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June 2008

Don't cut corners with cheap hosting

We've had a few cases recently where clients have bought cheap hosting packages for their websites before coming to us. We always recommend that a client purchases their hosting package themselves - it's cheaper than paying a web developer to do it for you PLUS it keeps you in full control of your hosting. However, it is very difficult for a non-professional to judge the subtle technical differences between different hosting packages.

We would never recommend you host with your web developer, but do listen to their professional opinion as to what represents a good value, professional third-party package. Not doing so may increase development cost of your website solution or - worse - reduce it's ability to deliver results. With hosting, as with many things in web development, you only get what you pay for. 

Optimise your website for optimum results

The web is a busy place, and if your website isn't designed to be 'search engine friendly' then the chance of people finding it through Google will be considerably reduced. We see plenty of websites which are beautifully designed in terms of the way they look, but don't meet even the most basic requirements for good 'search engine positioning'. The problem is that for you, the customer, this might not be at all obvious - until it comes to the low number of customers visiting your web site!

Although it is possible to make improvements to a site (called Search Engine Optimisation, SEO) once it has been launched, this is very much shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted: it SHOULD be considered at the very outset when the website is designed. This adds to the cost but can make all the difference between a profitable website and a loss-making website.

As well as optimising your website, you should also consider how it is marketed on the internet: a field called Search Engine Marketing, SEM. This looks at a wide range of options to ensure that your website delivers the maximum return for you.

We cannot emphasise strongly enough how important these two fields are to your success on the internet. If you'd like to ensure your new website delivers the best possible results for you, or you think your existing website could be working better for you, then get in touch and we can discuss the various options available to you.