Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Seven Common Web Hosting Mistakes to Avoid

Web hosting services are extremely beneficial for the business or individual looking to establish a web presence.  However, this market consists of many pitfalls and without taking precautions, you could fall right through.  Here are seven common mistakes you want to avoid when looking for a web hosting provider.

1.) Take the Price Bait

True, hosting plans are generally affordable these days.  At the same time, you should know that the cheapest price usually doesn’t translate into the best service.  There is nothing wrong with purchasing the so-called “cheap” plan, but use your instincts to make sure the host isn’t sacrificing quality for that low price.

2.) Fail to Define Your Website Requirements

One of the worst things you can do is enter a web hosting contract without knowing what your site needs.  This could end up costing you a lot of money and grief in the end.  To avoid this, jot down and seek all the features and resources your site needs to successful.  Moreover, put emphasis on a host that provides an easy way to upgrade as your needs increase.

3.) Excuse a Poorly Designed Site

More than likely, you are looking to create a professional website to promote yourself online.  If this is the case, then why would you choose a web host whose site lacks professionalism?   A hosting company that does not take the time to properly design their site probably cannot provide the tools you need to create a professional site of your own.  They don’t care about their own image so, why would they care for yours?

4.) Put Too Many Eggs in One Basket

On the surface, hosting multiple websites on a single account appears to be a good idea.  Unfortunately, this is often not the case.  If you intend to generate money from one or more of your websites, you may want to strongly consider running them on separate servers.  Just think if something happens to the provider’s server.  Can you really afford to have all your sites down at once?

5.) Fall for the Testimonials

It is refreshing to see positive feedback on the web host you’re looking to do business with.  That doesn’t mean you should always take all hosting testimonials at face value.  Many companies have been known to toot their own horn so you need to be very cautious when approaching testimonials.  Instead of putting all your faith in what you see on the company’s website, get out and comb the web for some genuine customer feedback.

6.) Rely on Someone Else to Backup Your Data

Most web hosting companies backup their servers and customer data on a regular base.  The key term here is most.  You should never rely on a web host to perform such critical tasks.  If you really want the ability to restore your data, back it up yourself.

7.) Trust that a Host Utilizes the Latest Technology

CheapHostingRUs optimizes its servers with load balancing. SuperIncredibleHost fights network attacks with DDoS protection and intrusion detection.  That doesn’t mean the host you’re looking into takes the same precautions.  Never assume that a prospective hosting company is using the necessary technologies and security mechanism to keep you protected.   If not, you just could be in for a rude awakening.

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