Did you know that USA ranked as Number One in terms of the number of websites hosted in the fourth week of July, 2011? According to webhosting.info, the US hosted 21,815 companies during that week.
The Worldwide Web is growing in leaps and bounds. Every business or company needs to market itself the best possible way online. However, choosing from among the thousands of web hosting providers can be a daunting task, especially for beginners.
Qualities of a Good Web Hosting Provider
Here are some simple tips that can help you choose the best web hosting service provider:
Platform: The platform that the web host provides should be compatible with your web server. Good web hosting providers would facilitate a choice between Unix/Linux and Windows. Therefore, if your website is designed using Microsoft technologies, then the host should offer a Windows platform. Websites using open source technologies like PHP, Pearl, Python, Apple, etc, will run on compatible Linux-based platforms.
Cost: More often than not, business owners tend to overlook this factor and do not give due importance to the costs of paying for a web hosting service. This leads to problems later on, when the financial aspect of the deal begins to affect your budget. A good web hosting provider will sometimes offer you economy, business and enterprise packages to choose from. Apart from this, website owners should consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) in addition to the web host's monthly fee, before buying.
Uptime: The fact remains that no web hosting provider will be able to provide 100% uptime. It needs time for its website maintenance and security updates. But make sure you choose the standard uptime of 99.9%. However, in case of downtime, settle for one month of free hosting instead of compensation for the downtime. If you pay $10 for a month of web hosting, then the compensation for one day of downtime would add up to 33 cents. The amount is negligible when compared to the sales you lose in one day.
Customer service: Another important aspect that a business owner often overlooks is the provision for customer service. Make sure that the providers offer no less than 24 x 7 assistance 365 days a year. Your sales should not suffer even during holidays. Your website requires consistent performance and in case of any breakdowns, experts should be readily available for troubleshooting.
Longevity: Last, but not the least, it is essential to check whether the service provider is credible and well established. You don't want to get stuck with a fly-by-night company or one that folds up in less than a year. To ascertain the repute of the service provider, go to the host's website and find the vital dates of its creation, prior experience, client testimonials, accreditation, etc. Less than a year of experience might not be the best choice for your website.
The Worldwide Web is growing in leaps and bounds. Every business or company needs to market itself the best possible way online. However, choosing from among the thousands of web hosting providers can be a daunting task, especially for beginners.
Qualities of a Good Web Hosting Provider
Here are some simple tips that can help you choose the best web hosting service provider:
Platform: The platform that the web host provides should be compatible with your web server. Good web hosting providers would facilitate a choice between Unix/Linux and Windows. Therefore, if your website is designed using Microsoft technologies, then the host should offer a Windows platform. Websites using open source technologies like PHP, Pearl, Python, Apple, etc, will run on compatible Linux-based platforms.
Cost: More often than not, business owners tend to overlook this factor and do not give due importance to the costs of paying for a web hosting service. This leads to problems later on, when the financial aspect of the deal begins to affect your budget. A good web hosting provider will sometimes offer you economy, business and enterprise packages to choose from. Apart from this, website owners should consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) in addition to the web host's monthly fee, before buying.
Uptime: The fact remains that no web hosting provider will be able to provide 100% uptime. It needs time for its website maintenance and security updates. But make sure you choose the standard uptime of 99.9%. However, in case of downtime, settle for one month of free hosting instead of compensation for the downtime. If you pay $10 for a month of web hosting, then the compensation for one day of downtime would add up to 33 cents. The amount is negligible when compared to the sales you lose in one day.
Customer service: Another important aspect that a business owner often overlooks is the provision for customer service. Make sure that the providers offer no less than 24 x 7 assistance 365 days a year. Your sales should not suffer even during holidays. Your website requires consistent performance and in case of any breakdowns, experts should be readily available for troubleshooting.
Longevity: Last, but not the least, it is essential to check whether the service provider is credible and well established. You don't want to get stuck with a fly-by-night company or one that folds up in less than a year. To ascertain the repute of the service provider, go to the host's website and find the vital dates of its creation, prior experience, client testimonials, accreditation, etc. Less than a year of experience might not be the best choice for your website.
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