Getting a website up and running

If you want to get a website up and running, one of the first big decisions you will need to make is which web hosting company you are going to use. This is not a decision you should take lightly because choosing the wrong company can end up being a disaster, especially if your website is an ecommerce store. Needless to say, all web hosting companies are not created equal. They will vary greatly in many different areas. Fortunately, there are many to choose from. Therefore, if you put some time and effort into your research, you should be able to find a dependable company that will meet your needs. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you begin your search.

1. Price

For many people, especially small business owners, price is their number one consideration when it comes to choosing a web hosting company. While price is obviously an important factor, it should not be the reason you decide to hire a company. In the world of web hosting, as in most other areas of life, you get what you pay for. If you see a company that is charging considerably more than the competition, there is usually a good reason. Simply choosing the cheapest company could result in many headaches and expenses that you could have avoided if you had gone with a slightly more expensive company. Quality hardware and non-outsourced support both cost money. If these features are important to you, it will be difficult to find companies that carry them for dirt cheap rates.

2. Hardware

If you have a website that you are using for a business, dependability of your web hosting company should be one of your top concerns. If the company is not using good hardware, there is a chance your website could suffer periods where it in not accessible. This means you won’t be making any money. Ask the company what type of machines they use. You should also find out about their servers. This is important because website and server performance can be affected by hardware.

3. Tech support

If you have a problem with your site, you need to have someone available 24/7 to take your call and resolve your issue as quickly as possible. The longer your site is offline, the more money you are losing. Avoid web hosting companies that make it difficult to get a real person on the phone. Ideally, you should be able to contact them via chat, phone and email.