 |
 |
|
07.16.09 Changing Your Web Hosting And Keeping Your Page Rank  By
Stoney deGeyter Recently I received a call from a former client, concerned that their website was down. We helped them set up their web host services with a nationally recognized company and provided them all the information they needed to manage their account before continuing on with our other services. Then one day we got a call. They were frantic and concerned (and not without a heavy dose of blame on us) because the site had been down and nobody could figure out why. We were the last people they entrusted their site to so we were the obvious Ultimately everything got worked out, but when it come time to renew their services with the web host provider the credit card on file had expired, as had their primary contact email addresses. The web host went no further in trying to contact the company (anyone hear of a phone?) before disconnecting the account. Our former client was able to get web hosting restored and all was well with the world, with the exception singular exception that they continue to use the same web host provider. Web hosting, like sex, is generally one of those things you don't think about unless you don't have it or until there is a problem. Web hosting is often considered as one of the web site's "utilities," similar to how you need to pay your electric bill in order to keep the lights on. But the simplicity of setting up an account with the electric company and having them send out the monthly meter-reader pales in comparison to setting up a web hosting account. The hosting package you choose will play a significant role in the overall performance of your site. You may not be concerned about your web hosting package today, but I guarantee you that you'll be thinking about it the minute your site goes down or you are unable to send or receive email. Over the years I've used almost a dozen different web hosts providers. In that time, I've found only one or two that I feel I can trust completely. While there are many, many features any given web host provider offers, there are only a handful of issues that you must pay particular attention to before selecting your web host company.
Cost  Web hosting prices aren't as significant as they once were. With prices in equipment dropping, it's fairly simply to find a low-cost web host provider that appears to give you all that you need. There is abundant $5 and even free hosting services that can meet the needs of the average person, and even possibly a small but growing company. But the old axiom is true, you often get exactly what you pay for.While there are certainly differing equipment needs for differing levels of hosting service, the most significant expense in web hosting is largely in the quality of service you are being provided. If you feel you are getting a great deal compared to other providers, its quite possibly you'll sacrifice customer service to get it. You should never choose a web host based solely on cost. As inexpensive as it might be month to month, a poor provider can cost you thousands of dollars in lost sales if your site or email goes down or simple fails to function properly on a consistent basis. A couple of years ago I had a situation where I chose cheap over anything else. My experience was short but costly. My site frequently went down and customer support often went weeks without returning calls or emails. That was a lesson learned. Continue reading this article. About the Author: Stoney deGeyter is president of Pole Position Marketing (www.PolePositionMarketing.com), a search engine optimization / marketing firm providing SEO and website marketing services since 1998. Stoney is also a part-time instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College, as well as a moderator in the Small Business Ideas Forum. He is the author of his E-Marketing Performance eBook and contributes daily to the E-Marketing Performance (www.eMarketingPerformance.com) marketing blog. |
|
| ||
| -- WebProNewsSE is an iEntry, Inc. publication -- iEntry, Inc. 2549 Richmond Rd. Lexington KY, 40509 © 2009 iEntry, Inc. All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy Legal archives | advertising info | news headlines | free newsletters | comments/feedback | submit article |
