Hosting and domain companies regularly issue promotions, and savvy buyers are quick to find the details and post them online. Finding a Hostgator promo code therefore usually needs no more than a simple Google search. Once you’ve picked up a valid code, all you need then do is open your hosting account. However, not all providers are created equal, so it’s always worth checking out some essential criteria before going ahead.
For example, you will often see providers claiming to offer ‘unlimited bandwidth’. The truth is, the bandwidth you get with even the best hosting plan will have its limits, and at the cheaper level there certainly will be limits. That said, these limits are of little consequence to most website owners since their traffic levels are modest. In fact, most site owners are unaware of how low their bandwidth needs really are.
Providers advertise unlimited bandwidth because it looks good and they know that the majority of users actually need very little. If you need to host bandwidth-heavy content such as video, then obviously this is something to consider. In this instance, you will need to be sure you will have enough bandwidth to meet your needs.
This is where you need to pay attention to the small print. It is here that providers reveal that their plans are indeed limited to some extent. You should decide how much bandwidth you need currently, and also how much you may need if/when your site traffic increases. The same applies to disc space. Every plan has a certain amount of disc space allotted to it, although again, providers will often advertise them as ‘unlimited’.
Again, many companies tout ‘unlimited disc space’ because it sounds good, but in fact have limits on the amount of space they provide. This isn’t an issue for small websites like personal blogs, but for more content-heavy sites, it can be. If you expect to store a lot of big files, then you should be certain you will have enough space. You should also check how much it will cost to upgrade if need be.
One feature worth checking for is the availability of quality website themes/templates. Many hosting providers offer free templates, although as with most things you get what you pay for. Free templates will tend not be the best quality, and providers will often charge extra for access to premium templates. That said, if you need only a basic design, then a free template may well meet your needs adequately.
However cool your site looks, it will be of no use if it isn’t online. Reliable tech support therefore is a must. The 24/7 support touted by many providers can seem reassuring, but as with other claims, this should always be investigated further. Some quick Googling on the experiences of existing customers should bring up some feedback. Read a selection of users comments and get an idea of how prompt and helpful (and available) the company’s support really is.
One aspect of tech support that can be vital is holiday and weekend availability. There’s nothing worse that having tech problems and having no expert to turn to. This is another thing to research before signing up with a provider. If you decide to sign up for a trial offer, it may be a good idea to test their support response before continuing with them.
Dhruv Patel is a customer of HostGator. He has created web site to give tutorials on HostGator and to promote HostGator. You can get detailed information about hostgator promotion code 2014 there.