3 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing A Web Host

Everyone at one point or another wants to have a website online. Whether it’s something simple, or complex, having a site up is one of the rites of passage for internet users at one point or another. In that framework, you will eventually need to look into finding a web host. This solution is like purchasing land to build a house on. The only caveat is that you are not buying a piece of tangible real estate, but rather leasing it for as long as you’d like. Once you have a good web host, you will be able to build nearly any type of website you can think of and in some ways, you could make some money at the same time. While it’s important to have one of these, it’s also important to understand that you could end up losing out if you do not pick the right web host. In fact, there are 3 common mistakes that occur when you rush through the process of finding a web host.

The Problem With Shared Hosting

Shared hosting can be a good, cheap solution. However, if you run into the wrong web host, you could end up getting shoved into a server that has been oversold. Anyone can buy a server and start selling hosting plans, but you will be sharing real estate. It’s akin to renting out an apartment in a building that has too many tenant. The pressure of other tenants, noise, and more will drive you nuts. Now take that analogy and put it into the world of getting a web host. You will find that your neighbors could infringe on your data, or could cripple the bandwidth, ruining everything for everyone else with relative ease. This is a terrible issue and one that you can avoid by finding a good web host.

The Heavy Bait and Switch Pricing

Low cost, or even no cost introductory pricing will tempt you to join up. What the cheap web host won’t tell you is that the second year of your plan will skyrocket in pricing. Not only that, you will be limited in your first year to just a basic account with no real features aside from space. If all you want is space and no frills, then this can be nice at first, but over time, you will end up wishing you paid a little more. Of course you could always upgrade with them, but the terrible web host that tricks you here will charge you an arm and a leg for the privilege.

No Help Whatsoever

One of the biggest issues that you are going to find with bad web host solutions is that you will receive no help. Forget about calling support, forget about speaking with anyone from the company. Even if you do manage to get a call or email into the web host, you will end up having to deal with people that are rude or may not even know what you’re calling about.

All of this may seem rudimentary, but when you then go and seek out a refund, guess what? It becomes nearly impossible to get one. In the end, don’t rush the process of choosing a web host, as the above issues are just 3 of the many mistakes that can be made when you utilize haste. It’s just not a good thing.

Here is a simple check list to help you find a reliable web host:

  • Make sure they have a toll free number you can call for sales and support.  It’s best to call them before you purchase to test their wait time and how helpful the support or sales team is.
  • Ask your potential host if they offer a money back guarantee, 30 days should be good enough.
  • Find out if they offer Softaculous Hosting – Softaculous is a one-click script installer allowing you to install popular open source scripts like WordPress, Joomla and tons more!
  • If you are switching web hosts then ask your new host if they offer a free migration service.  This means they will move all your data, email and databases free of charge which is an added benefit.
  • Ensure that the price you see on their website is the same price you will pay upon renewal and that it’s not just an introductory offer.  You can avoid any billing issues down the road and clarify their billing practices.
  • If the hosting company has a Live Chat option, give it a try to see what type of help you get on their chat system.  Sometimes it’s easier to do a quick live chat instead of calling them.
  • If your website grows you want to make sure your host can scale as your business does.  Find out what options and plans they offer if your site gets bigger so you have a seamless upgrade path.

Following the above tips can help you avoid choosing a bad web host.  Always ask questions and you’ll feel free to browse our hosting reviews section to get the scoop on some of the web hosts out there.

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