So, you've decided to setup a web site and decided which type of hosting you require. Now how do you choose which of the many website hosting companies to work with?
The majority of hosting companies provide the same services just packaged slightly differently so it may be difficult to decide who you can rely on.
The following questions will help you get the information you need to find the right hosting company.
1. What kind of website do you really want?
Knowing what type of website you are going to be running is an essential starting point.
There's no need to pay for massive amounts of resources or a dedicated server if you only have a small brochure site with 6 pages. However if you are running an online shop with thousands of visitors you'll need more resources to cope with the demand.
2. How good is the companies support?
No matter what there will come a time when something will go wrong and you need to know that you can get in touch with someone to help sort it out for you! Remember the Internet is open 24 hours a day – does the company offer 24 hour support? Can you get support over the phone or live chat? Do they only offer email support?
Before buying a package from a company call their sales team and see how helpful they are – ask any technical questions you can to see if they actually know what they are talking about :)
3. What additional features are provided?
In addition to the web space and bandwidth provided by the hosting company, what else do they offer? At the very least you should expect to have several email accounts included as well as support for databases (most hosting companies provide a number of MySQL databases dependant upon which package you choose).
You should also look for a hosting company that will provide installation of various software packages, such as Content Management systems, Shopping carts etc. Do they offer installation of the software free of charge?
4. Will you be able to upgrade/expand your hosting package?
As your website grows and you start getting more and more visitors you'll most likely require additional web space and bandwidth to cope with the extra visitors. Does the hosting company allow you to easily expand your package as you need to? What will be the cost implications of expanding your package? Watch out for companies who try to push you into buying their top package at the start – you likely won't need it for quite some time so will just be wasting money! Find a hosting company that will allow you to start with a minimal package and upgrade as you need to.
5. Does the hosting company provide any money back guarantees?
Look for a hosting company with a money back guarantee – if you are not happy with their service you can always get your money back and try someone else :) Also a money back guarantee shows that the hosting company is confident you WILL be happy with their service – if they weren't they wouldn't offer the guarantee!
So when choosing the company to host your new website keep the above information handy to help you pick a company that will provide everything you need!
If you have any further questions regarding website hosting or want to put us to the test call today on 0800 95 00 163
