Web hosting, whether you already have a web site or looking to start one is an important part of running a successful site. It may seem like any host will do and the cheaper the better but the reality is quit different. There is a lot more to investigate when choosing a web host than cost and here are some important factors you’ll want to consider before choosing.
Tech Support
It is very important to be able to contact your hosting company when there is a problem or question. Especially in the beginning phase because it could be very frustrating to finally get it all together and uploaded but not actually see your site and you can not figure out why. Some web hosting companies offer email support, some live chat, some phone support and maybe a combination of the three. Evaluate your needs and see which support will must likely fit them. If you are new to building a site, being able to call may be important where as a more experience web builder may be happy with just email support.
Monthly Fee and Set Up Fee
These fees have a wide range and it will be important to your up front cost to make sure you read all the fine print. Some hosting companies will charge a set up fee ranging from$10 – $40. This set up fee gets you on their server and ready to start uploading your site. A lot of the same hosting companies will waive this fee if you pay for your hosting in any way other than month to month. You can find monthly fees from $5 up to $30 a month. The old adage of “You get what you pay for” holds true here but you can find good hosting in the middle range of these prices.
Disk Space
If you want to truly compare offering from two different hosting companies you will need to know how much disk space you are getting for your money. If your site is small and going to stay that way, 20 – 30 MB will be plenty. Of course you never know once you start building what the future may hold as far as size so make sure to ask if you can get more space if needed and how much that may cost.
FTP Access
FTP access is necessary if you plan on using Frontpage to build your site. This is standard on just about every major hosting companies features but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure.
CGI-Bin
If you plan on having a site that requires interaction with your visitors either through forms or shopping carts, the CGI-Bin is also a must have. Again, it is usually standard but make sure before you commit to any long hosting commitment.
Other features to check on:
- 1) Do they have the FP server extensions installed? (For Frontpage)
- 2) How about a secured server option for payment transactions? (For shopping carts)
- 4) Do they back up all websites in case of disaster? (Very Important!)
- 5) Bandwidth- the amount of data that can be transferred in one month. Hosting companies do put limits on this and as your site gets popular it may be something that will force you yo go to a more aggressive hosting plan.
- 6) Uptime – Most all will tell you uptime is 99%. Do a little internet research and see if there have been problems with them in the past. No use in paying for a site that will be down a lot.
Choosing a web site takes some thought and planning. Your hosting is the heart of your site and it needs to be reliable, dependable and responsive. Take your time and do some research because nothing can ruin a website faster than hosting.
