| This article is meant to be a warning to anyone who | | | | 2. 24/7 Support |
| may be considering using a free web host in the near | | | | It is important that you find a company that offers |
| future. While using a free host is not always the | | | | 24/7 support. A good reliable company will have a |
| worst thing in the world to do, there are some things | | | | support staff that is available 24 hours a day seven |
| that you need to keep in mind when using these | | | | days a week. If you run across a company that |
| host. Otherwise you will become the Anakin | | | | closes up shop at 5:00 and don't open back until 9:00 |
| Skywalker of web hosting. You have heard the | | | | the next morning, it is best you stay away from this |
| expression everything has a price, web hosting is no | | | | company and run while you still can. Also does the |
| different. The primary issues that exist, are one's | | | | customer service department sound knowledgeable? |
| that could derail your hopes of being successful in | | | | I had a gentleman tell me about a company that he |
| business if you are not aware of the pitfalls to look | | | | used and when he called with a problem was told by |
| out for. These are just a few of the things that any | | | | the customer service representative that they had |
| person that is considering, using a free hosting needs | | | | no idea how to fix the problem on their end. |
| to keep in mind. That way they will not end up | | | | 3. Service Level Agreement |
| getting burned on their experience. | | | | Look for a service level agreement. This should in |
| 1. Absence of Experience | | | | plain English point out what will happen if a problem |
| First anyone who has a powerful enough computer | | | | arises and any other information that the company |
| and some fancy software can be a web host. | | | | feels is necessary in order to satisfy the customers |
| Therefore, it is important that you research any | | | | needs and fix any problems that arise. These are the |
| company that you decide that you want to use to | | | | basic things that you need to be on the outlook for |
| host your web site. Find out how long have they | | | | when searching for a web hosting service. If one or |
| been around, ask what their up time rate is. Ask do | | | | more of these are not in order chances are you will |
| they have backup servers if one fails. The last thing | | | | regret doing business with this company in the long |
| that you want to do is signing up with a new | | | | run. Free web hosting can be a very fun experience, |
| company that is going through their growing pains | | | | however you must know exactly what you are |
| and is using you as their guinea pigs to work out the | | | | getting into from the very beginning. |
| bugs. | | | | |