Web hosting explained

Wednesday 6th July 2011

Why do you need a web host? Without hosting, your website would not be online, and therefore all that time, effort - and often money - would be wasted. Your chosen web host has a number of responsibilities - not least of which is the task of keeping your website live on the web. Because of its importance, there is a lot to consider before parting with money for what will hopefully be a successful and long term business relationship.

Of course, for most people, a major factor is the cost. Check all packages and pricing structures carefully, as not all hosting companies price in the same way. Typically, prices are for a year's hosting - however, some give monthly hosting prices - a distinction which, if not made clear, could prove to be a costly mistake several months down the line.

Making enquiries about the amount of time the web hosts' server is typically down for is a good idea. Paying out money for web hosting that can only manage to make your website visible online half the time is little use to you if you're trying to run a business that you wish your clients to see as reliable. Ask about any guarantees your potential web hosts may offer to protect your website (and in turn, your business) from extensive downtime. It is worth bearing in mind that when it comes to web hosting, bigger is not always better - some larger web hosting companies have servers that go down much more frequently than some of their smaller competitors.

Bandwidth (the amount of web traffic allowed to your website within a set time period), and web space (how much storage space you are provided with in which to store your website) should also be considered. Carefully estimating how much web space you will require (for all the images and pages you will be using on your website, etc) can be tricky, but will help to ensure that you don't waste time and money on an apparent bargain that doesn't offer the space you'll need.

Most web hosts offer email addresses connected to your website, that you can set up to offer a more professional image to your customers. The number of email addresses you get will depend on the package you choose. Think about how many you will actually need before buying, to save yourself an unnecessary expense.

Each of the factors discussed above are of great importance when choosing a web host. Most importantly, time spent at the beginning making sure you get the best possible deal for you, will mean less money spent later, and a greatly reduced likelihood of a potentially very expensive mistake, which could damage your business and its reputation.

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