Many hosting providers are different & offer many other benefits. It is important to compare many hosting services before choosing the right hosting for your type of project. This article will list common mistakes people make when choosing a hosting provider so you can avoid making these mistakes too!
Also Check: How to Choose a Hosting for a Website
Mistake #1: Not being clear about your needs before you start shopping.
The most important thing to do when choosing a hosting provider is to know your needs. What you need from a hosting service can differ depending on the type of work you do or the website you’d like to create. You may even want a hosting service that offers both shared and VPS services. Researching your options and determining what you need before shopping around is important. Otherwise, it can be very easy to accidentally choose the wrong hosting provider for your needs!
Mistake #2: You need to do more research before deciding.
After you have determined your needs and know which hosting provider to choose, it is important to research that provider. One of the biggest mistakes people make when choosing a hosting provider is assuming they will select the first one they find or talk to! The truth is that many bad providers have been discovered by someone living nearby and then touted as the best hosting provider without first doing any actual research. Before you make any decisions, it’s important to do your research!
Mistake #3: Not contacting the host you found before deciding.
When you are doing your research, please make sure to check out the hosting provider’s website. Before choosing a hosting provider, make sure to contact the company and ask them questions about the following:
- What kind of support do they offer?
- What type of hosting service do they offer? (shared, VPS, and dedicated)
- What additional services does the hosting provider that we’d need for our project? (e-mail, domain name registration, maintenance, cPanel login, etc.)
- Which web hosting company and what type of server do they use?
- Are there any hidden fees included in the price? (e.g. domain name prices) and what is their refund policy? How long do you have to request a refund?
- Where are their servers located? (you can find this out by looking at the small print on their website)
If a hosting provider fails to respond, that should be a red flag! It’s important to research the hosting provider you want to work with as much as possible before making your decision so that you can be assured of getting a good deal and choosing the right host. To do that, you’ll need to contact the host first!
Mistake #4: Not checking out the company’s registration information.
It’s important to check out the company you’re considering doing business with on www.whois.com. While this is not a foolproof method of determining if a hosting provider is legitimate, it gives you some information about that hosting provider that you may or may not have been able to find elsewhere. If a hosting service turns out to be a bad deal, you’ll want all the information possible to help you recoup your losses and protect yourself from this company in the future!
Mistake #5: You need to read their Terms of Service (ToS).
The ToS is the first thing you will see when visiting a hosting provider’s website. It’s important to read through all of the ToS, though some may be complex and difficult to understand. Not reading the terms can lead to a lot of grief in the future! You must read all of the ToS before signing up for any services from this hosting provider.
Mistake #6: Not asking for discounts or coupons.
Many times, companies give discounts or coupons to new customers. If you want to learn about that hosting provider and don’t necessarily want their services now, you are entitled to a discount by asking. The worst that could happen is they say no!
Mistake #7: Not understanding the difference between your domain name company and your web hosting company.
Many people need clarification about this when shopping for a hosting service. Your domain name company is responsible for the domain name, not the hosting service. You must have both in order to set up a website. Most web hosting companies also offer domain name services, so you don’t have to look for both separately if you choose one of these services!
Mistake #8: Not checking reviews before choosing a hosting provider.
Another great way to learn more about a hosting provider is to check the reviews. Most hosting providers have reviews on multiple sites and even on Google results pages (this can be done by typing your search keyword plus the word review). It’s important to read through as many reviews as possible before deciding!
Mistake #9: Not researching the web host’s reputation online before choosing a host.
When looking at a hosting provider’s reputation, you’ll want to research them – specifically for their customer service department and for any negative feedback about the company or the individuals that work there.
Mistake #10: Not experimenting with different sites.
It’s possible to create as many websites as you like without any problems with shared hosting, but even though it seems quite an affordable service, it’s only right for some projects. It would help if you thought about what kinds of sites you want to host, the reliability of this web host, the speed at which they allow your website to load, the price they charge, and their support team – all of these factors should play a role in deciding which hosting provider is right for you.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is no “one size fits all solution” when it comes to web hosting; each individual needs to do their research before deciding on which provider they’d like to work with. The 10 mistakes listed above are some of the most common mistakes people make when choosing a hosting service. Many of these mistakes will cost you a lot of money in the long run if you choose an unreliable hosting provider!
The web hosting industry is full of companies offering different services at different prices and for different types of websites.
