Choosing a web hosting company
Choosing a Web Hosting Company You have built your web site and are now confused at all the choices you have in order to find a home for your web site.
It pays to make a right choice the first time, because if you have to move to another web hosting provider, it will cost you time and you may lose some of your valued customers due to the downtime setting up with another host.
Below are some basic things to consider when choosing a Web Hosting Service:
1. Speed and reliability of the servers and hardware
Make sure their connectivity is provided using multiple connections to the Internet via different backbone providers.
Also ensure they use quality servers for their hosting solutions and they have built in redundancy systems to ensure your web site is always operational.
Good web hosting companies will also have Backup Systems, some will also have a backup system available via their on line server control panel.
2. Features
Compatibility with existing Software
Is your new web hosting company’s servers, compatible with the software you are using?
For example if you are using FrontPage to create your site, make sure they have FrontPage extensions installed on their server.
Some of the basic features of a hosting service should include:
Flexibility and room for growth
Keep in mind the future needs of your web site. If the traffic to your site explodes, or in the future you may need a database solution then your web host is able to accommodate the changes.
Quality of their support services
Conclusion:
The web hosting company you choose is one of the most important decisions you will make during your online business, if your web hosting is down no one will be able to access your web site. You want your web site to be up and running at all times and be fast and accessible to download. It is also best to have your web hosting service located in the country your web site targets. For example if you are targeting the UK market it would be sensible to use a web hosting company based in the UK.
It pays to make a right choice the first time, because if you have to move to another web hosting provider, it will cost you time and you may lose some of your valued customers due to the downtime setting up with another host.
Below are some basic things to consider when choosing a Web Hosting Service:
1. Speed and reliability of the servers and hardware
Make sure their connectivity is provided using multiple connections to the Internet via different backbone providers.
Also ensure they use quality servers for their hosting solutions and they have built in redundancy systems to ensure your web site is always operational.
Good web hosting companies will also have Backup Systems, some will also have a backup system available via their on line server control panel.
2. Features
Compatibility with existing Software
Is your new web hosting company’s servers, compatible with the software you are using?
For example if you are using FrontPage to create your site, make sure they have FrontPage extensions installed on their server.
Some of the basic features of a hosting service should include:
- Domain name registration
- At least 10MB of allocated space
- Large bandwidth allowance
- Free Technical Support
- POP3 E-Mail Accounts
- Email Forwarding
- Email Auto-responders
- Email Aliases
- FTP Access
- FrontPage Support
- Own CGI-Bin Access
- Server Side Includes (SSI)
- Password Protection
- Money back guarantee
- Full Graphical web stats
- Where the servers are located
Flexibility and room for growth
Keep in mind the future needs of your web site. If the traffic to your site explodes, or in the future you may need a database solution then your web host is able to accommodate the changes.
Quality of their support services
- Quality of existing customers – ask for any BIG current customers that are hosting with that service.
- Stability – you do not want your hosting service to go out of business and leave you stranded. Check how many years they have been in business.
- Support and Responsiveness – Make sure you can contact them 24/7 and that they have full tracking of all reported faults.
Conclusion:
The web hosting company you choose is one of the most important decisions you will make during your online business, if your web hosting is down no one will be able to access your web site. You want your web site to be up and running at all times and be fast and accessible to download. It is also best to have your web hosting service located in the country your web site targets. For example if you are targeting the UK market it would be sensible to use a web hosting company based in the UK.