Web hosting may sound like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be difficult.
There are many different packages you can subscribe to but it will all depends on whether you are looking to just post family pictures or you are serious about your online business and it's presence on the worldwide web.
If it's creating something for fun then a free web hosting provider is the way to go otherwise you will be looking for something a bit more professional.
Some of the factors you should consider are:-
Availability of Web Space
Web Host providers will allocate a specified amount of space and it is important to ensure that the limit allocated is adequate for your current websites and business requirements. You may also want to consider at this early stage the future needs since it's easier and more convenient to do that with the same provider from the onset as the demands for space increase with the addition of graphics and videos on your sites. This will avoid complications of Domain names transfers to a different hosting company not to mention the impact of downtime and lost business on your websites as a result.
Data transfer (Bandwidth)
Data transfer and Bandwidth are terms often used interchangeably although there is a slight difference. Data transfer is all of the information transferred from your web site to your visitor's computer while bandwidth is the capacity for this transfer.
Whenever a visitor comes to your site, your Web Host servers send data to your visitor's computer. This data may include web pages, images, videos, sound files, software programs, or compressed files (ie Anything on your site that can be viewed or downloaded). The higher the volume of visitors to your site and the more complex your web site, the more data transfer you'll use.
To understand this better let's say you have a one-page web site which is 30KB in size which also contains a picture and the size of this image is 40KB.
Add the two files together to determine the total amount of data transfer, or bandwidth that would be required to view this page: 30KB + 40KB = 70KB of total bandwidth.
If your page is viewed 50 times on one day, your account will show 3,500KB, or 3.5MB of usage.
You also need to see if the hosting company provides you with sufficient bandwidth for efficient data transfer. After all it's your website and you need to ensure that you are getting the best services for the money you invest.
Auto-responder System
Some Web Host providers also incorporate an auto-responder system as part of the package although you will pay a little more for this facility. Having a great marketing tool all under the one roof means that everything is done automatically for you as messages are triggered when your prospect submits their name and e-mail address. It will work out cheaper to get a combined package although it's a case of preference and how user friendly the system is found by the users.
File Transfer Protocol- FTP
FTP is most commonly used to download a file from a server using the Internet or to upload a file to a server. Some web hosting service providers allow you to just design your web pages with their own in-house web builder. Although in the early days this may be convenient for you it is advisable that you check the availability of this function in the future as you embark on enhancing your online business capabilities.
Reliability/Security and speed of access
Reliability of the web hosting provider is paramount to any online business as are security issues and the speed with which the world is able to look at your web-pages. One sure way to loose customers and additions to your list is when your site is not available, not updated on time or just takes an
unreasonable time to load resulting in the visitor getting frustrated and will simply move on to the next link.
So how do you know if a hosting company is reliable or not?
Do a thorough research on the hosting company by reading user reviews, exploring search engines, web hosting directories, their rating etc. Also find out if the company offers free set up service. The set up fee for most hosting providers are quite high and your cheap hosting provider should be able to offer affordable if not free website set up.
Get feedback from existing users and benefit from their pitfalls. Try accessing your site during peak hours and non-peak hours to determine any differences in time taken to upload. It is important to realise that web host providers offering service at the lower price bracket do not in most cases have complete control over the server and usually work in cooperation with other hosting companies in order to cut back on expenses. This may also affect the quality of the transmission and the ultimate output received by the visitor to your site.
Pricing plans
It's not necessarily true that the most expensive hosts are the best. If you intend to use most of the facilities included in the package then it certainly makes sense. Simply compare prices and services before you plunge into any lengthy contract and ensure that you have the capability of upgrading in the future as your business needs change.
Vijai Sharma Web Site : http://www.kiosk-4webhosting.com Blog : http://www.kiosk-4webhosting-blog.com E-Mail : vijaisharma51@gmail.com I have been married for 24 years and we have three children, two of whom are in university education. My daughter has embarked on a Bio Medical Science course at Birmingham university and my son is in his second year studying Industrial Design at Brunel. We live near London Heathrow Airport in the UK. I have been in Finance since October 1977 and currently hold the position of Financial Controller with a blue-chip company which buys, sell and leases aircraft and engines in the aviation sector. My other business interests include:Internet Marketing,Web Publishing,Article writing and Blogging. I have some experience in the Real Estate market, mainly the buy to let market. My interests include:Yoga, Keep Fit, Travelling, Gardening, Fund raising for worthy causes,restoring old furniture and DIY. We enjoy listening to music especially jazz and classical and love to cook new dishes from around the world. My pastime includes engaging in drinking quality wines with friends and family and relaxing with good food and music. I enjoy mixing with different cultures to experience their way of life and tasting different foods from around the world. |
0 comments:
Post a Comment