Choosing
a Web Host Based On Price - Don't!
by: David Leonhardt
It's tempting. There are so many companies offering
cut-rate hosting – loaded with astounding post-futuristic
techno-gizmo features ! – that it just makes
sense to save a few dollars, right?
Think again. First, consider how much you would be
saving. If you run a business site, saving $5, $10
or even $15 a month is not a big saving. No going
concern will become a stopping concern on account
of even $15 a month. But the wrong web host can stop
a business cold.
Here are three reasons to look beyond price when choosing
your web host.
1. Usability. Confession time: I chose my first website
host based on price. The control panel was not easy
to use, and I often found myself traveling in circles
trying to enter it. I switched to my second web host
based not just on price, but on usability, and I instantly
became a pro. Well, not quite. But I was able to manage
my email accounts and learn about CGI, and check my
traffic stats and edit my html files right on the
server. Not bad for a newbie who couldn't even find
his files on his previous host's server.
2. Service. I thought my second host had great service.
They even answered my emails. Until the dreaded day
that some guy with a chip on his shoulder filed a
phony spam complaint. I was out in the cold. In fact,
they would not answer my emails or even speak to me
at all. Meanwhile, my ISP responded to the same phony
complaint immediately, sharing with me a copy and
giving me a chance to deal with it. That ISP is now
my third web host. I pay a little more, but the personal
service is worth it. I have no hesitation recommending
http://www.phastnet.com to anybody who wants the assurance
that they won't be hung out to dry at the first whiff
of somebody in a bad mood.
3. Reliability. When that phony spam complaint struck,
my website was down for four days. Ouch! But there
are many other things that can bring down a site.
What is your web host's uptime? And how reliable is
its reporting? Other things can happen, like a form
not functioning – meaning lost sales. Worse
still, what if Google comes crawling just when your
site is down? Search engines don't like sending people
to unreliable sites. Companies like http://www.dotcom-monitor.com
monitor websites for a variety of measures, and the
cost is nothing compared to the cost of lost sales.
Sure, save a few bucks on hosting, and pay a whole
lot more in lost sales and increased stress. Your
web host is your Internet landlord. Take as much time
choosing your web host as you would the place you
live in. Price alone just is not enough.
About The Author
David Leonhardt is an online and offline publicity
specialist. To get your website optimized for the
search engines, email him at info@thehappyguy.com.
For a copy of Don’t Get Banned By The Search
Engines: http://thehappyguy.com/SEO.html. For a copy
of Get In The News: http://thehappyguy.com/publicity-self-promotion-report.html.
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