If your web host is not reliable, visitors will be unable to see your website at times. The time spent researching a web host will pay off when they keep your website online 24/7. This article provides several useful tips that will help you identify and obtain the best web hosting service.
Resist the temptation to accept free domain registration from the same company you will be using for web hosting. There are many start-ups out there who may – or may not – be around for very long, and they probably will not give clients advance notice if they are going out of business. You will need to have immediate access to your domain registration if this happens, but may not be able to get it if they are out of business.
When selecting a web host, it’s vital that you choose one that has excellent support. Although it’s important for a host to have lots of experience, they can’t avoid all problems. Something is bound to go wrong at some point. When this occurs, having a solid support system set up is crucial. You can test out a host’s support system by sending in an email or a support ticket. If you don’t receive a response within the next couple of days, then you should probably search for another host.
A good web hosting provider should have good, responsive customer service, so be sure to consider this when choosing a host. Find out how quickly they respond to problems or complaints that their customers have. You want to choose a host that will work to quickly and professionally resolve any problems you encounter.
Make sure that you understand the difference between managed and un-managed web hosting. Those that are managed can be invaluable to you if you are not an expert yourself on the intricacies of maintaining a website. You will want to choose a managed one who has excellent availability of technical support teams.
You should never pay in advance for hosting services. Many companies will offer you a discount to sign up for a longer term. What if the hosting company goes bust? Worse yet, what if you do not like something about the hosting company and wish to switch? It is better to pay as you go with web hosting.
Always check the speed and functionality of a web hosting service prior to purchasing a plan from them. You can do this easily on your own, by visiting sites they host. Remember, however, that various websites may have their own technical difficulties, and you also may experience delays because of your own computer. Check speeds out from various locations and computers.
If you own and operate several websites, it can be to your advantage to choose one web hosting service that allows you to have “add-on domains.” Many hosts will give you the ability to have unlimited domains added to your main account at no additional fees. This can save you a lot of money, as well as time going back and forth between multiple accounts.
Make sure that the web host you select has a very high uptime guarantee. Uptime is the percentage of time that a server is online. For instance, if a web host claims that their servers provide 99% uptime, then their servers are online 99% of the time. You don’t want to select a web host whose servers do not provide high uptime percentages. This is why uptime is so important when selecting a host.
Many hosting services actually rely on a major host of their own. These company buy a large amount of server space at a discounted price, and then make a profit by renting it to host smaller websites. Find out who the main host is, if possible, and then see if you can get a better deal by buying directly.
There are a variety of reasons why it is critical to sign up with a good hosting provider. If a viewer is trying to obtain access to your site, and cannot do so reliably, it is not going to reflect well on your business. Put the advice you read to use and make sure the host you choose has an excellent reputation!