8 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing Your Web Host Provider

A web host is a server that stores the website files of a company. To further explain how web hosting works, when someone types in a company’s domain in their device, the web host sends the website files of the company to the server, then the server sends those files to your device and then display the files like how a normal website would appear on your screen.

Many will think it’s easy to find a web host for a website, and while this is true, you still need to be careful. If you’re looking for a web host for your company’s website, here are eight common mistakes to avoid when choosing a web host provider:

1. Believing Free Web Hosting Offers

While those who offer free web hosting are convenient for starting businesses, it’s not the most ideal option. Since free web hosting providers do not get payments from companies, they do not offer customer service in return.

Every time there is downtime or the website lags too much, free web hosting providers do not respond to issues, and this can sabotage the user experience of customers. Free web hosts are ideal for those who are planning to create a website for personal use only, but if you’re a business or a service provider, stay clear from free web hosts!

2. Going For The Unlimited Storage

One of the common ads you will see on sites when looking for a web host server is ads that offer web hosting with “unlimited” claims. Web hosting providers typically post ads to different pages with claims that they offer unlimited bandwidth and storage. What they do not often state is that they will host the website to a shared server. There’s nothing wrong with a shared server, but there are things you have to consider before joining one.

The quality of service to shared web host servers gets compromised when there are more demands on another website.

3. Choosing A Web Host Package That Does Not Offer A Refund Guarantee

When you choose a web host, it’s essential to remember to look for web hosting providers that offer refund guarantees and free trials to their packages.

Web hosts with refund guarantees will allow you to test their packages first before committing to their long-term service. This will enable you to check what package works better for your website, before finally deciding which to get.

4. Failing To Consider Security When Choosing A Package

The general rule of thumb when choosing a web host package is to check first if the package comes with security features. Most web hosting providers do not offer features that maintain security for your website, so you have to stay clear from them. If you will use your website for collecting customer information and payments, then you need to choose a web host package that offers different types of security measures.

5. Overlooking Quality Over Price

While it’s tempting to choose a web host provider that offers lower package prices, they do not provide the same quality of service.

You might even get tempted to pick a cheap package because of how it was advertised, but always remember that if it’s cheap and looks promising, it’s not the best choice to get it.

Some of these cheap web host providers will come off as “too good to be true” because they over-promise their advertisements to entice someone to get their plans. In reality, their services will under-delivered. The safest option is to check first the market’s price rates for web host packages, and from there, compare the prices of the plan you want to get. If it’s not too expensive nor too cheap, has good reviews, and is a reputable web host provider, go for it.

6. Signing Up For A Full Year Service

If you have no prior experience with a web hosting service provider, do not ever sign up for a full-year plan with them. If there will be a time during the program when you do not want to continue anymore because you didn’t like their service, you will not get the money you paid in advance for the full-year term. However, there are also web host providers that offer money-back guarantees to their packages, so it’s safer to choose among them.

Web host services are like commodities. It’s better to test them before deciding if you’re ready to do longer commitments with them.

7. Signing Up To A Package From A Web Host Provider Without Checking Reviews

Reviews provide authentic first-hand testimonials of how a web host server performs, so you need to check them before adding a web host provider to your options of web host servers.

You can quickly check how the features of the web host servers perform when you find reviews from previous customers. Moreover, the reviews will help you decide better if you need the kind of service they provide, or you can find a better option.

8. Not Reading The Fine Prints

The most common mistake a consumer makes before signing up for a service is not reading the fine print. The fine print includes the terms and conditions of the package, so it is highly essential to read it before signing up for the web host plan. The fine print consists of information not usually disclosed by service providers but is necessary for the customers to know.

Reading the fine print will help you be fully aware of what you are signing up for, so if there will be issues during the subscription you made, you can check the fine print on what action you can take and what compensation the web host provider can provide for you.

Conclusion

If it’s your first time to have a website for your business, then web hosting might be an unfamiliar niche to you. In this case, you can be more prone to be taken advantage of by tempting web hosting offers, so be wary.

Do thorough research on your own before choosing a web host service provider for your website, especially since your website will be your platform for providing customer service. Always keep in mind that if your website does not function well, it can significantly sabotage the experience of your customers and scare away potential buyers.