Web hosting is available for practically pennies these days, which is great news for anyone wanting to launch their own website.
However, opting for the cheapest hosting deal around could be a serious pitfall for business owners. Price is always a factor in any business decision, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This often means a poor-quality service that isn’t fit for purpose – and it could be driving customers and revenue away.
The drawbacks of super cheap hosting
Cheap hosting is of course affordable, easy to use and convenient but unfortunately, there are a great number of potential disadvantages. These include, but aren’t limited to:
- Limited customisation. With a cheaper hosting company, you’re probably going to be limited to a default configurations of CMS programs. You won’t be able to modify system files if you ever wanted to, and your hosting company would always have complete control of the server – so they could add or remove resources available to you whenever they liked.
- Poor support. Cheaper hosting companies tend to have limited staff, which means fewer people available to resolve issues. They’ll have very limited hours, so you may have to wait longer for assistance if your site goes down or there’s another problem.
- Slow page loading speeds. Web users are an impatient bunch, with a short attention span. If your hosting server is overstretched with too many users, it can lead to slower loading speeds all round. Research has found that even just a one second delay to expected loading speeds can lead to a 7% drop in conversions.
- Security lapses. Cheap hosting packages tend to be quite basic. The owner of the server will be keeping overheads as low as possible, which often means not paying for extra technical support and administrators. This can lead to problems with security, such as not letting you install antivirus software. An insecure website can be a reputational nightmare and a real liability, especially when it comes to your customers’ confidential information.
- For any business, website downtime is an annoyance. Customers aren’t likely to give you a second chance if your site is down when they visit. They’ll simply move onto one of your competitors. At worst though, if you’re an e-commerce business, downtime can lose you sales. It could make a huge dent in your revenue.
So remember, cheap doesn’t always mean good value. With something so incredibly important like your business website, it is very much worth it to spend a little more. Shop carefully and compare prices to find a competitive deal, but prioritise reliability, speed, support and security over price.
If you need help choosing the right hosting package for your business or to find out about the three levels of reliable, good value hosting available from Ambos Digital, just give us a call on 0800 774 7025 or email [email protected]. Whatever you need for your business to grow and thrive, we can help.
