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Nine Important Factors in Choosing a Web Hosting Company
Many clients have talked to us about their online business and they would like to have some suggestion in choosing a web hosting company. There are so many companies and packages for them to choose. Here we will listed out some factors that need to be considered.
#1 Disk Space
Disk space is depends on the size of your web site. So, have a look on your web site folder and see how much disk space it takes up on your computer. You should always get more space than what is taken up on your computer. For example, if your web folder is 200MB, you should probably get 250-300MB of disc space. This extra space allowed you to further expand your web site and put more materials there. Remember that you need to think about what kind of materials you planned to add later. If what you plan to add is some flash animation or some audio/video file, you'd better to get some more buffer.
#2 Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the amount of data transfer that your web site can use. If you plan on having a massively popular site with a large amount of files, then you should have a high bandwidth. For casual web sites, bandwidth is not as big a factor. Again, consider cost and try to have more bandwidth than you need, not less. It is also important to check the bandwidth for local and overseas.
#3 Web site speed
Web site speed is seldom taken into consideration. Web site speed is a really important factor. If your web host has a very slow speed for all of its web sites, then you may not want to go with that host. People won’t stay around at a page forever. If you want many people to visit your site, having a fast speed is very helpful. You should check with the web hosting company and ask them to provide a list of their sites. You can then try to access to see the response of these sites.
#4 Database / Programming Language support
Database and Programming Language support are important if you plan to have a dynamic website and interact with your customers. Currently, most web hosting provides support for database and programming language, but there are great variety on database and programming language. You should check and pick the one you plan to use.
Of course the above factors are depend on how much you want to spend on it. It's always difficult to take all the best. You should think about your own case and find out the best fit. For example, you have a text-centric site with little photos and target in local market only, you may find a hosting with little disk space, enough bandwidth for local (overseas is not important in this case) and normal web site speed.
#5 Technical Support
Technical support is one of the important factor you need to consider. But how to know their services level? You can test by sending them an email with some questions or just make a phone to their support hotlines. If they respond quickly, this is a good sign. If they cannot provides you answers, you'd better find another one.
#6 UpTime
The more uptime they guarantee, the better. 99% uptime is the minimum acceptable standard. You'd should Look for 99% plus guaranteed uptime.
#7 FTP Access
You need an FTP program to transfer files to the server. You should seek for an unlimited and unrestricted FTP access, otherwise it will troublesome to maintain your website.
#8 Control Panel
Most web hosting company will provides a web based control panel for you to maintain your web site. You should looking for one with a easy-to-use interface.
#9 Statistics Program
A good stats program is handy if you want to keep an eye on how many visitors you are getting, where they are coming from, referrers, top entry and exit pages and so on. Some companies offer excellent stats programs as standard while others offer basic stats but you have to pay extra for advanced statistics. You should ask the company what kind of statistics information they can provide.
Isaac Chu is Project Director of Evinco Solutions Limited. Evinco provides innovative business software, include emarketing web solutions, email marketing software, e-catalog publishing software, invoicing software, and electronic cheque writer. Visit: http://www.evinco.com.hk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Isaac_Chu
Choosing a Quality Web Host
Choosing a Quality Web Host
Is your web host reliable?
Web hosting is a long time affair and commitment, so start by verifying if the web hosting provider is reliable. The existing client list, guaranteed up-time, infrastructure and the number of years of existence can give you an overview of the web hosting company's reliability.
How much web disk space or storage is provided? For most small to medium sized web sites, 100 to 200 megabytes of storage will be more than sufficient. However make sure that the web hosting service provider has an upgradeability option.
What about web hosting bandwidth restrictions? Many web hosts will charge you extra when you start to get an increase in web traffic, so this is an important feature to check out. It will be better to select a service provider who will offer you a decent amount of bandwidth so that you can make sure that they are not going to charge you more as your web site becomes more popular.
Does your web host provide all basic features? Compare a few plans of different web hosts to find if all basic necessary features are covered.
How much does it cost you? Pricing is an important factor especially when you are just starting out. Be careful not to compromise quality for price. Quality is more important than price if you are serious about building your web presence.
Does the web hosting company charge you a setup fee? Nowadays most good web hosts do not have a setup fee. Though it is only a one time expense, it is better to avoid it.
Do they require a contract? Also, look around and try not to get locked into being with one company on a long term agreement. Most web hosting providers offer a 1 year plan and some like GoDaddy.com will offer a monthly payment plan. This way, if you don't like the service, it costs nothing to pack your bags and leave.
Do they offer any type of money back guarantee? More and more reliable web hosting companies will give you at least a 30 day guarantee on their service like a free trial period or a money back option. This is a good safety option and at least allows you a minimum one month period to find out if they provide everything they claim to provide.
Does the web hosting company provide around the clock support? After sales, customer service is something you may require very often as far as web hosting is considered. Look for a reliable service that is always available.
Is the control panel user friendly? This is called various names by different web hosts, but essentially, they all allow you to manage different aspects of your web account yourself. This is what you will use almost everyday. This should be simple but at the same time feature rich. I see that most companies now offer a free demonstration of their control panel. If you web host has such a demo, try it out.
There are many variables to consider when choosing a quality web host. Search for quality and features when selecting a web host and you will not be disappointed.
Russell Blanc is the owner of http://www.Top-8-Web-Hosting.com, a website which offers free independent reviews of web hosting providers and is a resource for choosing a web hosting company.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russell_Blanc
Beware of Some Hosting Scams
At this day and age almost everyone has a website. Many hosts offer great deals with reasonable prices, but if they offer exceptional deals with extremely cheap prices, beware before you become a victim. Web host scams are plenteous, so take caution.
You should research the host before anything. Go to forums and look for ratings and reviews before you commit. Search for the host name on a search engine and find out as much as you can about them. Examine their site carefully, and get to know who they are. There should always be a section that says "contact us" or an "about us" that has some kind of contact information. If you have no way to reach them, how can they be held accountable for things that may go wrong, or even help you with a problem? That's a major red flag.
Always read the terms of service before signing up. Do a close reading and be sure that you understand payment terms, what you are required to do, and what they promise to offer. You should not have to keep track of and report down time. If the host is shady about uptime, don't sign up. Make sure the domain name is registered to you and not to the hosting company. It's not a real sale and you don't own it if they keep the registration. This is also away of avoiding legal tracking. They can deny the sale if you don't hold registration rights. You should have the option of paying monthly, not just annually. Although there is nothing wrong with an annual payment, be sure that you have options so that you can be sure the host won't take the money and run. You should also be able to get a refund of the first 30 days of the membership. If you are not satisfied, you should be able to cancel and get your money back. Non-refundable deals are usually poor deals.
There is no such thing as unlimted bandwidth or data transfer. Check the terms and conditions for the actual limits. Data transfer costs webhosts money, so there is no way that they can successfully run business and make a profit at all with extremely low income. If they promise you limitless space, it's technically impossible. It is a certain con for your money.
You should try to find a web host located near you. It will speed up the download of your site for viewers, give greater access to technical support, and assistance with service complaints. Extravagant offers for extremely low prices are a pretty obvious sign that the website is a scam. If you feel that you have been scammed, you should contact your local district attorney. Otherwise, research the site and don't give your information until you have taken the precautions described above. Have a good time, but play it safe.
Jimmy Choo runs a reseller company in Singapore. He bought the service from GoDaddy and now is creating a hosting empire in Asia. He knows that most people are after cheap hosting without knowing about the hidden risks involved. This prompts him to create a website at http://247-365-hosting.info/beware-of-the-hidden-perils-of-low-cost-hosting.html Visit the site to day to see if you have been scammed!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jimmy_Choo