Tuesday, November 10, 2009

What is Web Hosting and how do I Find the Best Web Hosts?


Web hosting, along with the task of finding the best web hosts is essential for any person desiring to make their mark on the web or even to take care of their existing websites. Without hosting, you cannot make a dent in your internet marketing career. A website needs a home for people to come and visit. Hosting companies provide space on their servers for rent or purchase. Hosting your website on a server will make it accessible by the World Wide Web.
With so many companies available, how do you select which one is right for your business or personal website? Small websites do not require expensive hosting plans. For sites from 1-50 pages, a simple plan will suffice. Just as a 1 bedroom house does not need to pay for a 60 mile plot of land, neither do you have to pay hundreds of dollars in hosting fees per month.
Though your website may require the service of a “small” hosting company, beware of unreliable service from low hosting fees. If a problem arises with the server, your website is “down” or not available to the general public. This could seriously impede sales and exposure. Make sure the company is reputable and has been in business for a number of years. Dirt cheap hosting fees may not be worth it.
For the larger websites, approximately 100-500 pages plus, more space and resources are needed. Of course, this will require a reliable company and it may cost more than $100/monthly. A successful company will see the need for a better plan and will spend the money. It could cost more money in the long run when suffering from repeated server failures.
Another inexpensive option is shared web hosting. Shared web hosting is common, but it can be risky. The risk of damage is heightened even though shared hosting offers a wide range of features. If another webmaster on your server has a mishap, the entire server could be taken down, affecting your site as well as everyone else.
Dedicated hosting offers you your own web server in which you will have complete control. You do not own the server, yet it will lower the risk of issues, for you are not subject to the mistakes of other webmasters. Though this scenario is ideal, it can be pricey.
If you get caught up with the hype and advertising, you may miss out on a great hosting company. You should decide what features you need for your website such as autoresponders, video hosting, database server software, email accounts, etc. Be aware of the content management system as well, as it is there to help the non-technical user navigate through the data. These tips will apply to all internet users, new or old.

No comments:

Post a Comment