When it comes to hosting a website there are multiple options because there are hosts fighting constantly to grab your attention and win you over. In comparison to the early days of web hosting, modern hosts are simple to work with, have easier set up processes and are more reliable. However, with an abundance of hosts how do you decide which one to choose?
Trying Before Buying
As with most things, you do not realise how good or bad something is until you have tried it but with web hosting there are things to consider such as the first problem bill, a check on downtime and the first technical problem and how they deal with it.
If everything goes well then of course you can move forward but this is not always the case, so what do you do when you are not satisfied? There are some hosts that offer a monthly billing plan which is a form of try-before-you-buy but if clients are unsatisfied then they still have to transfer their site and begin again. Therefore, it is important to do your homework so that you can be sure you are making the right decision.
The Strength of Reviews
How good a host really is depends on many things. This comes down to requirements but one host that is great with WordPress may not be so good for something as simple as a storefront. This proves how important it is to get reviews from those who have experienced their services because they have been there and done it.
Review Strategies
Many hosting companies today are able to manage their own publicity in a number of different ways which means they can control how credible they may look.
Many hosts push positive reviews from satisfied customers and they do all they can to make these stand out. Many companies obtain these reviews through soliciting their customers.
Taking a look at the forums that are run by the host are more credible because these support forums offer an insight into the different experience users have had. They also highlight problems they may have had but although the sites are moderated they can be used to find out more about the host.
Independent third party reviews are about as credible as it gets because they are out there to provide customers with the information they need. There is no conflict of interest here which means they are not biased.
The hosts will often subsidise third party review sites and although they may look independent, but the truth is the hosts are involved which means these reviews lose a lot of credibility.
Social media is used heavily for advertising and because all can get involved there is an element of truth to it. However, there is no way to prevent false accounts so those people who are appearing as users could actually be staff.
Essentially, if a web hosting company has control over anything published about them then the reviews cannot be accepted as true and correct. Using websites that distance themselves from the hosting company is the best place to look.
Conclusion
Today, everything as more accessible than it ever has been and that is a good thing, however, it can also mean that customers can easily become duped by hosting companies who pretend to be better than they actually are. Sites that claim to be independent but turn out to be fake are the reason why careful research is important. Finding the right hosting provider takes time and patience and ensuring that you put a lot of work into finding the right independent third party review sites will ensure that you make the right decisions.