Questions to Seek from a Web Hosting Service Before Signing Up

Questions to Seek from a Web Hosting Service Before Signing Up

Choosing a web host for your business can undoubtedly be a daunting experience for you. A bad web hosting service can turn out to be a nightmare for your business because it can lead to lost files, downtime and poor customer service. All in all, your business can be derailed and your reputation ruined. Luckily, there are some questions you can ask your web host before narrowing down your choices. This can aid you in weeding out the ones that are troublesome and don’t provide the level of web hosting service required. Listed below are some of the questions you should ask:

  • How long have you been in the web hosting business?

A new web host often offers phenomenal packages and takes out huge ads for luring in customers. However, the new service is lacking in experience and this can harm your business when you are struggling to keep your website up and running. You need an experienced service so it is best to check the company’s history or contact the Better Business Bureau. If the date of establishment is not available, ask the service directly via email. Don’t take any risks as your business is at stake.

  • How do you handle package upgrades?

As your website expands and grows, you may want to increase the size of your hosting package for adding more space or meeting bandwidth requirements. You need to know exactly how hard it is to upgrade your package. Ask how long it takes and what the process entails. Do you get reduced rates because you are an existing customer? Find out if the upgrade will be done automatically or you will have to provide something additional for it to happen. These may seem like little things, but for a thriving website, even small problems can lead to huge losses you want to avoid.

  • Is customer support available 24/7?

Most web host claim that they are available round the clock, but it is rarely true. The worst thing can be suffering from a downtime on Friday night and have no one to help you until Monday morning. Imagine how much traffic you lose on the weekend and convert it into lost sales and customers. This can be a disaster. Thus, it is better to be upfront and ask about the availability of tech support when you need it. Web hosting companies like GoDaddy, Hostgator, and especially Inmotion are known for offering 7 day customer support.

  • How is website security handled?

In order to ensure the web host has some protections in place, you only have to be familiar with basic terms such as firewall and SSL. Nonetheless, you should still ask questions about the backend of your website. Can other people sharing the server with you access your files? What steps are taken by the web host to ensure it doesn’t happen? It is best to know how secure your website will be as this can be used for deciding the security measures you wish to impose in order to keep hackers and cybercriminals out.

  • What is the monthly uptime and what backup services are provided?

Uptime is of the utmost importance for a website. You want to be visible to your customer at all times. The ideal uptime for any web hosting service is 99.8% and you should never settle for less. Otherwise, your competitors may be able to tap into your audience. Moreover, you should get a web host that backs up your website on a daily basis to ensure there is no loss of information. Ask where backups are stored and if they can be accessed through the cPanel.

Ask these questions and choose the web host that provides satisfactory answers.

No Comments

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.