Got Web Ideas? Fishing for the Answers?
Think Outside The Code First!
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Facts, Thoughts, and Opinions About Web Development and Business Strategy
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Web Hosting is not Web Hosting
One of the services my company offers to clients is Client Only Web Hosting. There are many advantages to us doing this
for clients with the biggest being the freedom to build advanced applications in a shared environment that would
normally require a dedicated Web server. For example, I recently build a Website for a client that uses Windows
Task Scheduler to send out email notices at a specific time each night. You likely will not be able to utilize
such a feature of Windows Server on a common, everyday shared hosting server. This client in particular would
need a much more expensive dedicated Web server to be able to do this.
As a result, our hosting prices are higher than many others. Yet, much lower than the dedicated
server that many of them would need if it was not for this special service that we provide. It is
superior service for a certain few individuals who decide to hire us to build their Websites.
It is also reliable and we offer fast support in the rare occasion when it is needed. That being
said, I have been challenged a time or two by my clients as to why our prices are higher than many of the other
hosting companies out there.
People often look at Web hosting like it is all one in the same. It is not. In fact, much of the low dollar
Web hosting you see out there is fast cash rollover. The process works as follows. A hosting company advertises
Web hosting for $9.99 per month. Then you find out that you will only get that price if you pay for one year.
There likely is no refund. Once you sign-up then you are locked in. Three months go by with nothing but problems
and finally the embarrassment causes you to leave. Thus, the host gets paid for nine months of a service contract that
they never fulfilled. For you and me we call that frustration. For many of the budget hosting companies out there
they call that success.
For starters, an application must be carefully analyzed before a hosting decision is made. In other words, do not
sign-up for hosting before you have chosen a developer for your Website and discussed it with them thoroughly.
A simple Website may run just fine on the cheapest Web hosting you can find while more advanced Websites that use
a database and/or special 3rd party components to run may be a poor choice for cheap hosting. There is no other
industry that exists on earth where the saying, "you get what you pay for", can be applied.
Cheap Web hosting is usually just that - cheap. With thousands of new Websites going up every day, a hosting
company can simply sell by low price and take advantage of the lack of knowledge of potential customers.
One thing that many future Website owners do not realize is that the programming technology your Website is built
in will dictate the hosting platform you can be on. This only applies to data-driven systems. Normal HTML
Websites can be hosted on any platform. If you will be data-driven then you will want to go with a host that
excels in offering hosting on this platform.
Take a look at ORCSWeb who offer superior Web hosting for
Microsoft systems. Notice how they immediately talk about them and their highly focused Windows hosting services.
You do not see a bunch of $9.99 this and $9.99 that and BUY NOW and SAVE!. They talk about their dedication and
commitment to offering superior Microsoft server hosting, which anyone in the Microsoft world would tell you that
they do just that.
Are they cheap? No. And that's a good thing.
This is what a good hosting companies Website will look like. Any hosting company out there that has their home
page plastered with dirt cheap hosting prices and is reluctant to immediately talk about themselves and their services
is likely one that you are going to have problems with if you are going to build an advanced Website. It seems so
easy to sign-up and away you go but, trust me, it will be one of the most frustrating experiences you have encountered
when you shell out cash for poor service and you signed a commitment that says "No Refunds".
Now, I could write a list of suggestions for finding a Web host. However, I would rather say this - your developer
should be the one who suggests a host for your Website. It is virtually impossible for most clients out there to
make a sound decision on their own. Until you have discussed your Website with a developer then you have no way
of knowing exactly what it is that you need. You want to follow their lead here and be prepared to pay a little more.
If you are working with a seasoned developer then they are likely going to go for more expensive hosting.
Why? Here are a few good reasons.
- If the developer already has experience working with the host then things will flow much smoother and the
developer has a lot of confidence in them.
- Projects that may involve special hosting features can be timed accurately if the developer knows the general
response time of the hosts support staff.
- Hosting companies have ruined relationships between clients and developers in the past. The reverse can also
be said but in the case of working with an experienced developer it is unlikely. Yet, problems start and the finger
pointing match begins. If it persists, then the client eventually has to take sides. Beware of taking the wrong side.
Hosting is not hosting. The best bet is to pay a little more and follow your developers lead.
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