In case you did not know, shared web hosting has become the most popular hosting solution across the internet world. Hundreds of web hosting providers are offering it every now and then. Unfortunately, the sheer size of shared solutions – including its massive market – has a downside: It is causing a variety of problems to customers. This is due to the fact that most, if not all, people purchasing this hosting plan have little to zero web technology knowledge.
There are many features that you should consider when choosing shared hosting. And understanding each of them will help you choose the right package. Without further ado, here they are.
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1. Free Bonuses
This is definitely the sweetest thing you can get when choosing shared plans. As mentioned above, the market of shared web hosting is quite big. As such, companies are trying to create ways that would help them pique the interest of potential clients. And one of the ways they do this is offering free bonuses. For instance, a company may offer you two or more free domain names, depending on the shared hosting package you move forward with.
It is also possible for providers to give you access to premium site-building tools that can help you develop a website from scratch. When it comes to free bonuses, however, there is one that you really need to pay attention to and it is none other than renewal fees. This is where the provider will give you the first year of the domain utilization for free. But as soon as, say, a year ends, you will start paying yearly fees.
As always, remember to check and understand the user agreement. After all, pricing is a key decision factor when it comes to selecting a provider. And if you want, you can check these cheap hosting reviews to know more about hosting companies with affordable rates.
2. Pre-Installed Apps
A lot of web hosting providers offer a handful of additional features into their respective shared plans. The only catch, however, is that this usually causes a huge mess. For instance, they will tend to offer extra fee services, pre-installed apps, and unlimited options, just to name a few. In reality, you really do not need most of them. Focus on pre-installed apps instead. They are basically special widgets specifically built to help you create a website quickly and, at the same time, manage it more efficiently.
One of the most basic pre-installed apps is none other than the control panel. If your chosen shared plan comes with it, then you can certainly rest easy. There are plenty of control panels out there, with cPanel being the most popular one. Again, you do not need any additional features – things can be pretty easier even with one.
3. Uptime
Uptime refers to the time your site functions online. It also defines the moment when visitors are accessing your website without facing any connection issue. It is often measured in percentages directly from the total expected uptime. While not all website needs to online 24 hours a day, 7 times a week, there is great leverage to having a guaranteed uptime.
Normally, going with shared plans means that your project is not necessarily big. This also means that you do not require 100 percent uptime. So, in this case, you do not have to burden yourself when companies promise anything about their guaranteed uptime. What you might want to do instead is read reviews or ask your friends if they know about a web hosting provider’s uptime.
4. Technical Support
Time and again, technical support is a crucial thing to consider when choosing a web hosting company. The same thing can be said even if you are going for a shared hosting solution. This one right here is quite important, especially if you are new to the world of web hosting. The technical support will not only be your eyes and years, but it will also be your best friend. Believe it or not, as you embark on your online business journey, you will be spending a lot of time talking to a provider’s support team.
The same with the aforementioned, you need to check some reviews and/or feedbacks in order to gain information about a web hosting provider’s support. Also, try to browse various forums online, particularly the ones where users discuss web hosting and the like. But why is support so important? Remember that when making your way towards hosting management, you will have a plethora of questions in mind. This is also the reason why the working speed of technical support is deemed crucial.
Well, there you have it – hope this quick guide can help you big time. Remember that choosing a shared package is quite subjective. With that said, you must be able to know and understand what features you consider as a priority and not. Just make the overall experience fun as well.
If you are interested in even more technology-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels then we have a lot to choose from.
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