| The best deal isn't always the cheapest. Shopping for | | | | most basic level, the WWW is composed of "HTML" |
| the best website hosting can be an easier experience | | | | pages, which work on any browser on any kind of |
| if you think about what kind of resources your | | | | computer, be it a "PC", "Mac", or run by a different |
| website will actually need.Shopping for website | | | | operating system. Novices out there can be assured |
| hosting can quickly turn from a careful, measured | | | | that HTML pages they create on a PC can be read |
| affair to a frenzied "how low can you go" price hunt. | | | | by someone browsing the web using a Mac.If your |
| Recent years have seen the concept of a "budget | | | | site goes beyond rudimentary HTML, then you will |
| hosting" sphere melt away as many large hosts bring | | | | need to pay attention to a host's feature set. Sites |
| prices down to compete. This does benefit the | | | | requiring databases and active scripting have to be |
| consumer, as they are more likely to get better | | | | coded using languages your prospective hosting |
| service for their dollar. This article will discuss one of | | | | company's servers understand. There is a variety of |
| perhaps many sets of considerations to make in | | | | options out there, and it is beyond the scope of this |
| choosing a website hosting company. To those very | | | | article to go into them, simply be aware of what kind |
| serious about their hosting needs, "price" will not be a | | | | of active scripting you plan to use and make sure |
| major factor.Determine Your NeedsThis is the first | | | | your host supports it. Common alternatives are PHP, |
| and most important step. Judging what you need will | | | | ASP.net, and ColdFusion. Some of the options will |
| determine where to look for hosting services and | | | | vary depending on the type of server your host |
| give you a baseline idea of how much you should be | | | | uses, most commonly Linux or Windows.Additional |
| willing to pay. This very basic step is where the | | | | features may also be required. Mailing lists, forum |
| process will break down if your first instinct is to | | | | software, and ecommerce software are common |
| simply jump online and hunt for the "best bargain". | | | | features most hosts support. If you plan on setting |
| There are more than enough sites out there that | | | | up an online store, find out what kind of shopping |
| seek to accommodate the bargain hunters. Perhaps | | | | cart, if any, a host provides and be prepared to learn |
| your site is suited to a bargain host, perhaps not. | | | | how to use it. Advanced statistics packages like |
| Knowing the difference is important.Start with the 2 | | | | Urchin are also valuable for ecommerce sites. Map out |
| core attributes of website hosting, space and | | | | the kind of features you plan to deploy with your |
| transfer. Simply, how large do you expect your site | | | | site and make sure your choice in host makes them |
| to be and how many people will visit it over a | | | | easily available to you.Support OptionsThis final |
| monthly period. If you're completely new to hosting, | | | | component is important, because it is usually the |
| you may not be able to accurately gauge either. | | | | dividing line between quality hosting and less reputable |
| That's where you might want to consider actually | | | | options. One of the first causalities of cut-rate |
| creating the site, or as much of it as you can, prior | | | | hosting is support. Poor support means that low cost |
| to shopping for hosting. Knowing the size of the files | | | | you pay each month isn't worth much because your |
| you plan to upload will give you a basic idea of the | | | | site is rarely up. Always check your prospective web |
| amount of space you need. This will vary wildly | | | | host's site support options. Ideally, they will have |
| depending on the nature of the site. Small, "hobby" | | | | phone hours where you can call up and speak directly |
| sites won't need a lot of space, sometimes they | | | | to first level support. Another "direct contact" option |
| may not even use 10 or 20 megs of space. Online | | | | that is popular these days is "chat." This still allows |
| stores and sites hosting downloads or media files will | | | | direct contact with a live person, only through a chat |
| require much more space."Transfer", or "Traffic", or | | | | window on your home computer. Ideally a |
| sometimes "Bandwidth" on some sites, all generally | | | | combination of both is one sign a host has invested |
| equates to the amount of information transmitted to | | | | some money in support.Bare minimum support |
| the unique individuals who view your site over, | | | | options should always include a "help desk" or support |
| usually, a monthly period. Some hosts are moving a | | | | ticketing system. This allows customers to send |
| daily meter, but most still use a monthly figure. In | | | | information about their issue and have that issue, and |
| order to estimate your transfer, a very simple | | | | all the responses to it, tracked in a central location, |
| method is to take the total size of your site files in | | | | so your support history is always available. Beware |
| kilobytes or megabytes and multiply by the number | | | | any host that only offers an untracked "email" |
| of visitors you expect. For a number of reasons, this | | | | support. Having all 3, phone, chat, and helpdesk, is a |
| is not going to be highly accurate, and in many cases | | | | reasonably good sign a host pays attention to |
| will provide a higher number than your traffic in | | | | customer support. You can always "test" these |
| practice will turn out to be. Overestimating traffic is | | | | systems prior to signing up by calling or chatting, but, |
| always better than underestimating, since you will | | | | in the interest of a host's current customers, please |
| always need room to grow with whatever website | | | | keep any conversation brief, as the intent of a |
| hosting plan you choose.What if you have absolutely | | | | support staff is not, directly, to answer sales |
| no idea what size your site will be or how many | | | | questions. Your test, however brief, has delayed the |
| people will visit? Well, then start small. Though your | | | | technician from handling a request from an existing |
| dreams of domination the web might be strong, you | | | | customer.ConclusionsChoosing a host is not |
| will probably not do so immediately. Popularity and | | | | something to enter into lightly. We've reviewed 3 key |
| traffic that come with it generally occur over time. | | | | concepts that should be addressed when looking for |
| Choose a host with a clear upgrade path, and start | | | | a web host. "Price" was not one of them, and, |
| with a small plan. You can always upgrade as you get | | | | though certainly important for a number of reasons, |
| a better idea of monthly traffic. Pretty much all | | | | should never be the final deciding factor. If your |
| webmasters hope their traffic will grow, and a host | | | | website is important to you, or mission critical to your |
| with a variety of increasingly larger plans is best | | | | business, you want to find a host with an excellent |
| suited to handle such growth.Determine Required | | | | reputation and high-uptime. Cut-rate or budget hosts |
| FeaturesThough space and transfer are your core | | | | rarely obtain either one of these things. Today, even |
| attributes, assessing what kind of features you need | | | | highly reputable hosts will have "budget offerings" |
| is also important. This may vary with your familiarity | | | | that can provide stable hosting at reasonable rates. |
| with the web and websites in general. Those who | | | | Do your homework and don't rush to the first |
| only wish to publish static web pages with content | | | | "unbelievable deal" you come across. You'll be happier |
| they intend to update personally do not need any | | | | with your service in the long run. |
| kind of exceptionally complex feature set. At its | | | | |