Company Web Site Hosting: 3 Red Flags

The world of company web site hosting can be a tricky one, especially for the beginner. While there are reputable hosting services such as Lunar Pages, there are plenty of other companies with less than stellar reputations.  None of this will be immediately obvious upon visiting the company’s web site. 

Therefore, it is critical that you are vigilant and informed when looking for company web site hosting.  Many of these companies use tactics that could be best described as “sleazy” in order to get your business and part you from your hard-earned money – and you will not realize that you have been taken for a ride with a company that does not live up to its promises.  In order to avoid this perilous circumstance, there are three red flags to monitor when you are shopping for company web site hosting.

Company Web Site Hosting Red Flag: The Fallacy of Free and Very Cheap Hosting

Though it might seem like a bargain when you run across company web site hosting that offers free or very inexpensive hosting, this is not always the case.  You have to ask yourself why the company can offer their services for such a premium. Often times, it is because they are skimping on some important factors.

These factors may be in the arena of customer service, for instance.  Whereas one company may offer you 24/7 phone support, another will only give you an email address and point you to a FAQ page.  What will you do if your website goes down, but you cannot access any customer service representatives?  Will the money you saved on company web site hosting be worth the downtime? 

Take a close look at what the provider is offering and compare it to other companies that are priced somewhat higher. If they look the same, you still need to look deeper.  Company web site hosting is a very competitive and deceitful market. Watch out for providers who are offering more than they can provide. Read up on reviews and see how they perform when put to the test.

Company Web Site Hosting Red Flag: Hidden Fees

Another red flag in the industry of company web site hosting is providers that charge you hidden fees, or may hide details in the fine print from you at the start. 

One area where some of the more disreputable providers prey on customers is the reality of bandwidth.  More and more often, we are seeing cheap company web site hosting providers offering enormous amounts of bandwidth for a very low price.  When you look at the economics, this is not a feasible proposition – and indeed, not a feasible outcome.  There are reports of providers shutting down websites that exceed a certain level of bandwidth, even though they offered “unlimited” bandwidth.  

These company web site hosting can shut down your website because it is written (in very fine print) in their terms of service that you cannot exceed a certain amount of bandwidth.  Be very wary of this common bait and switch technique. If it seems too good to be true, it most likely is.

Company Web Site Hosting Red Flag: Beware of the Long Term Contract

In order to provide the best prices possible, many company web site hosting providers offer long term contracts for up to a year in advance.  This may seem tempting to you, but it should probably be avoided.  After all, no matter how diligent your research, there’s always the chance you will be dissatisfied with the company.  What then?  Under a long term contract, you’re stuck with them for the life of the deal.

If you’re only paying month to month, you’ll always have the option of going elsewhere should you become disenchanted with the service. Or, if you like the service, you can then switch to the one-year term having fully experienced and appreciated the company web site hosting plan.