Nowadays, anybody can afford to order a feature-packed web hosting plan for next to nothing; however, affordable price is not the only criterion which should be considered when purchasing web hosting services. In this article, I'll explain the basics of what you should look for in choosing a web hosting company, not just concentrating on the best price and features, but also on reliability and honesty. You're investing your money and effort into finding paying customers and you wouldn't like to lose them in order to save a few dollars per month on a web hosting service.
When looking for a web hosting company, it doesn’t matter if this is just for the inception of a web or the move of an established site; you need to consider a large selection of criteria to determine which company to go with:
Customer support
Website hosting service isn’t just storage or bandwidth. Based on personal experience and that of others, even a top-notch service is worthless without customer support. If you own a business website, your hosting provider needs to be there for you 24/7 and give you instant access to the technicians you need to solve your problem; otherwise, you may end up losing customers and money.
Downtime guarantee and service monitoring
Having a personal website go down is a minor inconvenience; having a business website go down is a serious matter. What amount of profit would you lose if your site had been down for a week? Long downtime may be very harmful to today's companies which spend large amounts of money on advertising their websites. Essentially, there are two rules regarding reliability that one should look at:
1. You should check if there is an uptime guarantee offered. A truly service-oriented provider will also give a money-back guarantee, offering a discount or free service as compensation for downtime. Any company which avoids taking responsibility won't put much effort into the service.
2. I definitely wouldn't go with a company claiming 100% uptime, as there is no such thing as a server with 100% uptime. If anyone ever claims their server has a 100% uptime they are either lying or they don't perform the necessary upgrades that prevent a machine from being compromised.
Reputable web hosts will post statistics on their site: What is the frequency of interruption? How about the average percentage of downtime? If these aren’t posted, ask; if the answer isn’t forthcoming, that should be a warning sign. If you still go with a host which doesn't monitor servers, you'll have to do the monitoring yourself. I recommend http://www.siteuptime.com, as it's one of the best monitoring services available for free in the market today.
Backups
There is no host which is safe against different types of technical and programical failures, so make sure that the company runs scheduled backups. The other advice would be always having a backup of your website yourself, as you never know what might happen. cPanel, which is the most popular web hosting management software at this time, has a very comfortable backup-making tool. It allows you to backup files and databases quickly and easily, so backups are no longer a problem.
Acceptable use policy
Web hosts may have 200-300 or more clients per server; there is no exact number, as companies have different hardware and each hosted website has different resource usage. There always is a possibility that a few of those customers host illegal content. There are web hosts who have had their servers unplugged, resulting in their clients’ websites going down. I'm sure you don't want to put your business at risk and have your website hosted on the same server together with illegal pornography and software sites, so check host's acceptable use policy to find out, if the host takes care of what's hosted on their servers.
Hosting your site on an uncared-for server will also result in a low speed. If somebody on the same server sends spam, the server's IP address will be blacklisted and you'll have serious problems as recipients stop receiving your emails. Use the "Spam database lookup" feature on www.DNSstuff.com to check if a web hosting company is blacklisted. Spam is being sent almost everywhere, so having one or two red records isn't that bad; but, if there are more, it may become a problem later on.
Unlimited bandwidth and web space
In web hosting industry, the adage "you get what you pay for" is almost universally applicable. Do not fall for hosts offering unlimited allowances, as there is no unlimited bandwidth, nor unlimited web space. Host's pay for each GB of bandwidth themselves. Hard drives also aren't free, so how can they say it's unlimited? They simply are performing false advertising in order to attract customers. The average website doesn't use more than 1GB of bandwidth per month; the customer is happy as he bought something "unlimited" and the host gets a new customer, which won't cost them any more than $1-2 USD per month. But imagine what would happen if I had a website, burning much more bandwidth than an average site does, and I signed up with a hosting company offering unlimited traffic? The host would simply suspend my account and tell me, that it was using too much bandwidth. There even are companies which offer unlimited bandwidth and have a statement on their terms of service, explaining that unlimited bandwidth means 40GB, for example.
Will you really own your domain name?
When you buy a domain name together with a website hosting package, make sure the host will register the domain name under your name. It usually should be written in their FAQ, but, if there is no such information, simply contact them. This will also give you an opportunity to check how fast their customer support team replies to inquiries. If the hosting company registers domains under someone else's name, you may have problems switching hosting providers later. If you were in such situation, you would have to file for a Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), which costs much more than both domain name and web hosting service together.
Control Panel
For ease of maintenance, a feature called a Control Panel is a necessity; this tool will normally allow for regular maintenance, be it email mailbox additions/deletions, password resets, web additions, web count reports, statistics and so on. If the site is for any sort of business, this is an absolute must. The most popular web hosting management software currently available is cPanel. It's a next-generation web hosting control panel system that allows you to manage your domain through a web interface. The idea is to transfer as much of the control of managing your web site to you; you have the ability to manage all aspects of e-mail, files, backup, FTP, CGI scripts, and web site statistics.
Value-added services
Hosting companies offer different value-added services in order to set themselves apart from the competition. Of course, these are an advantage, but a common mistake customers make is choosing a host just because it offers many value-added services which won't be used anyway. Some of the really useful features are:
1. Auto-installer script – Auto-installers will save you time if you are going to install a forum, image gallery, content management system, etc. Installation procedures on an auto-installer script take seconds and can be performed by novices without the need of doing difficult tasks usually associated with installations.
2. Online website builder - It lets you design a website in a few minutes without having any creation software and knowledge. One very powerful website builder on the market is Site Studio; this editor allows for ease of use, full control of color schemes and themes, one-click publishing, and an array of templates to use.
The last tip
In this article, I've mentioned only a few warning signs which are worth considering. You should know yourself that price and allocations aren't as important as the quality of service; if the budget is absolutely limited, then the price can be a valid criterion, but otherwise it shouldn’t receive much credence.
By going through this article and asking questions, you can narrow down the list of web hosts to the point where a good, sound decision can be easily made.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Lifetime Web Hosting - a new trend?
Web hosting companies all over the internet are dropping their prices and increasing their services. This is what most of them do but a few went against the odds. These few chose to sell lifetime web hosting. Now what is lifetime web hosting? It is still web hosting but you only get to pay once - no monthly bills - that's why it's called lifetime. You pay just once and you get web hosting for life. So what are the pros and cons of lifetime web hosting?
The major PRO of lifetime web hosting is the cost. Though the initial one-time fee is fairly high - ranging from $49.95 to $500, it still is cheaper when you look at it on the long-run. After all, lifetime web hosting means long-term so we have to compute it that way.
Assuming, we pay $1.00 monthly for 50MB of regular web hosting, 12 months would be $12.00 and 5 years would be $60.00. 10 years would be $120.00 - you compute the rest. With this, you would easily see how much it becomes as each month passes by. 50MB lifetime web hosting with the same specs (or even better) would cost you only $49.95 - no matter how many years your site is hosted. Furthermore, the overhead cost of maintaining your website is greatly reduced so you get to focus your finances on other important matters such as website promotion, and product/service development. One more thing is that you don't have to remove your website from the internet if you can no longer afford the web hosting - it's there for life!
On the other hand, critics would say that lifetime web hosting is dangerous because it is "overselling." I did a quick computation based on present-day dedicated server rates and checked if lifetime web hosting is indeed feasible and I found out that a company selling lifetime web hosting would be able to maintain the site for as much as 40 years! And still earn a good income out of it. Now that's not lifetime is it? Well, true. However, 40 years for $49.95? I still think it's a good deal. What do you think?
As I see it, the only CON I see is the initial one-time fee which is fairly high as compared to the $1 monthly on regular web hosting. But then again, we have to think long-term.
OK, now you're interested and thinking of moving your website to a lifetime web host provider but wait. You surely don't want to make it wrong. So, what do you look for in a lifetime web hosting plan? Basically, you should look for:
1. Easy upgrading of your account
2. Upgrade should also be paid on a lifetime basis
3. Must support whatever features a regular web hosting has
4. Affordable one-time fee
5. Good technical support
6. 30-day money-back guarantee
And here are a couple of tips:
1. Do not go for the huge plan immediately, take a low plan at first. Anyway, you can upgrade anytime in the future if you need more space.
2. Try contacting the lifetime web hosting provider first and ask them whatever concerns you have before getting a lifetime web hosting plan from them.
That's all I can say. Lifetime web hosting - like regular web hosting has its good and bad sides so it's really upto you to weigh them and see for yourself.
The major PRO of lifetime web hosting is the cost. Though the initial one-time fee is fairly high - ranging from $49.95 to $500, it still is cheaper when you look at it on the long-run. After all, lifetime web hosting means long-term so we have to compute it that way.
Assuming, we pay $1.00 monthly for 50MB of regular web hosting, 12 months would be $12.00 and 5 years would be $60.00. 10 years would be $120.00 - you compute the rest. With this, you would easily see how much it becomes as each month passes by. 50MB lifetime web hosting with the same specs (or even better) would cost you only $49.95 - no matter how many years your site is hosted. Furthermore, the overhead cost of maintaining your website is greatly reduced so you get to focus your finances on other important matters such as website promotion, and product/service development. One more thing is that you don't have to remove your website from the internet if you can no longer afford the web hosting - it's there for life!
On the other hand, critics would say that lifetime web hosting is dangerous because it is "overselling." I did a quick computation based on present-day dedicated server rates and checked if lifetime web hosting is indeed feasible and I found out that a company selling lifetime web hosting would be able to maintain the site for as much as 40 years! And still earn a good income out of it. Now that's not lifetime is it? Well, true. However, 40 years for $49.95? I still think it's a good deal. What do you think?
As I see it, the only CON I see is the initial one-time fee which is fairly high as compared to the $1 monthly on regular web hosting. But then again, we have to think long-term.
OK, now you're interested and thinking of moving your website to a lifetime web host provider but wait. You surely don't want to make it wrong. So, what do you look for in a lifetime web hosting plan? Basically, you should look for:
1. Easy upgrading of your account
2. Upgrade should also be paid on a lifetime basis
3. Must support whatever features a regular web hosting has
4. Affordable one-time fee
5. Good technical support
6. 30-day money-back guarantee
And here are a couple of tips:
1. Do not go for the huge plan immediately, take a low plan at first. Anyway, you can upgrade anytime in the future if you need more space.
2. Try contacting the lifetime web hosting provider first and ask them whatever concerns you have before getting a lifetime web hosting plan from them.
That's all I can say. Lifetime web hosting - like regular web hosting has its good and bad sides so it's really upto you to weigh them and see for yourself.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Ecommerce Hosting For Your Online Business
When you plan to start an online business, you will need to find a reliable web host that meets your requirements. Searching for a reliable and cheap web host is not an easy task. But if you know what you are looking for, it makes your task simpler.
You can trust a cheap web host only if it meets your business requirements. The process of verification comprises of some common issues and some other issues specific to your business.
A major concern is the quality of support provided by the host. You could e-mail a cheap webhosting company a few times to get an estimate of the response time they provide.
You should also try to analyze the quality of the answers provided by them. Are the answers really in-depth or do they just cover the basic things? Make enquiries about the various methods of support. Most webhosting companies offer online support personnel, message boards and help desks.
A webhosting company that provides the correct balance of substance and promptness would be an ideal solution for you.
Some key points to consider before choosing your web host:
1. Storage Space
It is an important parameter to begin your search for a reliable web host. You require at least 100 MB space for even a simple site. Most good web hosts offer a minimum of 1 GB space to their customers.
2. Bandwidth
It is another important part of the verification process. Most good web hosts offer 25 to 50 GB Bandwidth.
3. Support System
As discussed in the beginning of the article, it is the most important point to check.
4. Secure Servers
A secure server is an essential requirement if you are selling products/services online. Try to look for web hosting companies providing SSL encryption since this will guarantee security for all money transactions conducted on your site.
5. Private CGI-BIN
It is a good scheme to have a private CGI-BIN directory for the safety of your files. This is where you store your binary scripts and interactive programs including shopping carts and payment processing.
6. Web Log
This would help you a lot to keep track of various statistics for your business. These statistics aid you to develop new strategies to retain your present customers and attract new customers.
7. Operating System and Program Language Capabilities
All reputed web hosting companies allow front page on either a UNIX or Windows based system. Many web hosts provide both Windows and UNIX based hosting but the rates may differ.
8. Credibility
The web host should be reputed amongst its customer base.
9. Physical Location
Last, but not the least, the physical location of the servers is also an important consideration. Is the location prone to natural calamities or political insecurity?
A very practical and useful method to find a good web host is to discuss with people you know (vendors/business associates/friends) that have web sites. Enquire about their experiences with their current and past webhosting services.
Most of the cheap webhosting companies assure you of free technical support. However, a major concern with many of these companies is that you learn about their incapability when it is too late. The fact is that they simply fail to deliver their promises. Their cheap rates do not allow for the proper staffing needed to deliver the required customer support.
With a high quality and reputed webhosting company, you will pay a little more but the truth is, in business, you get what you pay for. So, if you are really serious about your business and also your time, consider web hosts starting at the top.
You can trust a cheap web host only if it meets your business requirements. The process of verification comprises of some common issues and some other issues specific to your business.
A major concern is the quality of support provided by the host. You could e-mail a cheap webhosting company a few times to get an estimate of the response time they provide.
You should also try to analyze the quality of the answers provided by them. Are the answers really in-depth or do they just cover the basic things? Make enquiries about the various methods of support. Most webhosting companies offer online support personnel, message boards and help desks.
A webhosting company that provides the correct balance of substance and promptness would be an ideal solution for you.
Some key points to consider before choosing your web host:
1. Storage Space
It is an important parameter to begin your search for a reliable web host. You require at least 100 MB space for even a simple site. Most good web hosts offer a minimum of 1 GB space to their customers.
2. Bandwidth
It is another important part of the verification process. Most good web hosts offer 25 to 50 GB Bandwidth.
3. Support System
As discussed in the beginning of the article, it is the most important point to check.
4. Secure Servers
A secure server is an essential requirement if you are selling products/services online. Try to look for web hosting companies providing SSL encryption since this will guarantee security for all money transactions conducted on your site.
5. Private CGI-BIN
It is a good scheme to have a private CGI-BIN directory for the safety of your files. This is where you store your binary scripts and interactive programs including shopping carts and payment processing.
6. Web Log
This would help you a lot to keep track of various statistics for your business. These statistics aid you to develop new strategies to retain your present customers and attract new customers.
7. Operating System and Program Language Capabilities
All reputed web hosting companies allow front page on either a UNIX or Windows based system. Many web hosts provide both Windows and UNIX based hosting but the rates may differ.
8. Credibility
The web host should be reputed amongst its customer base.
9. Physical Location
Last, but not the least, the physical location of the servers is also an important consideration. Is the location prone to natural calamities or political insecurity?
A very practical and useful method to find a good web host is to discuss with people you know (vendors/business associates/friends) that have web sites. Enquire about their experiences with their current and past webhosting services.
Most of the cheap webhosting companies assure you of free technical support. However, a major concern with many of these companies is that you learn about their incapability when it is too late. The fact is that they simply fail to deliver their promises. Their cheap rates do not allow for the proper staffing needed to deliver the required customer support.
With a high quality and reputed webhosting company, you will pay a little more but the truth is, in business, you get what you pay for. So, if you are really serious about your business and also your time, consider web hosts starting at the top.
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