Michigan Web Site Hosting Companies have been budding everywhere, it seems like Michigan is the location of choice, in terms of housing servers and other infrastructures, for these companies. But more important than their location is the service that they provide. Are you getting the value of your money or are you paying more than you should? It doesn't matter if it is a Michigan web site hosting company or not, what is important is that you are getting your moneys worth.

Just how will you determine if you are getting what you paid for? Consider these tips.

• Is your website up?  Uptime is crucial for any website, be it a personal website where you share your experiences and expertise or a business website where you conduct constant interaction with customers and process orders. Most web hosting companies claim 99% percent uptime. That is good, but you should make sure by checking your website every once in a while. I know its extra work but it is one way to make sure that your web site hosting company is living up to their promises.

 

• Are you able to utilize the features of your hosting plan?  Most hosting companies have tutorials that will help you utilize software features such as installing blogs, forums, content management systems, bulletin boards etc . You do not need to be a web master to be able to install these features. An understandable and easy to follow tutorial is a proof of their technical ability and support.

 

• Do they have 24/7 support?  Most Michigan web site hosting companies claims 24/7 support. But the only way to prove this is by inquiring or relaying problems to them. A respond within 24hrs is acceptable. A toll free number open to call anytime will be great.

 

• How about back-up?  Your hosting company should provide no less than an everyday back up. A days file will be a headache if lost.

 

Read what you signed for and see if your hosting company is living up to their promises. Try to recall any instance that you had a problem with your site or a feature that you were trying to use. How did the hosting company react? Were you satisfied with the solution? Most of us tend to stick with the first company we partner with even if we encounter problems, believing and hoping that they will get better. Remember, we are paying them for a good and reliable service. If they can't live up to that, LEAVE!

Location matters less. It does not matter if it is a Michigan web site hosting company or not as long as you are getting the service you deserve and paid for.

 

If you have a website, be it personal or business, you have to have it hosted so it can be accessible. Here is how it works.

• The World Wide Web (WWW) is an interconnection of computers all over the world that communicates with each other using HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).
• When somebody types a website address on a browser (Ex.http://www.website.com), a request is sent to the web server housing the website.
• The web server will then send the requested information to be displayed.

 

Web servers are provided by ISP's or Internet Service Providers. These servers are connected to the internet 24/7.

Types of Web Hosting:

 

Free 

This type of hosting is perfect for personal sites that doesn't require much space and has less traffic. Your address will usually be an extension or a sub-directory of their site (Ex. http://www.theirsite.com/yoursite).

Has very limited software options.

Shared 

Recommended for small businesses with moderate traffic.

With shared hosting, your website is stored in a server together with other websites. Each website will have it's own partition so that they're separate from each other.

This type of hosting is cost effective, since you will be sharing costs with others, and requires less maintenance. Your host will be the one responsible for security, technical support, software installation and overall server management.

Multiple software options are available like Email, FTP access, Database, Blog, Website Builder etc

Dedicated

Suitable for large companies with high amount of traffic.

Your website will be housed on it's own dedicated server wherein you will have full control as to what software or hardware to use. This provides the flexibility some companies require but will usually need advanced technical skills.

Server administration is not usually provided but can be obtained as an add-on service.

Has Unlimited software options

Co-location

Renting out a space for your server in a safe and secure environment provided by the hosting company.

Locations are usually resistant to fire, flood, has back-up power and are most secure making your data safe in case of natural disasters.

This is the most expensive type of hosting but is preferred by large companies because of its high security features and flexibility.

Before deciding on a hosting service, first determine:

• Your needs. How much space do you require and how much traffic are you expecting? This will help you determine the type of hosting you need.
• Consider the costs.
• What are the features provided by your potential service provider? Do they have the capacity to serve you in case you expand? Are they e-commerce ready?
• Do they have 24/7 support? Go ahead and ask questions, see if they can respond within 24hrs.
• Most importantly. Up-time. Even if they provide great features it will not matter if they're always down.

 

Also, visit forums, as you will get unbiased reviews from people who have tried hosting services themselves.