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PART 12 - Go To Part 1
How To Choose The Right Web Host For Your Site
(Part 12)
How To Select A Free Web Host That Can Work For Your Business Web Site - What To Look Out For, And Why Sometimes You Get Exactly What You Pay For.
Are free web hosts worth your time?
If you're running a business on your own, you're probably trying to find shortcuts for cutting down your costs.
However, in the case of your web host, is this the best move? There are many free web hosting services available, but it's how you choose from them that will make a free web host a wise or an unwise decision. What should you look for? Free web hosts aren't exactly free in the sense of the word. True, you will get hosting services without a monthly bill, but you may end up paying in other ways.
Here are some questions that you will want to ask:
How much space will you get? If you're not getting enough space for your website, a free web host isn't going to be a good choice. When you can't include the necessary content for your site, you're not getting a deal. Try to figure out what you will need first in order to make the right choice.
How much advertising will be on your site? Because the free web hosts need to make money too, they will expect you to post advertising on your website. However, this can look distracting to your customers who are expecting to hear about YOUR business and not someone else's.
And for the savvy web page surfer, they will realize that this is because you are using free services. The simple presence of ads can make a visitor to your site wonder if you're taking your business seriously and whether the visitor should too.
What kinds of tools does it provide? If you're going to be building your website with a free web host, you need to have at least FTP access in order to load and upload pages. Be sure to check to see what you will be able to do with your website and what limitations you can expect.
Is it reliable? Just like any other web host, you need to know whether or not the free web host is going to be broadcasting your website to your customers. Ask for their statistics and their downtime estimates.
Can you have any traffic? Because many free web hosts limit the visitors that you can have on your site, you might be causing problems for those that genuinely want to go to your business website. Look into the bandwidth that is offered.
When you're looking for a way to cut costs in your business, you will want to weight the benefits and the problems with doing so - especially when it comes to your website and how your customers will view you (or not).
Summary
- Free web hosts are available, but there are restrictions.
- Find out the space restrictions as well as traffic restrictions.
- How much advertising will be on your website?
- Inquire as to the reliability.
- Weight the costs benefits and services available carefully.
All chapters of: How To Choose The Right Web Host For Your Site
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