Getting Started With a Free Hosting Solution
While it is best to get paid hosting as soon as possible, sometimes this is simply not an option. Remember that you are making a big sacrifice in order to get your hosting for free, and this generally outweighs the savings. That being said, there are options available for free hosting that will allow you to get started. Just as when you are shopping for paid hosting, doing your homework when looking for a free option is extremely important.
Customers expect businesses to have their own web pages. It is simply to inexpensive to do so. They are also going to pass judgment based on your domain name. Free services do not provide a unique domain name as part of the services. This is going to only be part of a paid package. There are some that will actually allow you to use a domain that you have purchased elsewhere, and this is going to give you the maximum benefit in this category. You are still getting free hosting, without the domain name that preaches that fact.
Look at the basic stats for your page. Most free plans will put tight limits on how much server space you use. On top of that, they often limit the total bandwidth used in a given month. That means as your site grows you may run out space for pages or max out your visitors. That means that you shouldn't pick a service that won't allow you to upgrade to paid service. These are much better for secondary sites that exist only as support for your main page.
Most free services pay the cost of your hosting through ads displayed on your site. Take a look at other sites hosted by the same provider to see what kinds of ads are displayed. You don't want to have ads that are too large, too obtrusive, or ads that could be offensive to your visitors.
best shared web hosting Many will simply add a few side ads and a banner somewhere on your page that lets visitors know who your host is. Depending on the type of site you are building, these may be perfectly acceptable in exchange for your changes.
Many companies use their hosting provider as their email provider as well since it allows them to create emails with their domain name. This helps reinforce your business name with your customers. With free hosting, however, this will probably not be an option. They will require a paid subscription to deal with the cost of providing email service. Fortunately, sites like Gmail have become well respected enough that they are sufficient for a business address.
Make sure you will have access to at least basic support, even if you are not paying for your hosting. Remember that the host is still making money from your site, otherwise you wouldn't be able to have one. Most will prioritize paid tech support requests over yours, so be ready to deal with this comprimize.