Finding Web Site Hosting

A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Frances Rhea

Gather Information for Web Site Hosting

You must know what you need before you can make any web site hosting decision. Rate your importance of each need. Indicate if you require design and maintenance; or do it yourself. Do you need advanced technologies, or a basic presence? Do you need a secure server for ecommerce, or is your site just for advertising?

Web Site Hosting Language

Every web host serves HTML pages. Not every hosting plan includes ASP or JSP. Microsoft FrontPage extensions are usually free but others have an additional charge.

If your web site needs a database make sure that it is supported. Databases like mySQL, mSQL, postgreSQL, and Oracle are independent of operating systems. Microsoft Access and SQL require a Windows operating system.

Web Hosting Storage Space and Bandwidth

An average web site uses 20 - 40 MB of space. Be aware of the cost of adding additional storage space to your web site.

All web hosting companies supply a limited amount of bandwidth. The cost of adding additional bandwidth is high. Allotment among web hosting providers varies a great deal.

When starting out your bandwidth requirements will be minimal. Sites with lots of graphics (such as photo albums) should consider high bandwidth providers.

If your web hosting limits transfer per second, during peak hours your site will be slow.

Compile a List of Possible Web Site Hosting Providers

Try a company that provides hosting comparison charts. There you will have access to lots of hosting companies that advertise with their hosting requirements and limitations.

Visit each site. Do not read their information, just look. Does the site load fast? Is it neat and ordered? Note two things here. You should not go by looks alone and, if your first impression says forget it, then do so.

Return to each site. This time read their information keeping your list of needs in mind. If they do not meet your needs, take them off your list. Read each company policy.

Now, go back to each site. This visit consider their support. If you need 24 hours per day support by phone, take off all the sites that have only email support. Look at the support hours as well as the type of support. Sometimes they offer 24/7/365 support but when you look further, this may be email only with a response within 24 hours.

Again return to each site. Now determine the marketing audience targeted by each provider. If you need state-of-the-art, then take providers off your list that target personal users. If you require a simple presence, remove all hosting that targets the high-end market.

Finally, go back to the sites that are left. Your search is almost done. This is the most critical step. If there is 24 hour tech support, call. If there is only email support, email them. Ask any question you can think of. If they indicate 2 hours response, time them.

Very few hosting providers should be on your list by now. Any decision you make should be a good choice.