Preparing to Choose a Web Host
Important Steps to Take Before Deciding on a Hosting Company
Jun 10, 2009
With the vast number of hosting companies and their individual hosting plans, choosing a hosting provider can seem like a daunting task. It does not have to be. A little foresight and planning can simplify the process. There are several important preparations to make before choosing a hosting company. Not being properly prepared could lead to a loss of money and alienated customers.
Determining Required Space And Bandwidth
The first and most important step is determining the site's hosting requirements. As a site grows, its requirements will change. It is crucial to consider it's needs now and for the future. The following are a few questions, of many, that should be addressed:
- Will a large number of visitors frequent the site in the first several months?
- Will the site allow visitors to download large files or in large quantities?
- Is information to be stored in files or as entries in a database?
A site with a large number of visitors or with many downloads may require a hosting plan with a large amount of bandwidth, which is the amount of traffic or data transfer a hosting provider allows per month. If the site is to be based solely on files, much more space may be required than if it were to be built by storing information in a database. The answers to these questions will also help to ascertain the type of hosting the site will demand.
Different Hosting Types
There are three basic types of hosting: free, shared, and dedicated. Each of which has pros and cons.
- Free hosting is just that, free. The drawback to free hosting is it often requires the display of obtrusive advertising and many hosting companies reserve the right remove any site without notice. Free hosting often lacks important features and is usually limited in the amount of space available.
- Shared hosting is relatively cheap and rich in features. For most small to medium websites, shared hosting is the most cost effective option. At $10 a month or less, many hosting companies will offer a shared hosting plan with unlimited space and bandwidth. What makes shared hosting so cheap is the fact that the sever is shared by upwards of 200 webmasters, which means there is a downside. Shared hosting may be slower at times and there are restricting physical limits on the space available.
- Dedicated hosting may be the only option for large scale and heavy traffic websites. A dedicated hosting plan is basically taking out a lease on a server. A little more expensive than shared hosting, however more control over the server is allowed. This means choosing software and hardware for the server can be an option. Most hosting companies will offer a server administrator at an additional fee for those who are not comfortable handling such decisions.
Due to the costs and complexity of dedicated hosting, many start-up websites begin on a shared hosting plan and transfer to a dedicated plan only when required and the budget allows.
Other considerations to make prior to beginning the search for a hosting company may include:
- Any programming languages required, such as perl or php.
- The number of sites to be hosted. Some hosting plans allow more than one site and domain name to be hosted under the same plan.
- Will a private SSL or Dedicate IP address be necessary?
Tips on Searching For a Hosting Company
Finding hosting companies is the simplest part of the process. A quick search on Google will reveal a vast number of hosting providers competing for new business. Here are a few tips to consider when searching for hosting companies:
- Include any hosting requirements as keywords when performing a search.
- Lesser known companies may offer more competitive prices.
- Up to five separate hosting companies that have appropriate plans should be selected and compared.
Researching Hosting Companies
The final step before choosing a hosting company is research. There are a number of websites, such as RateMyHost.com, that offer reviews created by previous and current customers regarding various web hosts. While not always the most accurate, reviews can be a great way to learn from the experiences of others.
An inquiry regarding the selected hosting plan to the company's customer service department can reveal a wealth of information. If they are friendly and informative, that could be an indication of the level of quality their customer service will show should problem arise. Since something is bound to go wrong with the sever at one point or another, it is important to choose a hosting company that provides quality customer service.
Customer service is also something that should be kept in mind when reading reviews. Previous customers will almost always mention the level of customer service a hosting company offered them, whether good or bad.
Before Purchasing a Web Hosting Plan
All contracts or agreements should be read prior to agreeing to them. There is often very valuable information contained within TOS (Terms of Service) that could become a deal breaker. Any abnormalities may need to be discussed with a lawyer. At the least, the deal should be pursued with caution.
Finding a reputable company with a hosting plan that is a good fit does not have to be a complicated process. The key to choosing a hosting company is being prepared. Determining hosting requirements, choosing a hosting type, and researching potential hosting companies are all steps that can taken.
