You’ve bought your domain and are ready to put your website online, good for you! Where should you start your search? What are the best things to look for when selecting a company to be your website host? How can you be sure you can depend on them? This article will answer some of the most common and pressing questions concerning hosting services.
What types of sites does your hosting site offer? Some free hosts only allow you to upload HTML, and not other scripting languages. If you are going to be using script on your page, you should probably invest in a dynamic hosting service.
Register your domain name outside of your web host so that in the event of a shutdown or fight between you and your host, you can keep your domain name and jsut transfer it to a new server. If you register your domain through your host, they have control of it.
When looking for a web host, choose a service that is in the country that your target audience is in. If you’re targeting folks in the UK, your hosting plan’s data center should also be there.
Web Host
After choosing a web host, opt for monthly payments instead of yearly payments. The future of both your company and the web hosting service provider is uncertain. Should anything happen to the web host, all deposited cash would be lost unless the host says otherwise.
You should select a web host service that offers enough space for your site to grow. A simple HTML page doesn’t require much space, but adding videos and pictures quickly causes you to be in need of much more space. You need about 100 MB to adequately develop your site.
Be careful when looking at website hosting packages with unlimited services. For example, a claim of unlimited space may also contain restrictions on what types of files you can host. Unlimited bandwidth will usually mean that you can get all the bandwidth you need, but there will be additional fees for overages at the end of the month. Review your contract carefully, consider different kinds of plans and remember that there is, generally, no such thing as unlimited features.
Don’t take a potential web host at their word. After visiting their site, do more research. Go to sites that are independent and have no connection to your provider, then read user reviews there. This will give you a better picture of the actual quality of service and features, and who has had issues with any of them.
When it comes down to choosing a provider, do not immediately go with the cheapest or free option. One way free sites make money is showing advertising on their clients’ websites. You have no control over what type of ads will be displayed. The presence of banner ads also gives your website an unprofessional appearance.
Hosting Company
Hosting awards are a great tool to use when selecting a hosting company. This method is great for judging a host’s support and service. Having an award is a good indication that the web page hosting company is reliable and has many satisfied customers. A site with many awards from its customers is one you should consider using for your web host.
Even after you acquire a good domain name and have ideas for a great website, before anything happens you need to secure hosting for the site. Knowing what to look for in a company and where to find it is half the battle of getting your site online and ready for action. Apply the tips from this article so you can get your website up and running as quickly as possible.