| When talking about free anything the legitimate | | | | anyway, have you ever heard of a successful |
| question that first pops into your mind is why pay | | | | online store hosted by a free web host? None will |
| when you can get it free? | | | | hear from yours either. |
| And as for free web hosting there are plenty of | | | | The uptime of your web site will be like the |
| places to get it from. | | | | weather forecast. Hope for good, but prepare for |
| As spread as they are, if you are not a stranger | | | | the worse. Downtime through free web hosts is |
| to the whole Internet experience, you might even | | | | unfortunately very common. As web hosts |
| have a web site hosted for free. Are you | | | | generate their revenues from advertising, they |
| satisfied with your provider? Is it everything you | | | | don't feel very much compelled to care for the |
| wanted? Probably not. Anyway it is true that is | | | | web site of a subscriber who doesn't pay them |
| comes with no cost and no other aggravations... | | | | anyway. |
| or are there any? | | | | To whom will you turn when experiencing the |
| Free web hosting cost no money but what can | | | | abovementioned downtime or other technical |
| you expect from one? | | | | problem with your web site? Free web hosts |
| Your web site will be turned into an advertising | | | | usually have a limited budget and don't afford to |
| machine that works for the free web host. | | | | hire large customer support teams, if any. You will |
| Expect, banners, pop up windows, frames. They | | | | find yourself alone, staring at the FAQ page. |
| will all mess the look of your web site in terms of | | | | Your domain name will be measured in feet and |
| design and accessibility for your visitors that might | | | | will tell nothing or very little of your business. This |
| be literally flooded with popups almost after every | | | | obviously results in low traffic scores, as your |
| click-through. | | | | visitors won't be able to remember your URL. |
| You can't make advertising revenue of your web | | | | Can you rely only on search engines, linked sites |
| site, as most free web hosts don't allow it. This is | | | | and people bookmarking your web site? If yes, at |
| not such a big issue when you are maintaining a | | | | least consider the fact that in the age when |
| personal web site, but the cutting-off advertising | | | | companies try to create a personalized image, |
| revenues can mean significant losses for a | | | | your web site will be condemned to be just |
| business. For this last case, only a paid web | | | | another subdomain of your free host. |
| hosting solution might be the right answer. | | | | Will your customers trust a business hosted by a |
| Very little space for your web pages. With free | | | | free web host? What credibility will your web site |
| web hosting provider offering 5 to 15 MB of disk | | | | inspire? Not a very high one. |
| space, your site's expansion will severely | | | | The above list is really rather long, but as |
| restricted. Growing your web site above the | | | | surprisingly as it might be, it is far from being |
| offered quota would result in transferring to a | | | | complete. Other additions to it could be that free |
| paid plan offered by the same hosting provider or | | | | web hosts not always offer FTP access to your |
| finding a different paid web-hosting provider. In | | | | web site file, or you only have one e-mail address |
| both cases you end paying for your hosting and | | | | to work with and probably looks like |
| you might loose traffic to your web site due to | | | | Yes, paid web hosting requires money, but the |
| changing hosts. | | | | prices are lower than they used to be, and the |
| No online store can go without secure server to | | | | advantages are rather impressive. Just turn all the |
| enable secure online credit card processing. The | | | | above you can't... or you have to do without... list |
| great majority of free hosts don't support secure | | | | around. |
| web servers. Customers fearing fraud and | | | | You are searching for a solution to host your |
| concerned about their personal information will | | | | business or even a professional personal web site, |
| make it impossible, at least very hard for an | | | | don't look for it at a free web host. |
| online store to survive on a free host. And | | | | |