Author:
Peter MitchellWeb hosting service is not a subject to take lightly. Choose
the wrong web host and you can find yourself stuck in A
Webmasters Nightmare on Dot Com Street. Months and even
years of hard work can go down the tubes when your web site
is faced with the inability to grow. The trick is to find a
web hosting plan that will expand with your web site.
When you search for a hosting plan, be sure the web hosting
servers are able to support the most common programming
languages and features such as PHP, ASP, Java and CGI Pearl
scripts. Even if you won't use them right away, having these
options now can save you a ton of headaches later. At some
point you'll likely want more than a static web site.
Good web hosting providers will allow FTP access via clients
such as Microsoft Front Page or Dream Weaver, even if they
provide an online editor. Sometimes you will find the need
to upload and install programs to your web hosting server.
Be certain you can upload third party software, which saves
time in having to program software yourself.
Web hosting packages often come with a free domain name with
a hosting plan. You'll want a web host who can host your
domain name, but it's always best to purchase your domain.
In the event you ever need to move to a different web host,
you wont be stuck buying the domain from the domain hosting
or web hosting company who will likely overcharge you.
Whenever possible, buy your domain name and hosting packages
a year or two in advance. There is some speculation that
major search engines place more emphasis on web sites who's
hosting and domain name have been purchased anywhere from
one to five years or more. Avoid web host's who only charge
monthly, even if that's all you can afford right now.
Web hosting server up time is critical to a web sites
performance. Be sure a servers up time is above 98 percent.
Many boast 99 percent server up time, so it isn't hard to
find a reliable server. The last thing you want is for your
visitors to find your site only to discover the server is
down. Many first time visitors won't return to a "broken
site".
Web hosting providers often offer free domain E-mail and sub
domains along with your hosting plan. E-mail at your domain,
and sub domains are a good thing to have. You'll want as
many E-mail addresses and sub domains as you can get. Make
sure your web host provides a way to purchase more without
having to upgrade your entire hosting package.
A good web hosting service will usually provide free
software, scripts, and forms. This can save webmasters and
developers a whole lot of time that could be better spent in
marketing. As a rule of thumb, the more free web hosting
tools a web host provides, the better. Not only do these
freebies save time, they will save you money too.
When your web hosting service can support many programming
languages, FTP access, software or file uploads, hosting and
domain name hosting for extended periods, plus free domain
E-mail and sub domains that can be purchased separately,
along with free scripts and tools, with good server up time,
you'll have the backbone in place for a successful, dynamic,
and expandable web site.