Web Hosting UK – 5 Hosting Traps To Avoid

Having a website is like purchasing a home. You want one that is not just right for your needs and within your budget but one that’s also in the right location. So, it is with your website, the host you use – the land that you purchase has to be of high quality. What does this mean? Well, when it comes on to your website you need reliability, high-speed, 99% uptime, etc. Sadly, not all web hosting UK services provide this. And the ugly truth is, they won’t necessarily tell you. If the host is not high-performing, neither will your website.

5 Traps to Avoid When Looking for a Website Hosting UK Provider

1. The “Free” Website Hosting Trap

Why is free hosting a trap? After all, free web hosting meets the needs of some website developers, such as persons who are very new to website development and may want to improve their skills before taking on greater responsibilities, or for those who are not sure if they are ready for a website.

On the other hand, for others, they can be a trap because:

1. There is very little, if any control, over the choice of the domain name. Usually, you are allotted space on a larger website, so your domain name is complex, difficult to remember, and long.
2. Ads are included in the package, meaning you will have ads running on your website. In fact, sometimes you may have no say in the types of ads that are featured or where they are placed.
3. Speed, website uptime, and customer service may not be reliable. This is one way these website hosting providers are able to offer free hosting.

2. ‘Too Good to Believe’ Price Trap

Having avoided the free trap, should you now go for ultra-cheap website hosting packages on the Internet? These are equally, if not more so, scary than their free counterpart. They are sometimes traps because:

1. The initial price of pennies or cents per month is usually a bait and switch tactic. After perhaps a few months or a year, the price increase or renewal fee can be as high as 400%.
2. If for any reason you wish to transfer, having caught on to the gimmick, transfer fees are also quite exorbitant, another way of keeping you locked in.
3. Chances are these prices are for shared hosting only. This means that you will be using the same resources as countless others to run your website. This can translate to frequent downtimes, slow website loading, and other connection issues if you don’t have a reliable Host.

Instead of choosing free or impossibly cheap website hosting packages, you can opt for the cheapest website hosting plan. This comes with all the basic features you need as a small website or business. In addition, you get superior customer service and advanced web hosting security features.

3. Scalability Trap

Scalability is a fundamental factor in choosing providers. Some web hosting UK providers use scalability to trap you by:

1. Selling you a larger server than you needed. For example, selling you virtual private servers (VPS) when a shared server could suffice.
2. Deliberately making packages to entice you, knowing they are inadequate. In these instances, you are strongly encouraged to upgrade to get what you want. Unfortunately, you will end up paying for more than you need.
3. Using the word ‘unlimited’ when there are very real limits to the feature. Continual breaches usually result in penalty charges, or again, you are strongly encouraged to upgrade.

We offer features to seamlessly support you as your business grows. That’s why we provide cloud web hosting services. This provides adequate resources as needed at any given time. For example, if you operate a website that experiences seasonal spikes in traffic, opting for cloud web hosting will help to keep your load times reliable regardless of traffic.

4. The ‘False Sense of Security’ Trap

More hosting providers have been including free SSL certificates as part of their website hosting plans. However, not all certificates are created equal.

SSL certificate gives you peace of mind, as well as reassures your visitors you are invested in their security. Free SSL certificates do not provide the same level of protection as premium SSL certificates. Our SSL certificates by Sectigo provide 128-bit and 256-bit encryption to keep your data safe. Learn more about SSL certificates, why they are important, and how they protect you.

Along with SSL certificates, other security features include frequent backups and cloud-based hosting.

5. Fine Print Trap

It is common for most of us to simply tick to say we have read the fine print and terms of service when really we have not. We look at the length of the document, become immediately overwhelmed and simply look for the agreement option.

This is the exact behaviour dodgy website hosting providers are hoping for. Embedded within these terms are shady requirements, and unreasonable limitations. Some of these we have touched on, such as the extortionate renewal rates for website hosting and the true definition of ‘unlimited’.

There are other ways fine print can be used to entrap you, however:

1. No refund policies

Reputable website hosting providers, boldly offer money-back guarantees. Within 30 days, you are invited to use our products risk-free. This is a sign of the faith we have in our product. In fact, we are so confident that we will migrate your old website to Hosting UK for free.

2. Absentee customer service

One of the ways these providers are able to offer unrealistically low prices and free services is by eliminating basic support systems, such as staff. Customer service is usually one of the departments that are affected, and as such, the quality of the service will be poor to non-existent. Emails may be answered after long waiting periods and inadequately, or telephones may go unanswered for indefinite periods.

3. Empty uptime guarantees

While technically their servers may be able to deliver on their uptime promises, remember that low prices will attract a high demand. With each addition to a shared server, the less the quality of service for everyone. If you are running a WordPress website with Hosting UK, we equip you with the tools needed to monitor your hosting server’s uptime. This way, you can hold us accountable should service falls below that which was promised.

Conclusion

There are numerous pitfalls one may encounter when choosing a website hosting provider. Some are known, while others will develop as the Internet evolves. Arm yourself with knowledge, and watch out for shady providers who promise much, but provide very little.

Hosting.uk uses cloud-based UK servers to provide for your website hosting needs. This exponentially increases the chances of your website’s uptime. All shared web hosting packages include cPanel control panel for easy management of your hosting resources. We also have scalable hosting plans because we know your website will grow. Let us migrate your website for free, and benefit from our 30-day money-back guarantee. Now that you know what to look for, here are some of the traps to avoid.