they do not meet your standards. After these discussions, you will be able to find confidence in the right company. Current customers are the best way to gauge the quality of a host’s services.
You need to be aware that certain hosting services utilize Windows, and others utilize Linux. This can mean that you get access to various features and need to get comfortable with these features. In general, a host using a Linux server will be less expensive than one that uses Windows.
Before signing up for a hosting account, peruse the host’s website. You will know a site is reliable if it provides you with information you’ll need in order to optimize your website successfully. Some services offer more resources to their clients once they open an account.
It is possible to receive a refund for downtime from some web hosting companies, so check to see if yours offers this. At most, you will likely receive a refund of what only amounts to a few pennies. The loss in sales, however, could be significant. Make sure that you find a host that has a good uptime instead of looking at the refund policy.
When you are considering a particular web hosting business, ascertain how long they have been around. A company that has been operating for a longer period of time will generally be able to provide better support. Your host will have enough experience to deal with issues. Likely, they’ll have already have procedures in place for they types of issues that come up with regularity. Newer companies may be perfectly willing to help you, but their lack of experience can cause them to waste time or irritate you while they try to find a solution to your problem.
Don’t make a web hosting decision without checking customer reviews of the companies you are considering. Do not take the claims of a web host at face value; it’s better to seek opinions about companies from current or former customers.
For the average user, it can unimportant to have a lot of add-on options. While unlimited disk space might appear to be a great bargain, if you are running a relatively lean blog or online business, this is a feature that you do not need, and it is not worth the additional cost. If you don’t have a use for these applications, go for a lesser plan.
Cancellation Fees
See if hidden cancellation fees are buried in the agreement. You might discover that, after just a few weeks, a particular web host isn’t working out. You should not choose a service with cancellation fees. This is a customary practice, particularly for web hosting services that are inexpensive. You need to know how you can exit the deal if you feel the service is unacceptable.
You should consider carefully the frequency and schedule of the web host’s downtime. The time of day and frequency with which they perform maintenance needs to be factored into your decision. If they’re down peak hours over over a month or multiple days in the course of a short amount of time, find another host.
Hopefully this article has cleared up some of the confusion, and educated you on the industry jargon of web hosting. If you have registered for a hosting plan already, you can still port your information to a new server.