Why All Web Hosting is Not Created Equal
We all started on HostGator or GoDaddy…and there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact it’s the perfect solution for newbies to the web with little traffic and little risk. But what happens when you start to grow and need a little (or a lot) more reliability and security?
So how do you know when HostGator or GoDaddy is no longer enough?
Simple. When the cost for going down outweigh the price for quality hosting.
Then you know it’s certainly time to upgrade to enterprise level hosting.
Because with that comes 3 things (3 things which you certainly don’t get with the above options).
Speed. Uptime. Reliability.
But choosing quality hosting isn’t as easy as it might seem.
What most people don’t know
Here’s the secret: there is just a single comglomerate that holds the majority of the web hosting services: DreamHost, Bluehost, HostGator, etc…and they continue to acquire more.
Some of these companies may previously have been associated with quality and great customer service. But once acquired by Endurance International Group (or EIG as it’s more commonly known), that all goes down the drain. EIG has a different priority: namely density. They want to get as many people on a single server as possible.
In their defense, the vast majority of their clients probably don’t use much space…if any. Many people buy domains and hosting for personal blogs or business ideas that never get used. How else do you think they could offer hosting for as little as $1 per month.
It’s like those gyms that launch New Years campaigns with monthly memberships starting at $9.99 per month with no startup fee. Can a gym really run on memberships of $9.99 per month?
No way!
But after January, most of those “New Years Resolution” customers won’t be coming back…so it’s just extra income in the bag.
But with a gym like this, you are certainly not going to have the quality and space you would get at a nice (and yes, more expensive) gym. Well, no surprise here. The same is true for hosting.
Here are the companies we recommend exploring once you need assured uptime and quality service:
1. Liquid Web
They guarantee 100% uptime guarantee and also offer a high level of customer service
2. Rackspace
These guys are known for their “fanatical support.” Check it out.
3. Amazon AWS
Let’s just say, if these guys go down, so does half the web, including giants such as Netflix and (not suprisingly) Amazon themselves.
4. Digital Ocean
A lesser known brand, but that is super reliable and offers a convenient pay-as-you-go option.
5. WP Engine
This is only for sites build on WordPress, but if your site is on WordPress, this is a great option.
So, when you decide your business can no longer afford to go down online, stick with the above options so that you can rest easy knowing your business is in good hands.
