HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST WEB HOST

Web Hosting is a service. Auto mechanics also provide a service. How would you decide which mechanic is best for you? Price? Experience? Reliability? This is the same line of thinking that should go into deciding which company should host your website.

It is very common to see choices centered around price, especially with so much competition in the hosting business. It is not uncommon to see hosting plans range from free to upwards of $50 per month. However, if you happened to see a sign on the street that said "$2 mechanic inside" you would probably drive right by, right? How good could a "$2 mechanic" possibly be? Why would a mechanic with skill and experience charge next to nothing for their service? Certainly, it is worth paying a mechanic. You don't want to be overcharged, but you do realize an experienced mechanic has value.

This example is very similar to the hosting world. Some may argue a car is more important than a website. Tell that to the bed and breakfast owner who does 90% of their booking via their online reservation system. If your business depends on a website to either completely drive or supplement sales, you know how important a website can be.

When it comes to choosing a host, there are not enough choices centered around experience and reliability. These are the foundations for any good company. A mechanic who has worked on cars for 10 years is going to be more familar with his trade than a mechanic who only has 2 years experience. If you were deciding on a mechanic, wouldn't you lean towards the one who has worked on cars for a longer period of time and perhaps comes on a good recommendation?

Okay, enough talk about cars, let's talk hosting. When you are looking for a company to provide the service of web hosting, try placing price aside for a moment. First, look for a company that has been in businesss for a number of years. Any host that has been around for over 5 years is probably doing something right. That's not to say a host of 2 years can't help you, but at least begin your search with the most experienced.

After you've found a few candidates, write down about 10 questions you would like to ask your future host. Even if you know the answers to some questions, that's okay. The reason for the questions is to see how long it takes to get answers and the quality of those answers. If you don't like what you see, scratch them off your list because that is exactly the type of response you will get when a support issue arises.

Try to get the web addresses of 4 or 5 sites they host and visit over a period of a week or so and see if you notice any downtime or blatant sluggishness. You may even want to email the owners of these sites and ask what they think of their host.

This may seem like alot of work just to decide on a host for your website. It's certainly more involved than simply looking for the cheapest price. When you only look at price you overlook some essential factors, such as experience and reliability. If your website is important to you or your business, you will come to rely on that experience which translates into quality service.

LOOKING FOR A NEW WEB HOST

The first step in locating the best and most affordable web hosting company for your needs is to hit your favorite search engine and then to start collecting email addresses of hosting firms.

Take a quick look around at what each company offers to determine possible suitability. If their web site doesn't function correctly, it's wise to look elsewhere. Ensure you review their company profile to get a "vibe" about their practices and ethics. If the company profile only details how good they think they are, run like hell. The rest of your initial enquiries can be handled via email.
Let the hosting services know that you are approaching a number of companies. You can make this clear by putting all the company email addresses in the CC field. This strategy will quickly identify the companies who genuinely want your business and also allow you to easily run through an initial cull, saving you valuable hours in research.
Not all web hosts are created equal
The criteria for the first cull is simple - if they don't respond to your enquiry within 24 hours, delete them from your "possibles" list. This also applies if they only send you links to promo material without any personalized message. To really test them out, send your email late on a Saturday night - wherever the hosting company is in the world, it will be the weekend.
The idea behind the 24 hour strategy is this - if a company can't respond to pre-sales questions quickly, it may be an indication of what their customer support is like. Also, many web site hosts don't see the "big picture". You may be starting out small, but who knows how big you'll become and how many other people you will refer to their service? A forward thinking company recognizes this and communicates appropriately.
Don't make it too hard on the hosting companies in your email to start off with, you can ask more detailed questions as you reduce the list of possibilities. .
Hosting Service Recommendation: uses a excellent email support service that makes telephone support look positively antiquated. Test it out for yourself and ask them some pre-sales questions! Visit HostGator today!

Looking for a new web host?
The first step in locating the best and most affordable web hosting company for your needs is to hit your favorite search engine and then to start collecting email addresses of hosting firms.
Take a quick look around at what each company offers to determine possible suitability. If their web site doesn't function correctly, it's wise to look elsewhere. Ensure you review their company profile to get a "vibe" about their practices and ethics. If the company profile only details how good they think they are, run like hell. The rest of your initial enquiries can be handled via email.
Let the hosting services know that you are approaching a number of companies. You can make this clear by putting all the company email addresses in the CC field. This strategy will quickly identify the companies who genuinely want your business and also allow you to easily run through an initial cull, saving you valuable hours in research.
Not all web hosts are created equal
The criteria for the first cull is simple - if they don't respond to your enquiry within 24 hours, delete them from your "possibles" list. This also applies if they only send you links to promo material without any personalized message. To really test them out, send your email late on a Saturday night - wherever the hosting company is in the world, it will be the weekend.
The idea behind the 24 hour strategy is this - if a company can't respond to pre-sales questions quickly, it may be an indication of what their customer support is like. Also, many web site hosts don't see the "big picture". You may be starting out small, but who knows how big you'll become and how many other people you will refer to their service? A forward thinking company recognizes this and communicates appropriately.
Don't make it too hard on the hosting companies in your email to start off with, you can ask more detailed questions as you reduce the list of possibilities. .
Hosting Service Recommendation: HostGator uses a excellent email support service that makes telephone support look positively antiquated. Test it out for yourself and ask them some pre-sales questions!