Choosing the right web host is one of the most important decisions any webmaster can make. A bad host can be one ugly and costly experience. Choose wisely when deciding on who your provider will be. Consider all the prices and packages before deciding as choosing a web hosting package is the first vital step to showcase your own website. Your Internet service provider or ISP will provide a space on the World Wide Web for your domain for the whole world to see.
What is a Web Host?
Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server which they own for use by their clients as well as providing Internet connectivity usually in a data center. A server is a unique computer where web sites are hosted, stored and makes them available to rest of the world. Web hosting clients simply upload their website files to a shared or dedicated web server which their Internet service provider or ISP maintains to ensure a steady fast connection to the Internet.
There are two types of web hosting, Free and Paid. Free web hosts generally require their own ads on your site and only allow web-based uploading and editing of your site. Most of them have very tight disk space and bandwidth limits. However, most people still start via free web hosting.
For paid web hosting, it offer great support and bandwidth but charges a monthly fee. Web hosting is a highly competitive business and a company has to provide services which are either very cheap or very good to survive. The mediocre tend to go to the wall unless they spend huge amounts of money on marketing. This simply means that most companies will be offering very good packages to get business.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Web Host
Finding the web host with the right package can be exhausting and confusing. Do not hesitate to ask them question. Comparing prices and packages are essential to get the best deal. I have engaged numerous web hosts since 2002 and I have my fair share of good and bad experiences. These experiences however make me come out with a checklist while I am comparing.
1. Prices
This is a very important factor but it also largely depends on your budget. Decide a comfortable amount you are willing to pay before looking around. Take note of the payment frequency whether it is monthly, quarterly or annual payment.
I will usually take the monthly payment when I am with a new web host for the simple reason that I can cancel anytime if the service sucks. I know they can do a refund but I prefer to keep the cash with me till the web host service and support prove to be efficient.
2. Disk Space
This is another important aspect which determines how many files or pictures you can upload to your web site. Think of this as your own computer hard disk. Say your hard disk space is 160 gigabyte; it can only store 160 gigabyte worth of stuffs.
This is the case of the more the better. Back in 2002, most web hosts provide a Disk Space of around 500 megabyte only and today my host is giving me a whopping 600 gigabyte (600,000 megabyte) which is 1200 times more!!
3. Bandwidth
Bandwidth refers to the allocated amount of Web Traffic your web site can received. Web Hosting companies often quote a monthly bandwidth limit for a website, for example 100 Gigabyte per month. When the monthly bandwidth is exceeded, additional bandwidth charges are incurred which can be expensive.
At the start, you may not need a lot of bandwidth but it will come in handy when your web site gets more popular. I tend to play safe so I have chosen a web host that offers me a 6,000 Gigabyte bandwidth.
4. Company
This is vital as we do not want to engage any fly by night company. Google about the company to get feedback or reviews before deciding. This is what I found about my current web host; Hostgator was founded in 2002 by Brent Oxley and is privately owned. Hostgator is a privately owned company founded in 2002 that has no debt, is very profitable, and has NO intentions of selling any time soon.
HostGator servers are housed in four separate data centers in Dallas, Texas. They offer a guarantee of 99.9% uptime, which is achieved through daily backups that are responsible for keeping the websites online. HostGator is one of the world top 10 largest web hosting companies with more than 700,000 hosted domains. They have over 130 employees to provide you around-the-clock support. Hostgator also offers tremendous uptime. Uptime means that the amount of time your websites hosted on Hostgator will be operational.
This type of information makes me feel more secure to work with the company. Hostgator service and support have been excellent so far which makes me a happy customer.
Alex Ang @ http://www.liveonothers.com A Singaporean who is happy to be making real money with Affiliate Marketing on the internet while having a full time job. A normal income ain't enough, get residue income with the Internet and start Living On Others! |
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