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PART 5 Go To Part 1
How To Choose The Right Web Host For Your Site
(Part 5)
Web Hosting Downtime And Why This Is Important In A Business Website Decision Making Process.
Why you need to know about a web host's downtime
When you hire an employee, you need to know that they're going to show up every day and do their job - your web host should be no different. If your website is going to play a vital role in how you reach your customers, you need to know that you're going to be available in that virtual sense. What the numbers mean As you look at the various possibilities for web hosting, you will notice that many providers give numbers that declare how reliable they are. However, have you stopped to consider what these numbers actually translate to?
- A web host with 0.0% downtime = No downtime.
- A web host with 0.1% downtime = Almost nine hours of downtime
- A web host with 0.5% downtime = Over 43 hours of downtime
- A web host with 2.0% downtime = About 6 days of downtime
When you start to look at these numbers, even those providers that advertise a 98% uptime would be down for almost a week each year - can your business afford that? What are they doing about it? In a perfect world, there would be no downtime, so you will want to find out from your prospective web host what they do in the event of downtime. You might want to ask them:
What are the protocols for handling downtime?
- How quickly can events be resolved?
- How fast is the response?
- How long can I expect my site to be down for routine maintenance?
If the web host promises to quickly handle any unforeseen downtimes, it is the sign of someone who understands that your business is counting on being able to reach its customers.
Why you need to care When your customers are looking for you, they want to be able to find you. A website that can not be accessed regularly will be the one that customers stop going to.
These frequent downtimes can seem a sign that the business isn't concerned about their customers and their convenience. And that is a reputation that you do not want to build.
Customers won't be able to place orders, they won't be able to contact you, and they won't be able to learn more about your business - that adds up to money lost.
Summary
- When a web host talks about uptime, think about what that translates to over the referred time period.
- Ask the web host what they do in the event of down time.
- Customers rely on your website to be there - for purchases, information, and help.
- If your web host doesn't allow you to be available, you are losing money.
Continue Reading Part 6 How To Choose The Right Web Host For Your Site
All chapters of: How To Choose The Right Web Host For Your Site
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