How to use web hosting forums
Web hosts, other people in the web hosting industry, and people looking for or using web hosting services visit and take part at web hosting forums. Some of them get what they want from the forum, while others don't find what they're looking for or lose credibility because of how they post. Here we discuss how to be in the first group of people.
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For all web hosting forum participants
- Read the forum rules. Active community members know how the forum works. If you advertise in the wrong section or break another rule, such as being rude, you look bad to everyone else. The rules for every forum are different, so take the time to get to know what's expected in each forum before posting.
- Read the forum descriptions. The forum descriptions are there to help members know where to start each topic. They can also tell you if something does not belong in a particular forum.
- Read some discussions before posting. This advice has been in place since the days of newsgroups. The better you know the tone of the community and what's already been discussed recently, the better you can contribute and be seen as a contributing member.
For web hosts and other people in the web hosting industry
- Be helpful. Many web hosts see web hosting communities as simply a place to be visible. They post fluff content wherever they can just to get their signature in the thread. New members as well as long-time members see these posts for what they are, and these members lose credibility. On the other hand, when web hosts and other people in the industry post replies that are detailed and helpful, those responses are seen for what they are too. Members who are helpful are held in higher esteem by the rest of the community, and other members will be more likely to have good comments about them if complaints arise about them.
- Be a good example. Staying within the forum rules and being helpful are a big part of being a good example. Go the extra step when you can — be polite even when other members are less than polite, contribute even when the thread starter isn't a prospective customer, and be the best you can in every way. You can only benefit from being someone that other members look up to.
- Acknowledge mistakes. It's inevitable that members will post complaints about your company at times. You or a colleague or employee might make a mistake, or problems can happen because something could have been done better. Acknowledge what happened, fix the problem, and follow up to make sure that the problem has been solved. Remain courteous even if the complaining member is less than polite. Members tend to appreciate when a provider acknowledges and fixes a mistake rather than trying to deny that they were at fault, and having the situation in a forum gives you the opportunity to show how your company handles problems.
For people looking for web hosting services
Coming to a large forum to ask questions can be overwhelming at first. After you've taken time to familiarize yourself with the forum, first, search to see if your question has been asked recently. If it hasn't, start a thread in the most relevant forum with details about what you're looking for:
- The type of web hosting you want, e.g., shared hosting, reseller hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting. Or if you aren't sure what type of web hosting is best for you, describe what you need and ask for opinions.
- The size of your website and how much traffic it will be getting. In other words, how much disk space and bandwidth will it need?
- Your price range (budget) to pay for web hosting
- Any other details about your specific needs, such as the type of website if you're looking for a web host that specializes in that type of site
Subscribe to the thread and check back for responses. If the forum doesn't allow members to direct others to their services outside the advertising forums and some members do this anyway, keep in mind their disregard for the community. If they're willing to break the rules to try to get new customers, are they the kind of web hosting provider you want to host with? In contrast, note who is being particularly helpful and not just flashing their signature in the thread. Helpfulness in the forum may be an indication of a member's helpfulness when providing support.
Web host reviews
Both positive and negative web host reviews are valuable for others as long as they're honest, include enough information, and can be verified.
If you're thinking of posting a fake review of your own company, think about the consequences. You will most likely be identified as a shill, and your reputation will be permanently damaged if the comments about your actions stay online.
When you've had a negative web hosting experience, it can be tempting to post "Stay away from Host X!" in every thread you can. But if you want your account to be credible, post in just one thread about your experience and provide all the relevant facts. If your experience really was bad, the facts will speak for themselves.
Positive reviews are as useful as negative reviews in helping people choose a web host. Include when you started hosting with this web hosting provider, what type of hosting you're using, and specifically what you found good about this web host. If some aspects of your experience have been good and others less than good, include all of them. No web host is perfect, and what might be a drawback to you may or may not be a consideration to people who read your review.
See also
Web Hosting Wiki article text shared under a Creative Commons License.
