3 mistakes to avoid when choosing a web host

Selecting a great web hosting provider is one of the first steps in building a successful website. You can prevent many headaches down the road by taking to time to thoroughly research potential hosting services before you commit.
It can be a real hassle to have to move your website to a new hosting provider if you find things with you first host aren’t working out well. The best way to avoid this is to consider hosting providers carefully the first time.

With this in mind, take note of these three tips when you begin your own web hosting search. They will get you started in the right direction and save you from a costly mistake.

Don’t Fall For Free Web Space

While ‘Free’ is sure to catch your eye, take a moment to consider what this really means. Yes, you will not pay hosting fees for your website, but instead your website will be drowning in ads put there by the hosting company.

Not only will this look very unprofessional to any prospective clients, but just think of the sales you’ll lose with all these ads on your site that are pointing to other businesses.

In other words, going with this type of service will actually cost you money because you are giving away your potential customers instead of having them focus on your site. It’s just not worth your time.

Limited Hosting

You should avoid this type of hosting package, it is very unlikely that it will cover your current and future web hosting needs. Then you will be forced to pay extra for the services you require to operate your online business.

In particular, avoid hosting companies that forbid you to add certain services like stat trackers, order forms or multiple emails to your site. Many of the services you will have to add-on, or worse, cannot use, are standard “tools of the trade” for anyone who runs a successful online business.

Unless a web host provides the following, you should continue your search:

1) URL Redirection
2) Autoresponders
3) Multiple POP Email Accounts
4) Dedicated Hosting
5) Secure Servers
6) Website Statistics (Downloads, Traffic and clickthroughs)
7) Total Web Space Allocation (This should be easy to upgrade when necessary)

These are just a few important services to look for when choosing a web host for your new website.

Cheap Hosting

Cheap hosting is one of those shady deals that are to be avoided. A “cheap hosting fee” costs around $2.50 per month and usually comes with one or more conditions that will severely hamper your online sales.

This low price is a bit tempting, but cheap web hosts usually have deals that allow them to put advertisements in your site, which in turn takes away prospects from your business. They make their money by putting ads in areas where people will most likely click (usually at the top center of your site).

Another frequent complaint with cheap hosting is that it becomes overcrowded and a lot of people experience downtime on their sites. This means that you have a closed shop and you can’t control the situation. There is no reason to needlessly lose customers and sales to frequent downtime.

Your best bet is to buy your own domain name and use a professional web host. Visitors will have more confidence in your site because it looks professional and will be more willing to buy your products and services.

Look at online reviews of web hosting companies. There are tons online, and there is sure to be one that fits your financial and business needs. Take the time to find a great web host, it really is one of the basic building blocks of your online business and a determining factor in your success.