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The explosion of the internet has seen a corresponding explosion in the number of companies providing hosting services and with the right checklist it is very easy to find a great Web Hosting Deal.
Of course each person or organization looking for somewhere to host their web site will have their own unique requirements, but as a minimum there are 7 things that absolutely must be in place to ensure you are getting the best from the service you use. When you find a company with those in place, you know you are on to a good web hosting deal and all you have to then do is dig a little bit deeper to see if your more specific requirements are met.
So here are the 7 things you must see on a web hosting company’s offer to be sure you are on the right track:
1. Unlimited Disk Space
Ok it is hardly likely that you will develop a site needing the disk space of a site like You Tube but you also want to ensure you have enough space to meet your current and future needs. With video featuring more and more on websites, the need for space will only grow.
Some hosting companies at the lower end of the credibility range will limit your disk space and if your site grows quickly, you may either be faced with hefty upgrade fees or the complications and hassle of transferring your site to another host.
2. Unlimited Bandwidth
Having no limits on the bandwidth available to you is just as important to you as unlimited disk space. Once again the explosive growth of web video means sites without this streaming media will be left behind by competitors displaying video.
The more video you have on your site then the more bandwidth you will need. Limits on it, may find a visitor to your site clicking away in disgust halfway through a video that stalls.
3. Free Site Builder
In the not too distant past, building a web site was a black art and only those with detailed knowledge of html could put together a site for you, as long as you paid them a hefty fee of course. These days there are many point and click tools that will allow you to create a very presentable web site in just a few minutes.
A really good web hosting deal will have a free site builder so you can have your site online the same day you sign up with your host provider.
4. Easy Control Panel
There are two sides to your web site. There is the public face that visitors to your domain name will see when they surf the internet to your site. The other side is the behind the scenes area where you manage and control what goes on. This is the area where you log in and if you like get under the hood of your site. A good host deal will provide you with an easy to use control panel to allow you to easily manage and update your site.
5. 99.9% Uptime Guarantee
When your business is completely based around your web site, it makes sense that you want it available to customers all day, every day. Now hosting companies will rarely offer a 100% uptime commitment but do give a 99.9% guarantee. This is about as good as you are going to get, but let’s face it, that is still pretty good.
6. Money Back Guarantee
A really useful indicator of how good your potential hosting company is going to be is whether they offer a money back guarantee. They do this as a way of enticing you to be a customer. However there is a bit of reverse psychology going on here because a company will only be so bold as to offer you your money back if they know that their service is going to be so good that it is rare anyone ever takes that option. So it is a good indicator of a good deal.
7. Outstanding Technical Support
This is probably one of the most important aspects of hosting your site and is the difference that makes the difference between a great web hosting deal and a mediocre one. A web site is a complicated thing and occasionally things will go wrong and most certainly you will be faced with not knowing how to do something. There is great reassurance in having someone on the end of a chat line or telephone who will talk you through the problem you are facing.
It is important that this support is available to you 24 hours a day and every day of the year – even during holiday periods.
So these 7 criteria are the first things you will look for as you search for the best web hosting deal. There are many great offers out there and with these things in place you know that you are with the right company.