Best Shared Web Hosting of 2012

When you first start looking for a web host it can be tempting just to go for any old one. The excitement of getting the website online is far higher then feeling you should be hunting around for a web host. After all one web hosting company is much the same as another web hosting company, right?

Well, no. Not only can such an attitude cost you money – but it can also lead to problems and potentially even severely harm your website. A good web host is vital to making it online, and shopping around to ensure that you have found a good web host is more important than you might think.

Why a Good Web Host Matters

The attitude that one host is much like another host is based on the fact that they are simply doing the same service – helping to get your website online, getting your personal blog or business site up and running on the Internet. But just like any other service industry some companies do this better than others, while some are there to simply make as much money off of you as they can, others don't care once they have your cash – but some work with you to help you build success.

Think of such things as

• Uptime. If your hosting provider's servers go down, so does your website. There will always be some crashes but it is important these are minimal and solved quickly. Don't simply listen to the promise of 99.9% uptime – ask and make sure they can they fulfil this promise?
• Customer Service. If you have a problem you will want it fixed quickly and painlessly, no matter who is at fault. You need to rely on the customer service department to help you here.
• Software. Some hosting companies just give you basic access to the backend. For those without technical know-how of engineering proportions this can be far too complex. A good webhost gives you software that allows you to see what you are doing, and install useful, powerful software at a few clicks of the mouse.
• Cost. Many web hosting companies that offer low prices then start charging large amounts for back end services such as add on sites, email addresses, software installation etc. Make sure you know what you need and find out what you are getting before deciding on a web hosting company.