Having your own website can be a great way to reach out to potential customers, showcase products or services and create an online platform for your business. However, hosting a website comes with certain responsibilities – especially when it comes to the safety and security of visitors’ data. Unfortunately, when it comes to free website hosting services, there are some risks that you should be aware of. There is no guarantee of security, as such service providers may not offer the same levels of protection that more expensive paid-for hosts would offer. These services often run extremely slowly as they host multiple websites on one shared server. This can negatively affect user experience and could potentially put people off visiting your site altogether. Another issue is that many free website hosting services are located outside of Australia. As the website owner, it is your responsibility to ensure visitors’ data remains safe and secure. Should there be a data breach, you may face serious fines from regulatory bodies here in Australia. While free website hosting services may initially seem like an attractive option, they come with risks and potential financial repercussions. In the end, it could cost much more than any amount saved by using such a service in the first place. If you want to make sure your website is secure and runs smoothly, then investing in a paid-for hosting solution would be wise. While it can be tempting to use a free hosting service for your website, doing so comes with some serious risks. Your website may run extremely slow, and data breaches can occur which could put you in line for stiff fines from the relevant regulatory bodies. This includes legal fees and trips to the courts regarding these matters. It’s important to remember that if your website is hosted outside of Australia, as is often the case with free hosting services, then you are also responsible for ensuring any visistor data is kept secure and not accessible to unauthorised third parties. Using a paid-for hosting service offers numerous benefits including reliable security, fast loading speeds and peace of mind that comes with knowing that the host has a financial incentive to keep your website safe. This way, you can trust that your site will remain secure and visitors’ data remains protected at all times. If you choose to host your single page yourself we suggest you research your web hosting provider before committing to upload your website to their servers. We charge a small $50 fee to package your website ready for your transfer.