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When looking for a company to host your web site there are a few questions that you should ask yourself and the company before deciding which host is right for your needs. We have listed some questions here that you might want to keep in mind to prevent further headaches down the road.
First things first, how is the companies track record on server uptime? All though most companies will say that they have over a 90% track record of uptime, it would be a good idea for you to actually verify that answer! Look around at some of the other sites that they host and contact the site owners to ask if they are satisfied with the service. Some people will even go as far as to ask the hosting company for references, which is not a bad idea. If they sound or act like that's a problem.....move on! If the company is reputable, then they have no problem being able to "back up" what they advertise. If your site is not accessible, then your customers will leave and do business elsewhere!
Secondly, what do they offer for support help and ways to resolve any problems you might have?... Is there a phone number? Do they answer their emails right away? Do they only have "banking hours"? What about if the site goes down in the middle of the night? ... These are all VERY important questions that need answers. Now we know that machines are not perfect and sooner or later there are bound to be some issues that may arise, will the company do everything they can to resolve these problems and in a timely manner?
And last, but definitely not least, The cost ... Do they offer overpriced packages with features that you will never use? Do they allow you enough bandwidth for your type of site? What about the control panel? Is it easy to figure out or is there documentation provided on how to use it? Is there any kind of money back guarantee? Again, these are all very important factors that you will need to be aware of and know the answers to before you decided on the right host for your site.
When planning your new website, you will also need to keep in mind that if you are going to have dynamic features such as a database or email forms, the hosting company will need to allow you access to such things as a personal CGI-Bin or access to one, and be able to handle programming languages such as PERL, JAVA or MySQL. Most hosting companies do provide packages that will allow for mail forms or some sort of database activity, just make sure that when you or your web designer are in the planning stages of your site, that you have chosen the right hosting plan for all your needs so there are no headaches down the road.
First things first, how is the companies track record on server uptime? All though most companies will say that they have over a 90% track record of uptime, it would be a good idea for you to actually verify that answer! Look around at some of the other sites that they host and contact the site owners to ask if they are satisfied with the service. Some people will even go as far as to ask the hosting company for references, which is not a bad idea. If they sound or act like that's a problem.....move on! If the company is reputable, then they have no problem being able to "back up" what they advertise. If your site is not accessible, then your customers will leave and do business elsewhere!
Secondly, what do they offer for support help and ways to resolve any problems you might have?... Is there a phone number? Do they answer their emails right away? Do they only have "banking hours"? What about if the site goes down in the middle of the night? ... These are all VERY important questions that need answers. Now we know that machines are not perfect and sooner or later there are bound to be some issues that may arise, will the company do everything they can to resolve these problems and in a timely manner?
And last, but definitely not least, The cost ... Do they offer overpriced packages with features that you will never use? Do they allow you enough bandwidth for your type of site? What about the control panel? Is it easy to figure out or is there documentation provided on how to use it? Is there any kind of money back guarantee? Again, these are all very important factors that you will need to be aware of and know the answers to before you decided on the right host for your site.
When planning your new website, you will also need to keep in mind that if you are going to have dynamic features such as a database or email forms, the hosting company will need to allow you access to such things as a personal CGI-Bin or access to one, and be able to handle programming languages such as PERL, JAVA or MySQL. Most hosting companies do provide packages that will allow for mail forms or some sort of database activity, just make sure that when you or your web designer are in the planning stages of your site, that you have chosen the right hosting plan for all your needs so there are no headaches down the road.
