Not all web hosting plans are created equal. How do you find an affordable web hosting plan that will meet your needs and still be economical? There are several issues that you’ll want to consider.
Price is always an issue. If you’re just getting your site up and running, you don’t have extra capital to spend on web hosting, so you’ll want the most bang for your buck. Look at several providers and compare characteristics.
What kinds of traffic allowances do the affordable web hosting plans you’re considering offer? Some of the most affordable plans have more generous allowances than higher priced plans, and some have less. Make sure that you choose a plan that will allow your site’s traffic to grow. Don’t box yourself into an upgrade the minute your traffic starts to pick up. There are plenty of web hosting sites out there that will allow moderate traffic with no additional cost.
What kind of disk space do they have available? Don’t tie yourself to a plan that won’t support the volume you hope to do. Compare the statistics. Many affordable web hosting plans have plenty of capacity and don’t cost too much.
What is their service record? Are they down a lot, or infrequently? This is a major consideration, because nothing discourages traffic more than “this page is currently unavailable.” That message means lost traffic. Of course, every web host needs maintenance time, so expect some time offline, but compare outage records.
You’ll want to be able to review your traffic statistics. Choose a web hosting provider that has a meaningful traffic statistic reporting feature. You need this information to target your advertising and analyze your traffic to keep your site growing. Many of the most affordable plans have simple to use, effective statistical programs that will provide almost every user the information they need to effectively manage their site.
There are many other features that you may be interested in. Many web hosting sites, including the affordable, low cost choices, offer domain name registration and renewal as part of their service. This eliminates one more step from your responsibilities. If they offer it, take advantage of it!
There are many outstanding affordable web hosting companies on the internet. One of the most highly rated is HostGator.com. For a modest fee of $9.95 per month, you not only receive reliable service and a 30 day money back guarantee, but you’ll be able to host unlimited sites for this price. They also have a program called SiteStudio that helps you set up your website without HTML or FTP.
Even more exciting, there is not setup fee.
Another popular choice is StartLogic.com. They offer several plans that vary in price depending on the length of the plan you choose. Plans start at $6.50-$12.50 per month. They include a marketing guides manual with each plan to help you get started promoting your site. Although they are one of the newer providers, they are growing rapidly on word of mouth, reliability and great customer service.
Of course, there are many other choices out there when you’re looking for affordable web hosting services. Compare plans and remember to consider your site’s growth when you’re choosing a provider. Remember, you’re only there to increase your traffic, so be sure that your affordable web hosting plan can handle it!
This article was posted on October 03, 2005
