Have you ever picked up a web design magazine or visited a web design blog? You'll notice that the advertising is heavily bombarded with promotions and discounts for web hosting. The web hosting industry is an extremely competitive niche. Hosting companies have large advertising budgets to promote their goods and services.
Unfortunately, the hosting industry is often dictated by cost. Although, cost is important - it's shouldn't be the overall deciding factor whether to purchase a particular service. I'm sure you've heard the saying: "You get what you pay for". Quality web hosting certainly does hold a heavier price tag. Developing a website or blog is like building a house. Every house requires a plot of land to build on. Web hosting is your virtual plot of land. Every building requires an address - a domain name is your unique address. Once you've got your domain name and hosting in place - you can put your website online.
One of the most common mistakes that new business owner's make is they buy their hosting before building their website. Planning is the most crucial factor for developing a successful online presence. People get excited about launching a new website, but it happens time and time again. Failing to plan is a costly mistake. Take some to time to plan what will go on your website. Are you going to use video? Are you going to use Flash? Are you going to sell products online? Websites that receive a high level of bandwidth will need to invest in more reliable hosting.
Bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transferred in a given amount of time. For example your broadband provider may offer you 40GB bandwidth a month. If you exceed your bandwidth, your account could be suspended until the following month. Unlimited bandwidth is a misconception within the hosting industry. It's important to read the small print with hosting contracts. The bandwidth allowance will vary depending on your hosting package and provider. Why are hosting companies offering unlimited bandwidth? The answer is simple. In a highly competitive niche, it's important to provide services that stand out. It's a marketing strategy.
Small companies that have a small number of visits - shouldn't cause alarm. However, if your online presence has an abundance of visits you could have your account suspended. If you're serious about your website or blog, you need to find a service provider that can grow with your hosting requirements.
Does your current hosting provider offer a variety of services other than shared hosting? As your online presence grows you may need to upgrade to a virtual dedicated server or even a dedicated server.
Before you sign up with a hosting provider, always plan and develop your online presence. With today's technology you don't always need to purchase hosting first. You can build your website on your computer and when you're ready transfer to your hosting plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment