How to Determine a Reliable Web Hosting Service

There is certainly no shortage of web hosting companies but finding a good service is often more difficult than it should be. One must take a lot into consideration when deciding to invest in a website. This holds true whether you intend to start a business online or just a personal site. While everything usually looks good on the surface, nothing is guaranteed, not even a quality service. The purpose of this article is to provide you with some essential tips on how to find a reliable web hosting service.

Know Your Numbers

Reliability entails a number of aspects but one of the most important is uptime. This refers to a percentage that basically determines the amount of time your site will be up and available to internet users. The industry standard for uptime is 99.9% so this is what you want to look for. Why not go for a 100%? Quite frankly, it is impossible for a network to stay thriving without experiencing issues. There are just circumstances that neither you nor your web host can control. This might be a hardware failure, power outage or an untimely natural disaster. Realizing this, you should be very weary of a host that claims not to experience any downtime. The best advice: take note of the advertised uptime and find out how you are compensated if that guarantee is not upheld.

Seek Support

Another sign that indicates a provider’s reliability is the level of support they offer. We have already mentioned that anything could happen to the vital equipment involved in a web hosting setup. If something should go wrong, both you and your visitors will demand answers when the service is not available. Even the host with the cheapest price and fastest servers can’t be considered reliable if they do not deliver quality support. Some advertise “around the clock” support but fall short by limiting you to a basic email form or a phone line that is only available during short hours of the day.

It is recommended to seek out a service that can provide support through all hours, seven days a week, month by month and year round. The internet has revolutionized the world of commerce and unlike the traditional brick and mortar store, your online storefront never has to shut down. Instead of taking their word, test the company’s response to be sure they can come through in the clutch when you need them.

The Importance of Homework

When shopping for a web host, the worst thing you can do is purchase a service without doing your homework. Web hosting is a very lucrative business and scams are abound. You need to investigate a company inside and out to make sure you’re getting a quality, reliable service. Some have a track record you can count on while others are just getting established and relatively unknown. Fortunately , there are numerous online communities, review and comparison sites that will provide you with golden insight and point you in the direction to the ideal hosting solution.

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