Many website owners think it is a big hassle to change their web hosting because their site will be down, but that is only the case if you are unfamiliar with how to keep it live. You just need to know what to do when the time comes to switch hosting providers. This article contains some important information that will show you how to keep your site functioning while switching web hosts.
Look into what add-ons and additional features that the different hosts offer. Stick with the companies that offer the services you need. A host that appears to be more economical may not be due to missing features in their plan.
Make sure the web host you choose is up more than it is down. Companies with many outages generally make excuses, and show that they aren’t reliable, since they don’t do anything about them and don’t intend to. A lot of downtime shows that they are not reliable and professional; therefore, you should steer clear of them.
As you make your hosting decision, keep a second choice in mind. If the problem doesn’t lend itself to an easy fix, you’ll be ready to move to a new host. You’ll avoid downtime and lost traffic to your site regardless of what caused the initial problem.
When you are deciding on who to choose for web hosting, pick a company that resides where your target audience is located. If you need to target people in a certain country, make sure that your hosting company has their business located in that country.
Research each potential web host’s customer support before deciding on a host. The easier it is to get in touch with the hosting service, the more likely you are to be satisfied. If you’re having problems with your web hosting account, you’ll need to be able to easily reach customer service by email or phone.
Choose a hosting service that allows you to instantly and easily view your web statistics. You will want to know things such as how many people are visiting your website and what pages they are viewing. You can even find out how long they stayed on your site, and what search words they used to find you. These can be important in the long run, so use a server who has these tools.
Call the customer service number and ask about SSL certification and shopping carts. If the technicians are helpful, you have found a web host that understands e-commerce and will be able to meet your needs. On the other hand, if no one is able to answer your technical questions, look for a different host.
Avoid free web hosting services. These services support themselves by placing advertisements on the top of all the websites they host. These advertisements may annoy your visitors or make your site appear unprofessional. In addition, some free hosts may restrict the amount of commercial content allowed on the websites that they host.
If at all possible, choose a web host that has 24-hour customer service via telephone. The larger hosting services often provide this valuable service. You do not want to be working late at night and find that are experiencing technical difficulties. Call them before you sign up, and test the level of expertise of the agents, and whether or not they can give simple instructions that are easy to understand.
As you can see from the above article, it is possible to keep your website active while you switch to a different hosting company. If you understand the transfer process and what you have to do beforehand, then there is no reason why you should lose a second of downtime. Apply the advice from this article to help you switch hosting companies without having to worry about your website going offline.
