| How do I know a good web hosting service from a | | | | The question, "What features should I look for and |
| bad one? What features should I be looking for when | | | | which tools do I need?" are ones that I can answer |
| choosing a web host? What is bandwidth or transfer? | | | | together. |
| How much storage space do I really need? What | | | | What about the web host's support policy. Do they |
| tools should they offer me and which ones do I need? | | | | offer 24/7 tech support? Do you think you will need |
| In this article I will attempt to give you the short version | | | | 24/7 tech support? This is one area that is important |
| of answers to those questions for you to use as a | | | | for you to consider. The Internet is 24 hours per day. |
| reference. A lot about choosing a web-hosting | | | | Your website is online 24 hours per day. So it is |
| provider depends on what your website needs and | | | | possible you might need 24/7 tech support. |
| every website has different needs. | | | | How do you contact tech support there? Just email? |
| First question was "How do I know a good web | | | | Is there a phone number? Do they use support |
| hosting service from a bad one?" Before doing | | | | tickets? Do they have a chatroom or forum for tech |
| business with anyone on the web that is going to be | | | | support? How accessible your web hosting tech |
| as important to your business as a web hosting | | | | support is will determine how fast things get fixed |
| company, you should do a search on the name of the | | | | when you have a problem. See if you can send in a |
| company and look for criticisms, complaints, etc. Keep | | | | tech support query before signing up. See how fast |
| in mind no one has 100% satisfied customers and | | | | you get an email back or if they answer the phone |
| finding just one complaint on the web doesn't mean | | | | when you call them. |
| that the company is a bad one. However if you find a | | | | Those three important issues, bandwidth, storage |
| lot of complaints, I would move on to the next provider. | | | | space, and tech support are not the only things you |
| Now about the bandwidth and transfer question I | | | | need to consider. Do they offer Cpanel or an |
| mentioned above. Bandwidth and transfer are basically | | | | easy-to-use control panel for managing your website? |
| the same thing. Some tech guy might know a | | | | Can they show you a sample of the control panel |
| difference I'm not aware of, but it won't be much | | | | before you sign up? If you choose a web host that |
| difference. This is the number of times each file in your | | | | does not have an easy-to-use control panel are you |
| website is downloaded for the web host's server to | | | | tech-savvy enough to get around in the root files? |
| the visitors computer. | | | | How many databases can be created on your web |
| In other words, the size of you webpages in kilobytes | | | | hosting plan. How many do they allow? Do they offer |
| plus the size of each graphic or other type of file that | | | | instant-install or install-on-demand features like picture |
| is served to the users computer is the amount of | | | | galleries, content management systems, forums, blogs, |
| transfer you are using. If your website will have a lot of | | | | or other website enhancements? |
| graphics, movies, downloads, etc., make sure you | | | | These are all questions you need to ask before you |
| choose a web-hosting plan that offers you a lot of | | | | sign up with any web hosting service. If they do not |
| bandwidth. The average website doesn't need more | | | | give you all that information on the automatic signup |
| than 2-5 gigabytes of transfer per month. | | | | page, email them and ask them questions. Their |
| How much storage space do I need? The storage | | | | response may be all you need to know about whether |
| space is no different than your computer's hard drive. | | | | to choose them as your web hosting provider or not. |
| If the web host offers 100 megabytes of storage | | | | I hope this article has helped you to learn about some |
| space that is just like having a 100-megabyte hard | | | | of the things you need to consider when choosing a |
| drive. If your files are not more than 100 megabytes | | | | web hosting service. Cheap is not always good. This is |
| then that is plenty of storage. Most web hosting | | | | your online business. Treat it well and choose a web |
| companies offer plenty of storage space, more than | | | | hosting serviee that makes things easier for you. |
| the average website will ever use. | | | | |