| Finding a quality web hosting provider can be a | | | | of email accounts. If it is important for you to |
| challenging process for first time site owners. | | | | have a number of email addresses hosted with |
| Fortunately, as the hosting industry has grown, an | | | | your site, you should pay attention to the number |
| increasing number of sites began to offer reviews | | | | of accounts a server allows, as well as the |
| and tips on finding the web host that matches | | | | storage space allowed each account. |
| your needs and budget. These sites offer the | | | | With hard drives becoming increasingly larger and |
| ability to compare web hosting providers at a | | | | less expensive, and some hosting companies offer |
| glance. | | | | unlimited storage space. Others offer more than |
| Review sites are useful because there are a wide | | | | the average site is ever likely to use. But if you |
| array of features offered by web hosts, and it | | | | plan on storing many files or having an extremely |
| can be difficult or time consuming to manually | | | | large site, it pays to know how much storage |
| compare them. | | | | your host will allow you. |
| One very important factor to look for is | | | | Some hosting services allow you to host multiple |
| phone-based customer support. Many hosting | | | | domain names under one account. This can be a |
| companies are resellers with little or no experience | | | | cost-effective option and is something you should |
| in network administration, and a lack of phone | | | | look for if you plan on hosting multiple sites. |
| support is a dead giveaway. These inexperienced | | | | Another important consideration is the amount of |
| services can't give answers during a live phone | | | | access you have to your files and server |
| call, but first have to contact the company they | | | | configuration. One thing to look for is a host that |
| buy space from. While there are quality hosting | | | | allows you to create multiple FTP accounts. Some |
| companies who offer email-only support, many | | | | hosts only allow one, which means you must |
| site owners appreciate being able to reach a live | | | | share your login information with everyone you |
| representative by phone. | | | | want to have access to your files. With hosts |
| Also, look for an established host. There are an | | | | that allow for multiple FTP accounts, you can |
| endless number of cheap, fly by night hosts | | | | create restricted logins with access only to the |
| comprised of just one or two web servers | | | | files you select, so multiple users can work from |
| rented from someone else. These services | | | | your server if necessary. |
| typically overload their servers, as their emphasis | | | | The control panel offered by your host is |
| is volume over quality. | | | | especially important. Most hosts offer cPanel, a |
| Cheap hosting is great, but if your site's uptime is | | | | powerful interface that allows you to add email |
| critical, you should look for a host whose pricing | | | | address, work with databases, install software, |
| allows them to afford excellent customer support | | | | view visitor stats, and dozens of other functions |
| and put less load on each server. With web | | | | directly from your browser, without having to get |
| hosting, as in anything else, you usually get what | | | | the hosting company to do it for you. There are |
| you pay for. | | | | other control panels, so cPanel is not a |
| Before choosing a host, you should also consider | | | | requirement. But if a host offers no control panel, |
| their allowances for bandwidth, email, storage | | | | you should move on. |
| space, domains, FTP accounts, and control panel. | | | | There are a number of factors to consider when |
| Bandwidth is the amount of data your host will | | | | choosing your host. And as you may already |
| serve to visitors of your site. As the Internet has | | | | know, there are an endless number of hosting |
| evolved, hosting companies have greatly loosened | | | | companies out there. |
| or even abandoned bandwidth restrictions. Never | | | | Start your search with a web hosting review site. |
| the less, if you expect your site to have a great | | | | They are a powerful tool can help you quickly |
| deal of traffic, you need to find a host who is | | | | compare established and trusted providers to |
| guaranteed to serve your data to every visitor. | | | | determine who offers the features and pricing |
| Many hosting companies offer unlimited email | | | | that meet your needs. |
| accounts, yet some offer only a limited number | | | | |