I often feel like an old curmudgeon when I complain about hosting accounts. There are so many of them and so many of them are wrought with problems that can cost the client time and money. I have my own hosting preference, not just as a reseller who makes a profit, but because they work. They save me time and therefore save my clients time and money.
So how can hosting cost you more than your your yearly fee?
1. Free Hosting. Remember when Mom and Dad warned you don’t get something for nothing? Remember how often this proves to be true? Beware of “free” hosting as it often starts with a very small amount of storage space and will cost big-time to add more. Some free hosting accounts require you to refer friends for “paid” hosting to continue to qualify for no-cost hosting. Bandwidth is seldom discussed but can cost you money: low-budget hosting probably allows for less bandwidth (the amount of traffic that they allow to occur between your website and the rest of the internet). I have a client whose story was picked up by CNN who also broadcasted their website address. In one day they had over 250,000 visits to their site and quickly exceeded the allowed bandwidth on their hosting account… with no additional charges while lesser hosts charge for exceeding allotted bandwidth. Ouch!
2. Down Time. You want a website so people can find you online, right? Cut-rate hosting accounts often are plagued with downtime… time when the server isn’t working and your website can not be seen online. I have one client whose sub-standard hosting was going down for days at a time. Either you or your web master will be spending time and money calling the hosting to get to the root of the problem.
3. Security. My favorite breach of web security was a client hosting with a very small, low cost, company somewhere in the Mid-West. The client wanted their site statistics and when I called the hosting company they didn’t ask for any ID and put the site statistics online where they are accessible by anyone including the client’s competitors. How much business will your competitors grab when they can view the inner workings of your web traffic?
4. Cheap Hosting Without Support. Here’s another fun hitch when using a low budget hosting account… no phone support. These companies charge an additional fee if you want to contact them by phone, otherwise the only way to contact their support staff or anyone at the hosting company is by email.
5. Account Skinny on Features. Often a client will purchase a low-end hosting account before engaging a web designer. They can end up with an account that is not robust enough to handle an interactive website… even something as simple as a contact form. Or they purchase Windows hosting when they want to work with programing that runs on a Unix server, or vice versa. Most hosting accounts offer an array of features, however it pays to engage your web consultant before choosing a hosting account to be sure you are getting what you need.
You can save time and money on your website. Consult with a professional design and development company before you enter into a hosting agreement.
by Vanessa Wood
Design to Spec LLC – Website Design in Darien, CT
All content copyright ©2005-2009, Vanessa Wood
