Whether you’re setting up a website for a new business or an existing business, your website has be hosted somewhere. Usually when you purchase your domain name, the registrar will ask you if you just want to host it with them.
While this may seem convenient, as your domain and hosting are all in one place, it’s actually not ideal. It’s not wise to give any single company too much control over your website in case you have any disputes with them. As a general rule, it’s best to keep your domain registrar and Web hosting companies separate.
How to pick the right web host
Fortunately for you, aspiring website builder, there’s tons of attractive options out there for hosting your brand new website. Even better, most companies have hosting plans that cost less than $10 per month. With most Web hosts having very similar pricing, it can make it even more difficult to decide which one to actually go with. To make your decision easier, here are a couple things you should look out for:
How is their uptime?
This is a big one. The last thing you want to do is spend weeks or even months crafting the most beautiful website possible, only to realize it’s down half the time due to your Web host. Most Web hosts will claim they have 99.9% uptime, and that may be true, but it’s still worth doing a bit of online research -- in the form of reviews from customers, to verify those claims. Remember, when your website goes down, no one can access it, and if you make sales through your website, you’re losing money every minute it’s down.
Can you easily add more domains?
Setting up websites can easily get addictive. Even if you don’t think that’s true of you, it still pays to go with a Web host that allows you to add on more domains. Usually it’s as simple as upgrading your account from one domain to multiple domains. Many Web hosts only charge an extra dollar or two per month for this feature, making it great value. On the other hand, some less reputable Web hosts will try to charge you for every domain, making them much less attractive.
Do they have 24/7 phone support?
At first you might not think this is a big deal: “I’m not going to need to call support at 2 a.m. on a Sunday!” Until something breaks, your website crashes, and you’re desperate for anyone who can help you bring it back online. Phone support from your Web host can be really helpful, and there’s nothing wrong with admitting there’s something you don’t know about your website. In a pinch, there’s nothing better than being able to call your Web host and have them walk you through the problem step by step over the phone. It sure beats banging your head against the wall in frustration.
Find out if their Terms of Service conflict with your business
This probably won’t be the case, but it pays to check anyway. For example, some Web hosts won’t allow sites in the gambling niche. If your site fits that profile, you’re in for more trouble than it’s worth trying to host your site with them. Other smaller Web hosts might take issue with affiliate marketing sites, although this is much less common. If you’re running a legitimate business, then it’s probably not much of a concern, but it still makes sense to verify that your website is within the host’s TOS before you go all in with them.
If you’re still having trouble picking a Web host, try calling a few up to ask them any questions you might have. The way they approach customer service when you’re a prospective customer will tell you a lot about how they’ll approach it once you become a paying customer.
Finally, beware of false economy. Often the difference between a $7/month host and a $9/month host can be pretty vast, and you’re much better off just paying the extra two bucks each month for the peace of mind of knowing your site will be stable.Â
