Your web host or web server can have profound effects on the efficiency of your business. If programming is not in your field of expertise or education, a lot of technical jargon and file directories can quickly overwhelm you. Many people cave in when confronted with a decision and just take what comes first. Though this may seem like an easier option, allow this article to shed some light on the subject.
What types of sites does your hosting site offer? A lot of free services will only provide you the tools necessary to build your own pages or let you use their templates, but not add overly dynamic personal scripts. If you have the need for dynamic scripting pages, your only option may be to find a pay host that is affordable instead.
Have a list of several possible hosts that you like before you pick a single hosting service. If you only have two on the list, then their levels of experience and competence may be so far apart that there is no way to make a middle ground decision.
How do you decide between shared hosting or dedicated hosting plans? If your site is rather large and complex you may find out that shared hosting cannot handle the heavy volume of visitors that your site receives, as it will limit your ability to properly serve the customers. A dedicated host may be an optimal choice in these situations.
Begin thinking about alternate hosting possibilities when you start having issues with your current one. If the problem doesn’t lend itself to an easy fix, you’ll be ready to move to a new host. You’ll avoid downtime and lost traffic to your site regardless of what caused the initial problem.
Be sure to register the name of your domain separately from your web hosting service. In case the service shuts down, or you have conflicts with the company, you will still own your own domain name and can just change to a new host. If only your host controls your domain registration, you will not be able to use it any longer.
When considering a particular web host, ask them about the security measures and protections they have set up. In this society, websites can be exposed to attacks and other risks, and there are many ways in which this can occur. Make certain that your web host has procedures in place for dealing with all of the common threats such as DDoS attacks. You want to make sure to find out exactly what problems or issues your webpage may have to deal with, should your hosting company be attacked.
Make a list of the things you are looking for before you begin shopping around for your web host. Take an honest look at what are features are essential for your business and then compare what services and features are part of the package from each host you are considering. Creating a detailed list also prevents you from rushing into a decision based upon only one feature.
Check and see if your host offers the option of having a secure server for your customers. This will add an applet to your website that will inform your visitors that they have reached a secure area of the site. This is important in areas that collects personal information, like addresses and credit card numbers.
Try using a host that offers SEO features if you want to boost traffic to your website. An SEO feature will ensure that your website is indexed by major search engines. If you are concerned with custom content, though, you may be better suited to add this information manually. Oftentimes, automated SEO services will not allow for personalized descriptions.
Explore the websites of companies which you are considering as your web host. It is definitely a red flag if the website of the web hosting company is poorly designed. This could be a hint of many problems, perhaps just inexperience, or maybe a company that is here today but gone tomorrow. A professional website shows that any web host knows how to design a website well.
Different web hosts will offer different services, depending on whether they operate on Windows or Linux. Your feature sets will vary depending on which operating system your host uses. In general, a host using a Linux server will be less expensive than one that uses Windows.
Choose a website hosting company that is dedicated to clear and open communication with customers. You will want to have a host that will communication with you and give you updates about maintenance. Another consideration is how easy it is for you to reach them if you need support.
It’s possible that you might have to upgrade services that you get from a web host, once the traffic of your site increases. Make sure that there is no downtime in your upgrades to maximize your efficiency. Some upgrades, such as upping your site’s bandwidth usage, should be handled very speedily. Switching from a shared server to a dedicated one should also be a quick and painless process.
If you anticipate the needs for large uploads of date onto your website, then make sure your web host can handle this. In some cases, it may be necessary to enlist the help of an FTP server. If you aren’t technologically inclined, you should at least ensure that you are granted access to a supportive online resource.
Now that you have a better understanding of web hosting and what they do, you can now read their contracts, and have a much clearer idea of what options will work best in your favor. If you have signed a contract for a hosting plan already, you can use your new-found knowledge at a later date.
