Free Web Hosting For Your Business

How much do you know about web hosting, and do you think a free plan is enough to fulfill all your business needs? Regardless of the size of your online business, web hosting is fundamental because it offers you space on the internet to sell your products or advertise your services.

If you’re new to this domain but can’t understand the differences between free and paid hosting, it’s worth explaining why one type is better than the other. This will help you decide on a package that best fulfills your business needs.

Free web hosting & subdomains: an overview 

In general, when you create a website and you choose a free web hosting service, you are allotted a subdomain address. For example, if you set up your site with WordPress.com, your website will look something like this: www.yourwebsite.wordpress.com. At a first glimpse, the URL doesn’t look professional. But there’s more.

With a subdomain, which is free of charge for everyone, you have certain limitations. The most notable is that you can’t monetize your website. Plugins can only be installed if you opt out of the free plan. In this case, WordPress has several paid packages available. The most convenient begins at $20 per year. Needless to say, there are other web hosting providers out there. Before making your pick, analyze both their pros and cons.

Before you make your pick, you should know that pre-defined website designs are not limitless when you opt for a free subdomain. Furthermore, you won’t be able to modify your design and add extra features to improve its responsiveness.

Benefits of a premium web hosting plan 

If you’re just getting started, and your online business is in its early stages, you may already know that there are lots of things to learn about web hosting. Unlike free hosting, a paid package can be just as beneficial. But you have to be willing to make a small investment to reap the benefits.

Before you get started, your website should be up and running. Choose a subdomain and begin populating your site with quality content. It will be easier to decide afterwards if it’s worth monetizing or not. If you’re decided to make money with your website, and you’re willing to opt for a paid package, these are some of the perks involved.

  • No random ads on your website: paying for professional web hosting services means secure advertising. Your site won’t be packed with random ads popping up everywhere. Random ads are placed with a purpose. They’re meant to pay for the mere fact that you’ve selected a free plan.
  • Liberty to sell ads that your target audience might want to click on: In general, free hosting doesn’t allow you to place your own ads; nor generate revenue with selected ads from your collaborators. This can affect your brand, especially if you’re trying to make your online business appear professional and secure. With paid hosting, you can make a profit with ads you actually want to have displayed on your home page.
  • Excellent customer support: paid hosting includes 24/7 customer service. Whatever issues you might have with your website, someone will always be able to clear the air in real-time.
  • Increased disk space: you may think that the available space you have by opting for free hosting is enough for your business needs. But you’re wrong. As your website becomes more popular and increases in ranking, you’ll require more space. Free services offer between 5 and 10mb of space; if you decide it’s time to move, you’ll deal with the burden of moving everything to paid web hosting.

Last but not least, it’s worth mentioning that free hosting services keep your website (and of its data) on a shared server. With paid services, you no longer need cpanel shared hosting where you’re sharing space with numerous other websites. You’ll be featured on a secure server that protects your data, and deals with threats before they can do irreparable damage in case of an intrusion or website hack. When it comes to online businesses, it’s always best to make a small invest and stay safe than be sorry down the road.