Debunking the Three Most Common Web Hosting Myths

Fancy deals and seemingly groundbreaking features sometimes entice people looking to buy a web hosting plan for the first time. The industry is saturated with many web hosting providers claiming to be the best, so assessing all available options and choosing the best one can be a daunting task. Given the proliferation of web hosting providers out there, it is easy for first-time buyers to fall for a service that fails to deliver on its promises.

However, if you are familiar with a few basic concepts, choosing a suitable and economical web hosting plan will be pretty straightforward. With that in mind, let’s discuss the three commonly believed web hosting misconceptions people have:

All web hosting providers are the same.

This is perhaps the most common myth out there — that all web hosting services are similar and that you can choose any of them. Because a web host is critical to the success of your website, it is crucial to make an informed choice.

Your decision of a web hosting provider should really be based on various factors, including your preferred hosting solution (cloud-based website hosting, shared hosting, or dedicated hosting), server stability, website response speed, pricing, allowed domains, and after-sales service.

Free hosting is the best hosting.

You may be delighted that you are not required to pay for your web hosting plan, but how long will that stay that way? No reputable web hosting provider will give you free hosting resources. In fact, a free web hosting plan may have certain downsides or shortcomings.

For example, if you choose a free web hosting plan, you may not receive professional assistance or support — so you may not be able to provide a satisfactory online experience for your customers in terms of fast site load times or response times. This leads to another problem: paying more hosting costs while receiving no client-based revenue. Additionally, you cannot rely on a free web hosting provider. Apart from the risk of website downtime, choosing a free plan exposes you to the risk of your web hosting company going out of business overnight, thereby wiping your website off the Internet (even if temporarily).

The takeaway? Rather than choosing a free web hosting provider, look for reasonably priced and budget-friendly options. It is not difficult to find a reasonably priced plan that offers a decent mix of services and features.

You must be an IT specialist and technically savvy to host your website.

The web hosting provider will supply you with all the necessary information and help to get your site up and running — you absolutely do not need any IT experience or tech-savviness to host a website. Many web hosts provide an easy-to-use interface (or the control panel) for managing your hosting account.

While a web development agency will make your website look and function just the way you want, many different content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress and Joomla will allow you to set up your website effortlessly. Furthermore, these platforms offer free tutorials, support articles, and forums easily accessible online.

Conclusion

While there is a wealth of information available on picking a web hosting plan, there are many common myths surrounding the topic that you should be aware of. Do your due diligence on the web hosting provider with whom you wish to sign up and ask them questions. When you have done your homework, you will surely find a great web hosting plan that meets all of your website’s needs.

Cybernet is a digital agency that specializes in web technology and web marketing. Our services range from graphic design to custom software programming.