| There is a lot of information about web hosting. | | | | you need one. The hosting package may include a |
| Thousands of different companies and plans. It is | | | | MySQL database, PostgreSQL, SQLServer, or |
| often hard to decide on what will fit you best, | | | | Access. Again, verify your script requirements or |
| especially when you do not understand all the | | | | check with your programmer to see which |
| hosting related terminology. So what should you | | | | database you need. It is also nice to have a utility |
| do then? Close your eyes and pick a company? | | | | to manage the database, so look in the hosting |
| Pick the cheapest one? The average one? I will | | | | plan details to see if they offer a tool like |
| try to help you make your decision in this article, | | | | phpMyAdmin, for example. phpMyAdmin is a |
| by providing a checklist of the items you should | | | | commonly used admin tool for MySQL databases. |
| consider when choosing a hosting company for | | | | 6) Common aspects |
| your small business website. An important tip: | | | | These are normally present in most hosting plans |
| avoid free hosting services for your business | | | | nowadays. |
| website. It will look as if you cannot afford to pay | | | | -FTP: to upload files to your server. |
| for hosting, and customers may think you're not | | | | -POP Email addresses: email accounts you can |
| serious at business. Leave those for personal | | | | receive in your email client, not only view online. |
| websites only. | | | | The number of pop accounts may vary from plan |
| 1) Space | | | | to plan. |
| This is measured in MB (Megabytes) or GB | | | | -Webmail interface: to view your email from any |
| (Gigabytes). One gigabyte equals 1024 Megabytes, | | | | computer. Useful if you travel, for example. |
| so there is a huge difference. The space you will | | | | 7) Customer service |
| need depends on your website characteristics. Do | | | | It is important that the company answers your |
| you have many image files? Images take up | | | | questions promptly. Pay attention to which means |
| more space than webpages themselves. To have | | | | they offer you to contact them. Will you have a |
| an idea of the space you will use, add up the | | | | ticketing system to ask questions and inform |
| sizes of all your website files. Generally if you're | | | | about problems once you're their customer? |
| not sure you can start with plans that include less | | | | 8) SSL |
| space and upgrade later if necessary. | | | | If you need secure pages, for example to |
| 2) Programming language | | | | process transactions online, check if the plan |
| Is your site written using only plain html? Then | | | | already includes this service, or if you can add it |
| this item in the checklist is not important. If it is | | | | to the plan. It is common to have to pay an |
| written in ASP, Php, Cold Fusion, Perl, Java or any | | | | extra fee for this service. Keep in mind that you |
| other programming language, you need to check | | | | will also need a digital certificate so the browsers |
| the hosting plan to see if it supports that | | | | don't display an alert when visitors enter the |
| particular programming language. If you're not | | | | secure pages. A digital certificate verifies your |
| sure about which programming language was | | | | identity. It is issued by a trusted entity. You need |
| used, ask your programmer about it. If you | | | | to buy it and renew it periodically. |
| bought a script or you use an open source one, | | | | 9) Front Page extensions |
| check its requirements. | | | | If your website is built using Front Page, then the |
| 3) Web Server and Operating System | | | | hosting plan needs to have these extensions for |
| Some scripts need Apache web server to run. | | | | your site to work properly. |
| Others need IIS running on a Windows server. | | | | 10) Parked Domains, Sub Domains and Redirects |
| Verify your script requirements or check with | | | | If your site will have sub domains, like and |
| your programmer to see if you need to get Linux | | | | support.your-domain.com, the hosting plan you |
| or Windows based hosting, and if it matters which | | | | need has to allow the creation of these sub |
| the web server is. | | | | domains. If you have more than one domain |
| 4) Monthly Traffic | | | | pointed to the same website, you need to check |
| This is related to how many people will visit your | | | | if the plan allows you to park additional domains. If |
| site per month. Unless you chose a strange | | | | you need to redirect a page (Url) to another |
| hosting package or your website is very popular, | | | | page, you need to be able to create redirects. |
| it should be enough. As with space, you can | | | | 11) Control Panel |
| upgrade later if necessary. | | | | Last, but not least. A Control Panel is a must if |
| 5) Database | | | | you want to be able to manage your site |
| Does your website use a database? If so, then | | | | efficiently. |