Small businesses that wish to feature their services in internet often seek free and low priced web hosting services. This statement is generally true for companies who want to feature new websites. Free web hosting services offered by several hosting companies match the requirements of such businesses. The concept of free web hosting is based on a simple idea: a web host would provide free server space for hosting a small or medium business website. In return of this service the hosting companies would display advertisements on the client’s site and consequently earn from it. The free web hosting service is completely supported by advertisements but has its own limitations.
The free website hosts are making money with the application of such services as client’s can be easily lured by such a zero-price offer. These web hosts display popup, put banners, or advertisements on WebPages of the client’s website thus earning enough from free web hosting. There are several web hosting companies that provide free services to their clients against the condition that clients would click on banners that are their in their control panel or simply display banners in file manager with the expectations that client’s will click on them.
The search for free hosting services has lessened over time with the development of many companies providing low cost web hosting with greater flexibility and no ads. Since these services offer great savings over most high cost web hosting plans with much more options and capabilities than free space business are now choosing these over free plans. The newest marketing and social crazy, blogging began to give free services a boon. As those blogs became easier to set up and use, however, that too is taking a backseat to the ability to blog on a cheap site without the additional technical help that used to be required.
How reliable are free web hosts?
Since the prime objective of a web host is to make money, and a free host makes money off the ads on your website it is in their best interest to keep you up and running. There are some occasions that will cause a problem with service. Some clients report the free company for spam, or hacking and also complain about the free hosting company utilizing automatic installation of features like PHP or CGI that can cause slowdowns. All of the extra add-ons can create instability and down time. Those problems do not usually happen to large established companies, but more often with small start up web hosts.
The upside of free web hosts:
1. The free web hosting environments are great for students practicing web design, and their own hosting along with development. It allows them to store their projects, test them, and create them for free with no stress. They can expand their knowledge bank, and even share the information between each other. It is a valuable testing tool so they can see if their concepts are applicable and functional. It is a wonderful environment for creativity. Some web hosts cater specifically to that crowd such as boinc.ch who allows free accounts on their server for developers and students. People interested in creating a personal homepage can make great use of the features from these sites as well as it gives them the ability and freedom to share their personal life for free.
2. There are several voluntary organizations and non profit institutes who want to send their messages to public via internet. Since internet is the best possible way to reach out to the world, such organization would definitely find it useful and would like to utilize them. There may be several web hosts who would serve them free of cost due to emotional reasons. But apart form this, general free web hosting services, utilized by small businesses and students, can be equally fruitful to these organizations. They usually have a dearth of capital but an urgency to communicate with the world. They can use these services and create a basic website where information and news on their activities can be published.
3. The free services are of great benefit to community groups and others that have no income but want to share their talents with the global world. It also allows those with social and economical platforms to engage and communicate with the public without expanding on their expenses. These groups and individuals can make great use of the free web hosts by placing websites on the internet and providing links between each group, or other interested parties. They enjoy great benefits both in the SEO and cost perspective with free web hosting.
4. Free hosting services are ideal for family websites as they can use it personally for sharing photographs, important family events and other unforgettable moments. Though this kind of use is limited, there are websites devoted to such information. As these are personal information, it is always advisable that one goes for an authentic free web hosts only.
Cons of free web hosting
Though webs hosting services are best from monetary aspect, there are several disadvantages which compel the users to think twice before going for such a service.
1. The free host does not provide domain, or even second-level domain names. You will be allocated a subdomain which can be less impressive to viewers.
2. Bandwidth to share pictures and data is very low on a free service provider. You will get much more with a paid service.
3. Disk space is very limited making file size and picture size uploads restricted to certain amounts on the website.
4. The greatest disadvantage most people find with free websites are the banners and other ad like pop ups and pop unders that are placed all over their websites. It takes away perceived value when visitors click on their site and gives off a negative feeling on the usefulness of the company. Some of the ads can be compulsory in nature.
5. There is usually no guarantee of uptime.
6. Not all types of files can be uploaded in the websites. Free websites have restrictions to files like MP3, MPEG, ZIP etc.
7. Most of the free hosts do not provide any customer support as they consider it as of low priority. Even if, some provide such services, it is often limited to a month or so.
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