5 Simple Tactics for Avoiding Nightmare Web Hosting

There are countless reviews and testimonals for web hosts on the internet. One only has to enter the term “best web host” in Google to be flooded by web hosting reviews covering a wide variety of web hosts.

My advice? Ignore all of them!

Most are written by affiliates who will receive a healthy commission when you click through and sign up for one of the hosting companies they recommend. Others are written by the hosting companies themselves, who are hardly inclined to publish negative experiences of their services.

The hosting companies that show up in these reviews are not necessarily bad, but the fact remains, most are biased and can’t be trusted.

So what is a webmaster to do, in order to find the perfect web host?

There is certainly no silver bullet, when it comes to picking a host, but you can certainly save yourself some trouble by learning to recognize the bad ones.

We reveal 5 simple tactics that reveal the early warning signs of a nightmare web host.

1. Read the News: Reading about a host in the media can not surprisingly reveal more about the true nature of the company than their sales pitch. If they are publicly traded, good earings over the last several quarters are a sign of a well performing hosting company that is likely in a good position to look after your business. Scandal, takeover or other disruption are indicators of a poor performing hosting company, be aware of the signs.

2. What Does Their Website Say About Them: A quick check of the hosting company’s website is simple to do and can reveal a lot. A website that is poorly presented or looks cheap and tacky is a sign the company don’t take themselves seriously. If the host is not willing to put much effort into a clean and professional appearance, chances are their service will reflect their image. The support page is another area to pay attention to. If it is not cleanly presented with comprehensive content, a knowledge base or FAQ page and a bold, visible telephone support number, it is a warning sign.

3. Putting their Support Team to the Test: A dedicated team of qualified support staff, can be the difference between a poorly performing hosting company and a golden one. An easy test is to contact the company directly so as to test how quickly your call is returned and your emails answered. If a host does not get back to you within the hour, you can probably expect similar service once you are a paying customer. When you phone, consider how quickly you have to wait to talk to a real living human being on the other end. If you are placed in a queue for any longer than 5-10 minutes, ask yourself how you would feel about it as an actual customer.

4. Do They Have Outragous Pricing (is it too cheap?): Consider what a web host is charging you. They might offer a dirt cheap price, but is it too cheap? All web hosts have to make a profit and chances are if they’re cutting their costs in one area, they’ll make it up in others. This could be in the form of stretching too few server resources over too many customers, an inadequate team of support staff or additional hidden costs for services you need. As in all areas of life, if deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!

5. The Trial Never Ends: Eventually you will select a web host for your business. Evaluating a host only after you have signed up with them is the worst time, but sometimes a web host will pass all the tests, yet fail to deliver once you have signed up and your web assets transferred to their server. Often there is a cancellation period, so if warning bells start  ringing soon after you sign up, don’t waste any time, cutting them loose. Also look out for charges that increase over time. While the hassle and disruption of moving hosts can be a pain, in the long run you’ll be thankful you took action.

Conclusion

Reviews and testimonials are usually biased and written by affiliates or by the web hosts themselves, by learning to recognize the early warning signs of a mediocre host, you can avoid the unpleasantness of a bad service. Check the media and the host's website, their support page and response times to queries. Ask yourself if their price is “too-good-to-be-true” and once you have signed up, cut and run at the first sign they are under-performing. There are plenty of other hosting companies to choose from.