Different companies offer different plans, features, transmission rates and support levels, so how can you choose what is right fo
r you?
The problem is that there are so many and that some customers that there is a lot of technical jargon that can get in the way of choosing the right one. This article is meant to simplify things a bit by giving a fair way to judge a web host's value.
The first thing to do is decide what you need your page to do. Is this you personal site, business site or an organization's website. Do you sell stuff on your site, or maybe run a forum, you need a hit counter etc. These are just some of the questions you should answer yourself before even starting to choose.
There are several factors in what will determine the best provider for you and there will be the primary goal of this article.
First thing to consider: storage space and Data Transfer
A small information site or personal site will usually require only a few MB of disk space, but data transfer depends on the size of the pages that you can offer your visitors multiplied by the number of visitors. Therefore, a popular and graphics heavy website requires a greater monthly transfer than a text site. You should look at least 2 GB (2000 MB) data transfer a month. Check with the company that they may upgrade your account if your site increases the need for storage or monthly data transfer. Prepare for growth now, so you're not caught off guard by unexpected costs when you go to expand your services.
Another thing to consider: Reliability
For all online business, uptime is critical. You absolutely can not go with a host that has an uptime of less than 95%.
No web host can have 100% uptime, and it is impossible to guarantee. Avoid any host promised more than they can deliver. Most claim 99.9% uptime, but due to the nature of computers and communications equipment, outages will and do occur occasionally. You can contact a company and ask, but they will tell you that they are very reliable. Instead, ask for a couple of sites they currently host, you can check out for yourself. The word of mouth is probably the most powerful in helping to judge these companies.
The third thing to consider: Technical Support
Essential to success, you must have a web hosting company that can help you resolve problems quickly with the least possible disruption to your site activity. Since most hosting companies offer inclusive technical support, do not pay extra for this. If you're not offered 24 hours / 7 days, you should look elsewhere. Most hosts have email support, but keep an eye on hosts that have phone numbers listed. These are obviously more valuable. Although some hosts have excellent turn around on email service requests, there is no substitute for actually being able to speak with someone if you need. The test is to contact the company and ask questions. If they are not answered within 48 hours, or no response at all, consider another hosting company. A good company should reply within 24-48 hours.
Fourth thing to consider: Features Added
Various internet hosting companies offer a broad range of services. Web inn provide a list of overwhelming options for hosting plans to entice you to join their services. But more importantly, what features you need and what ones you do not need. Make a list of what you know your website must be able to do and find out if the company you are researcher can make it happen for you.
If you pay for a website, you should definitely be getting email accounts and FTP access. Do not settle for a place without them. Make sure your e-mail addresses for your domain and not on your host domain. FTP access is critical, you really want to do something amounts to upload files to your server. Do not settle for web applications. In addition, you will have a host that provides user control over these two functions. Examples of services include also visitor counts, e-mail forwarding options, real-time chat, shopping cart functions, and web statistics. The list goes on. A predetermined needs list in hand, you will not forget to ask important questions.
Fifth thing to consider: price structure
If the previous four steps check out, then you need to consider the price and can vary widely. You need to consider setup, monthly fees, plan discounts and enhancements in your calculations. Do not let price be the primary factor in your decision unless you are launching a personal page. For e-commerce, businesses and organizations the quality of service is important. Some companies offer you no monthly fees, but check the fine print before agreeing to anything. Free sites almost always have popups or require space invasive banners. Do not just look at the lowest price. You must know how much prices will increase as you expand your services and customer base. Ask about a variety of scenarios. For example, having a small business owner knows that he will only need a small site to get started, ask about internet service provider hosting prices for medium sites with a greater number of visitors. Think of the future!
Also keep mind that the most expensive plan is not necessarily the best and the biggest name company may not be the right match for you.
Many perfectly fine packages for small businesses now run between $ 15 - $ 25 per month. Some people say that there are three types of hosts: for free hosts, cheap hosts and good hosts - and there is more than a grain of truth in this.
A good web hosting company will not tie you to a long term contract that will prevent you from moving if you do not like the service.
Last words:
The most important thing to remember is to research and look around. It has options and features offered by a wide range of web hosting providers that are bound to suit you. The more requirements you have, most likely you pay more. But to pay for a quality web host provider is a good investment, especially if your company will in future become more reliant on the Internet. Finally, do not hesitate to ask questions and inquire about the services of hosts - You will not regret it later.
