So, your friend of a friend or buddy or pal built you a web site, but you don’t know how to get it online. You need to host it somewhere. Let’s take a look at your options:
1. Host it on the cheap with GoDaddy.com, etc.
2. Host it on-site with your own company/organization server.
3. Host it with a professional web design company.
Recommendations:
If you had an amateur build your web site, then you should probably host it with GoDaddy or some other cheap service. There is no reason to put a cheap web site on an expensive server or with a professional development company. Keep your costs in line with where you’re at in your web site life.
“But Kevin, I can host my own web site!”
Sure you could, and I could also pave my own drive-way. That does not mean I should.
If you’re looking to outsource your web development to a professional firm, then you might as well host your site with them as well. Unless your the FBI, a Bank or other organization with very high security, there is absolutely no good reason to host your own web site. In fact, here are a couple good reasons why you should not!
1. Servers are expensive
2. People who know how to use/fix/maintain servers are expensive.
3. Most web developers refuse to touch a web site that is not being hosted on their own hardware. Even if they will, they won’t take the project seriously or they will charge you inflated rates because it will take twice as long to do everything.
4. Advanced web sites with E-commerce, content management systems or other extensive databasing require a lot more then just a server to run.
Most web developers have tiered hosting rates depending on the type of web site (informational vs. e-commerce), the size (number of pages & databases) and the amount of bandwidth needed (high traffic vs. low traffic). Also any good developer will provide their hosting clients with traffic reports, email, etc. The rates may seem expensive compared to G0Daddy, but if the web site was designed properly by a true professional, then the return should be well worth it.
Tags: Web site hosting
