| Choosing a web hosting plan for your website is | | | | website is accessible to other Internet users. An |
| the first of many choices in which you have to | | | | uptime of 99% is desirable (as no one can |
| make when starting out online. The most | | | | guarantee 100%). In addition, if there was a |
| important characteristics you should look at when | | | | problem with your site you want to know that |
| trying to choose a web hosting service is | | | | you can reach help straight away. It might be |
| reliability, support and control. To be sure you are | | | | wise to choose a web host that provides a 24 |
| choosing the best hosting plan for your website | | | | hours support service or one that is prompt in |
| you may want to consider the important features | | | | answering your emails and queries. |
| below in more detail. | | | | Price: Price will always play a role in your decision |
| Space: Web hosting companies offer you | | | | to choose the best web hosting solution. Don't |
| different amounts of web space on their server | | | | always just go for the cheapest you see but look |
| depending on the plan you sign up with. The more | | | | at what features you are provided with and |
| space you have the larger a website you can | | | | make sure that is enough for your site. |
| build, so it is important to know how much space | | | | Webhosting can start as little as $5/month for |
| you require for your website. Usually 100MB would | | | | basic packages which are usually sufficient enough |
| be acceptable for a small to average site, | | | | with all the features you need included. Make sure |
| however it does depend on how many pictures, | | | | you compare prices between various companies |
| videos or files you are planning to have on your | | | | and their different hosting options so you know |
| website. There are a number of web hosting | | | | what you are paying for before you make your |
| companies that provide to you unlimited space. | | | | decision. |
| This is a great advantage as you can expand you | | | | Website building options: There are 2 main ways |
| website in the future without having to worry | | | | you can build a your website on your hosting |
| about space and changing plans or providers. | | | | account. One is to design the site yourself offline |
| Speed: Speed is related to the bandwidth provided | | | | and the use FTP. FTP access gives you the |
| by your web hosting company. It is defined as | | | | flexibility to transfer and upload the files you have |
| the amount of data that is transferred in a certain | | | | developed for your site from your computer to |
| amount of time. Bandwidth determines how slow | | | | the hosting server. Two is to use an online |
| or fast people can access and view your website. | | | | website builder. Some web hosting companies |
| If you are planning a small personal site, bandwidth | | | | provide website builders for you to use to build |
| may not be an issue. If you plan on expanding | | | | your site which takes a lot of work out of the |
| your business or having lots of images or videos | | | | programming side of things. Make sure you |
| or ecommerce facilities then bandwidth becomes | | | | choose a hosting company that allows both. |
| an important part of the equation. The higher the | | | | When choosing a web hosting service for you |
| bandwidth the faster your website will load. | | | | website, do not always choose the cheapest. A |
| Fortunately, with the competition between web | | | | lot of smaller web hosting companies are not as |
| hosting companies today, many web hosts | | | | reliable or supportive as the bigger ones. This is |
| provide unlimited bandwidth. | | | | why the bigger companies are more popular - |
| Reliability and Support: A very important factor to | | | | they have happy customers that trust them. |
| consider is for you to choose a web hosting | | | | Make sure you know what your requirements are |
| company that is known to be both reliable and | | | | before you decide which hosting plan to choose. |
| offer great support. Reliability can be measured | | | | That is how you can pick the best web hosting |
| by the amount of uptime the hosting company | | | | service for your website. |
| guarantees you. This is the amount of time your | | | | |