Tag Archives: web host
Tips on How to Choose a Web Hosting Company – Helpful Things You Need to Know
If you want to build your home in the Internet, you’ll want to engage the services of a Web host. They will give you the space and the connectivity you need to get your site up and running in the World Wide Web. While there are free web hosting services available, paid hosting services are infinitely better and are the preferred choice for those who need more “power” and stability for their online presence.
Before finding a Web host, make sure you know what your requirements are. This is because the fee you pay generally depends on the amount of disk space and bandwith you need. Knowing what you need first gives you the chance to be specific with your Web host so you don’t have to pay for extraneous services you don’t need.
Web hosts offering different sorts of Web hosting services and plans flood the Internet. Weeding out the bad from the good and choosing the best over who’s simply better takes a little bit of patience and lots of research. Here are some traits that you should look for in a Web host:
1. Integrity. This is the first trait of any good Web host. Whether this provider is an individual or a company, your background check should reveal a reputation of professionalism, honesty and stellar service. Moreover, they should tell you all the costs up front. Some Web hosts offer attractively low package rates that have a lot of hidden charges should you decide on an upgrade later on.
2. Redundancy. No, this does not mean that they have to keep repeating themselves over and over. In Web-speak, redundancy refers to the number of connections they have on the Net. Ideally, a T3 connection is best, although T1 suits most small businesses.
3. Supportive. This is exactly what it says. Good Web hosts give you the necessary technical support when you need it. Do they offer 24/7 support? As some web hosts work from a different time zone, you’d want to have this kind of service so you’re assured that no matter what time in the day or night, you’ll have all the support you need in case of any glitch. How do they provide support? Will they be able to communicate through all means possible- email, chat, video conferencing or the phone? You have to be assured that they can be reached during critical situations.
4. Security. The Web host you choose should be able to guard your site against malware or hackers. With the rise of cyber crimes, you should have a web host that guarantees full security and protection for your website, especially if it’s a commercial site where customers share credit card information with you when they make a purchase.
5. Flexibility. You might start out with a simple web site, but over time, you might see the need to expand it. The Web host you choose should be able to accommodate your needs and upgrade your service plan without penalty. Moreover, they should also be flexible in terms of their platform features, templates and other areas that meet the needs of the people who patronize your website.
Why Do You Need Access to Support from Your Web Hosting Provider? (Page 1 of 2)
With most hosting providers, tech support comes as a standard as part of the hosting package; however, the standard and quality of the tech support provider is often what defines a good or bad web host. For many business owners, they leave the technical side of the website up to the web designer. They therefore don’t necessarily understand why having reliable tech support is so important. If, however, you are a smaller business, you may have had the need to call the support desk in which case you will know how valuable it is to have a helpful and friendly voice on the other end of the line.
Day and Night Accessibility
Your web host should have a support desk that is accessible 24/7. You should be able to reach them by email or telephone at any time of day or night. Many people may ask why the 24 hour accessibility is important. Your website is accessible around the globe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If clients browsing the web try to log onto your website and it’s down, they may think you are no longer in business or they may simply get frustrated when they can’t access web pages. That just creates a bad impression of your company. Customer expectations are so high these days with technology making websites ever more efficient that if a website is not working properly, they usually just go onto the next company. If there is a problem with your website, no matter how small, you need to be able to fix it right away. Usually, you need to be able to contact the web host to find out if it is a server problem or a problem just with your website. This is why it is important for them to be accessible 24/7.
Technical Expertise
Even for many web designers, there are times when they need to consult the expertise of web hosting providers. Your web host service provider can glance at the server on which your site is hosted and troubleshoot to see if there are any problems. This can save you and your web designer many hours of hassle trying to find the problem on your website. A good web hosting provider will also have advanced technical expertise. They can give you advice when needed and help you find solutions to any hassles you are experiencing with your website. This expertise can prove to be very valuable when you are trying to decide what hosting package best suits your needs and if you need to upgrade your website at any stage.
Website Maintenance
For most types of hosting packages, your web host service provider is responsible for maintaining the server on which your website is hosted. This means that they check and make sure that all the operating systems of the server are functional. This is important to your website because, without proper maintenance, the website can slow down and become problematic. Part of the maintenance is to ensure that the anti-virus protection is current and active. This is particularly important if you have a shared hosting package. A virus that gets into one website can infiltrate other websites on the shared server if the server is not properly maintained. If you suspect that you may have a virus or spyware on your website, you can contact the web host support desk and ask them to run some diagnostics. Their superior knowledge and systems should be able to help you pinpoint the problem.
Why Do You Need Access to Support from Your Web Hosting Provider? (Page 1 of 2)
With most hosting providers, tech support comes as a standard as part of the hosting package; however, the standard and quality of the tech support provider is often what defines a good or bad web host. For many business owners, they leave the technical side of the website up to the web designer. They therefore don’t necessarily understand why having reliable tech support is so important. If, however, you are a smaller business, you may have had the need to call the support desk in which case you will know how valuable it is to have a helpful and friendly voice on the other end of the line.
Day and Night Accessibility
Your web host should have a support desk that is accessible 24/7. You should be able to reach them by email or telephone at any time of day or night. Many people may ask why the 24 hour accessibility is important. Your website is accessible around the globe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If clients browsing the web try to log onto your website and it’s down, they may think you are no longer in business or they may simply get frustrated when they can’t access web pages. That just creates a bad impression of your company. Customer expectations are so high these days with technology making websites ever more efficient that if a website is not working properly, they usually just go onto the next company. If there is a problem with your website, no matter how small, you need to be able to fix it right away. Usually, you need to be able to contact the web host to find out if it is a server problem or a problem just with your website. This is why it is important for them to be accessible 24/7.
Technical Expertise
Even for many web designers, there are times when they need to consult the expertise of web hosting providers. Your web host service provider can glance at the server on which your site is hosted and troubleshoot to see if there are any problems. This can save you and your web designer many hours of hassle trying to find the problem on your website. A good web hosting provider will also have advanced technical expertise. They can give you advice when needed and help you find solutions to any hassles you are experiencing with your website. This expertise can prove to be very valuable when you are trying to decide what hosting package best suits your needs and if you need to upgrade your website at any stage.
Website Maintenance
For most types of hosting packages, your web host service provider is responsible for maintaining the server on which your website is hosted. This means that they check and make sure that all the operating systems of the server are functional. This is important to your website because, without proper maintenance, the website can slow down and become problematic. Part of the maintenance is to ensure that the anti-virus protection is current and active. This is particularly important if you have a shared hosting package. A virus that gets into one website can infiltrate other websites on the shared server if the server is not properly maintained. If you suspect that you may have a virus or spyware on your website, you can contact the web host support desk and ask them to run some diagnostics. Their superior knowledge and systems should be able to help you pinpoint the problem.