Once your primary website is ready to go online, you'll need a web host that can make your site "live". You might have thought about a dedicated server for this purpose, but shared hosting plans can offer better rates, better customer service and won't trouble you with server maintenance and other issues. You'll need to be especially diligent about finding a good plan; asking these shared hosting questions is wise.

Can I Purchase More Bandwidth?

You might realize that the act of sharing web hosting means that you'll be sharing a server with other companies that you may or may not know about. As such, there is a limited amount of bandwidth on the server. If your business is projected to grow rapidly, your entire site could crash because you've maxed out the bandwidth available to you. 

If you expect large numbers of people to visit your site because of special events or discounts, be sure that you've already discussed purchasing more bandwidth with the hosts you're considering. In fact, the way a company handles additional bandwidth requests could make you choose one over the others.

How Fast is the Server?

Without taking action, your site visitors may find that pages load a bit slower on your site than others. Compare server speeds before going with a particular hosting plan. If possible, ask for a list of current users so you can experience how the server works when you browse the internet on your own devices. That way, you ensure visitors and customers can have a speedy, professional experience on your site.

How Can I Protect My Company from Being Affected by Other Users?

Others users' activity can attract viruses and other problems which might, in theory, affect the entire shared server. Luckily, most shared hosting plans include setting up a firewall and other protection mechanisms which will protect your company's files and documents. You'll need to know about the host's plan for backing up your site and protecting your data if there's ever an emergency that affects other users first.

What Happens When the Server Crashes?

Because the host has the responsibility of maintaining all the sites on the server, they too are tasked with repairing problems and keeping the server going. The server could go down for a few moments or hours; before selecting a host, compare how different companies handle this possibility. You might contact customer service at different hosts to see what kind of wait you'd be in for if you were already a customer.

Shared web hosting plans help your site reach customers and visitors easily and affordably. Use these web hosting inquiries to get the right details for your decisions.

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