A host is generally a server or rack of servers that “hosts” the files composing your website via the Internet. Companies usually offer various packages at different rates for their hosting services, but it’s important that you make a choice with your future company in mind, and not just saving a few bucks at the moment.
When searching for the right web hosting service, you need to remember the importance of a website running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without constant technical interruptions. Do your research, and know which companies are not just available and cheap, but reliable enough to trust with keeping your website up and running.
Make certain to read reviews to determine whether your potential web host has frequent periods of downtime. If your website is often inaccessible to visitors, there can be drastically negative consequences. For example, if you are running an online business, downtime directly translates into lost business because potential customers will not be able to access your website. Customers may also feel uncomfortable conducting transactions on your website because they might believe your website to be unreliable. Choose a web host that does not have a history of being offline frequently.
If you want to use a shopping cart software, make sure it is compatible with your web host. A good web host should support certain features such as Web scripting, dynamic content or executable files. These features will allow you to add different ways for your visitors to interact with your website, for instance by leaving feedback.
When selecting a web host, consider how much the host costs. Some hosts charge on a per-year basis while some may be month-to-month. Look for a host that costs an average of about $5 per month as this will most likely give you a great value for your money as opposed to a free hosting site that may not offer as many options.
Before choosing your web hosting service, determine whether or not you will need to use web templates. Many hosts will provide easy to use templates for building your site without the need for HTML knowledge or a professional designer. If you need this service, then choose a host that give a wide range of templates.
Ensure that the web host you sign up with has a strong anti-spam policy. If any of the web host’s customers are involved in spam activities, it could result in the web host becoming blocked which will affect your website as well. Make certain that the web host you are considering is not already blocked, and has stringent policies in place that will help it avoid getting blocked in the future.
Before signing on to a web hosting service and choosing a plan that meets your immediate needs, check to see what the process will be if you need to upgrade at a later date. Different types of plans may, or may not, support the services that you may want to add in the future. Make sure that your current plan can be easily converted to a more complex one without the need to start from scratch.
If there was anything in your business that you should be willing to splurge on, it’s the power of a proper host. It will be one of the most important decisions you make, and if you choose wrong, it could end up meaning months of lost service and lost profits.