It’s always tempting to look for the cheapest deal when you compare web hosting. But beware, getting the right marketing results isn’t all about the website and upfront design.
It’s also about reliable service that supports your business promotion every day. For many businesses, the web operations have become an important contribution to the bottom line. Make sure that you take this into account when you next compare web hosting.
The critical elements of a web hosting service are:
1. A publishing platform that puts you in regular control of your marketing output
2. Ongoing promotion and all that SEO stuff
3. Domain name renewals, security, hosting support etc.
Get it wrong and your site could stop overnight. Worse still it could be become part of someone else’s fraudulent activities.
What to look for when you compare web hosting?
But the most critical part of any service is having someone that you can get hold of on the phone.
Now just before Christmas, I picked up a client who desperately needed support because their overseas based website had just been hacked by a pressure group called the “Sons of Freedom” or whoever they were.
Within 48 hrs, we had recovered their site and all the assets and had reinstated the service on our own server.
However, they left the management of their domain name to their trusted website designer. Yesterday, I got a panicky call because their domain name had just expired without anyone noticing that it was up for renewal. When this happens, you lose your website and all your email service too.
Needless to say, we’ve now fixed this problem too and they’re operational again. How frustrating would it be if you couldn’t get hold of the hosting company or person who manages the website?
Therefore, make sure that you can always get hold of someone on the phone when you compare web hosting.