Minimum Requirements When Choosing A Host

by
Chase Williams

Cheap web hosting is the key to growing your business. Choosing a cheap web hosting provider gives you an affordable and reliable (if you choose the right cheap hosting provider) online presence that will allow you to reach a customer base that was once unattainable.

The key to the statement above is "if you choose the right cheap hosting provider". Cheap web hosting is a highly profitable business that can be started on a dime. If you check eBay, you will see auctions selling turn key cheap web hosting companies at cut throat prices. This is a massive industry, that will continue to grow and flourish. With the ease of getting in to the cheap web hosting business, there are problems with finding the right cheap hosting provider to get your online business up and running. That being said, I am going to provide you some minimal requirements that should be met before you sign up with a cheap web hosting provider.

Price - The old adage, "you get what you pay for" is especially true when trying to choose affordable web hosting. While the pricing is nice, you will run into downtime, slow servers, and unprofessional customer service. All of which can end your online business before it starts.

Set Up Fees - How much will it cost to set up your account? If they charge you to set up your account, I would go elsewhere. This is an unnecessary charge and extra profit for the web hosting company. Also, avoid companies that try to steer you in to certain payment terms by charging you set up fees if you sign up for certain hosting packages. You should be able to get the same or nearly the same pricing, no matter which payment terms you sign up for.

Payment Terms - In my opinion, it is best to avoid cheap hosting providers that only offer a single term for payments. If you get hosting for $12 per year and the only payment terms are annual payments, chances are that company will not be here at the end of the year. If you like the idea of paying up front, make sure your research the company to ensure that they have been around for awhile and will not leave you hanging. The other side to this (and it applies to all hosting companies) if you pay up front for a year and your are not happy with the services and want to switch providers, you lose the money you have already paid and there may be a charge to end the contract.

Canceling Your Service - How easy is it to cancel the service if you are not happy with the company? Will you have to pay any cancellation charges? Do you have to call in or can you cancel online? Make sure you can get answers to these questions or find another cheap hosting provider.

Customer Service/Technical Support - Does the web hosting company offer 24/7 customer service/technical support? Can you speak to a human being or do you have to fill in an online form? The right answer to these questions is entirely up to each individual. Some people want to speak to a human and others want to submit a ticket and be done with it. Make sure the support is there for you. Try calling the number listed or submit an online ticket and see what kind and how long it takes to get a response.

Uptime - If your servers are down, your site is not up and you cant make money. The minimum uptime you should look for is 99.9%.

Redundancy - Does your web hosting provider have a back up in case a server fails or they need to perform basic maintenance? If they can not provide redundant servers, seek your hosting elsewhere.

The above list are what I consider to be the minimum requirements when you choose a host. You should look at the terms above before looking at the technical end of hosting (ie.. transfer, drive space, etc...). You can view a list of top quality cheap web hosting providers at www.findmycheapwebhosting.com

About the Author

Chase is the owner and webmaster of Find My Cheap Web Hosting. Chase is a veteren entrepreneur, webmaster, and web hosting account manager.

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