There are tons of options when it comes to web hosting. A person without hosting knowledge finds it difficult to choose one. The needs and specifications of every website are different. Choose a host which is compatible with your site and fulfills all your needs. To ensure that you get the best deal, ask these questions to your service provider. If you get satisfactory answers, go ahead and sign up with the vendor.
1. Business tenureã…¡ New companies often come up with exciting plans and big discounts but don't fall in their trap. Their inexperience can cause harm to your business. You can check the "About Us" page of the company to find it out. Register with a company that has a good experience and reputation in the market.
2. Uptime guaranteeã…¡ Go for a web host which offers maximum uptime. Though most of the service providers claim 99.9% of uptime, many of them don't maintain it. Ask your web host if it provides a partial refund in case of a longer downtime.
3. Backup optionã…¡ In case of any disaster, how prepared are your website and host? Does your potential host regularly back up and store web pages? Find out what is the disaster management plan of your host?
4. Security managementã…¡ Every host has some security arrangements for their customers. There are many security tools such as SSL, Firewall, etc. But you should proactively ask your service provider what security options they have.
5. Customer Supportã…¡ Some companies provide 24X7 customer support while others have some specific timings. You should also know the mode of support such as a toll-free number, email, live chat and response time. Choose a company with 24X7 customer support. Who knows when you might need their help!
6. Hidden Chargesã…¡ Be careful, many plans out there in the market look cheap superficially but contain hidden charges. Specifically ask your host if it charges any account set-up fee? Do I have to pay for customer service or domain transferring?
7. Discount on planã…¡ Many web hosting companies offer discounted coupons. However, they do not proactively promote it, you have to find out and strike a deal with them. There are many economical web hosting services as well, you must do a proper research.
8. Software/Hardwareã…¡ Before you sign up with a host, honestly assess the requirements of your website. If it has rich media content, you will need big disk space, and high RAM capacity to function properly.
9. Upgradation termsã…¡ Needs and audiences of your website will grow in the future and you will need more space and bandwidth, so it is wise to know the upgradation terms and prices in advance.
10. Exit Policyã…¡ What if you don't find the services of the host satisfactory? Can you cancel the contract? Will you get the refund? Don't hesitate to ask these questions, it will give you the clear picture of the quality of the brand.
As the old maxim goes "Prevention is better than cure", a few questions can save you from future problems. These questions will certainly narrow down your choices and help you select the best web hosting provider.