In my line of work as a virtual assistant I’ve come across some real doosies when it comes to web hosting, and some really great ones as well.
With the doosies, it’s often a case of a friend of a friend type deal, and in the end for whatever reason it’s just not a good fit.
So how do you know which web hosting is for you?
1. Is it user friendly? – Unless you have a developer that is taking care of everything for you and you have no intention of ever delving into your own control panel, you will want a cpanel that is user friendly. There are some simple, easy-to-use industry standards out there that make finding what you’re looking for a real snap.
2. Does it provide options for you to grow in the future? – Always check whether you’ll be able to switch to a larger plan in the future, and look at things like the number of databases available, the space available, the number of email addresses available, etc. You may be a small business but your needs will grow as your business grows.
3. Is support easy to access? – Is there something as simple as a phone number or email address where you can contact someone if you need help or are experiencing a problem? How often are they available? There’s nothing worse than getting stuck inside a nasty control panel that doesn’t give you any contact info at all when you’re having major issues with your website.
These three are the main points that I would suggest you think about before you choose hosting for your website. It would be nice to help out your friend Jane’s best buddy Joe and buy your hosting from him, but unless Joe’s hosting fits your needs it may not be what works best for you. Instead, take the time to choose the web hosting that is best for your business efficiency.