If you're like most people, you know very little about website hosting. If you have a website, you k...

1. Check Out These Proven Hosting Methods
If you're like most people, you know very little about website hosting. If you have a website, you
know a bit more than most people, but the truth is that choosing a web host can seem a bit strange.
Luckily, this article has a number of smart tips about hosting to make your hosting decisions easier.
Look for the best hosting site for your domain name. Most free sites require you to put their name
either before or after your site name in the URL. If you do not want this, you will have to search
carefully for a host that suits your needs, even if it means paying for a quality host.
When choosing a website hosting service, always check their record for down time. If you are
conducting business through your website, you will almost certainly lose customers if they cannot
access your website at all times, day or night. Check not only how many times they have outages
weekly, but what the duration of these outages are.
Choose a hosting service that allows you to instantly and easily view your web statistics. You will
want to know things such as how many people are visiting your website and what pages they are
viewing. You can even find out how list of companies long they stayed on your site, and what search
words they used to find you. These can be important in the long run, so use a server who has these
tools.
If you are considering a free website hosting service, be careful. If so, then check into the service
that the free web host provides and be sure that you back up all of your data. This is important
because free web hosts typically don't back up your data. If there is a system failure or downtime,
you may be stuck without any recourse if you site or certain files disappear.
Don't choose your website hosting provider based solely on price. Although using a cheap or free
web host may save you money in the short run, these hosts might not offer the disk space or
bandwidth you need. Price should be only one factor in your final decision so that you ensure that
you get what you most need.
Use search engines to help you decide. By checking out results on Yahoo or Google, you will be able
to get an idea of how many hosting sites exist out there. Sometimes just based on the number of
results a host gets or the higher the hosting site is ranked in the results is a good sign of its quality.
If you want a good website, look for a hosting service that comes with different features such as a
forum, a chat room, a shopping cart or a subscription form for instance. Often, coding this kind of
pages or tools is too complicated for someone with limited experience.
You should never pay in advance for hosting services. Many companies will offer you a discount to
sign up for a longer term. What if the hosting company goes bust? Worse yet, what if you do not like
something about the hosting company and wish to switch? It is better to pay as you go with web
hosting.
Find out if the web host you are considering offers a trial period. A trial period is a great way to
identify potential issues, particularly whether there will be any downtime. It also gives you an
opportunity to test the level of expertise and responsiveness of their customer service. You should

2. take advantage of the trial period prior to making any kind of commitment.
Look for a web host that lets you create your own customized error pages. In case your site is not
accessible, you will be able to apologize to your visitors and perhaps redirect them to your Facebook
page. Instead of getting frustrated at the usual error message, your visitors will appreciate you
apologizing to them.
Using a free web host? Prepare yourself for the
idea that your entire site may go away
completely. After all, small host companies pop
up and then disappear with incredible rapidity.
If one of them is in charge of your website, and
then the company just goes underground, all of
your content can go with it -- so back
everything up!.
Save yourself some money by upgrading your
account with your web host to an annual plan.
Most
http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/web-developer of the yearly website hosting plans cost
less on a monthly basis than a pay as you go arrangement. If you are pleased with your web host,
there is no reason not to upgrade to take advantage of these savings.
If you are running an online business, you should avoid using a free hosting service. Most free
website hosting services do not have reliable up-time which means lost revenue. In addition, they
also have forced banner ads and popup ads which can make your website seem unprofessional.
Finally, a lot of free web page hosting services do not give you the option of having your own domain
name. If you are serious about your business, the cost of obtaining paid hosting should not be
significant at all considering the benefits you will receive.
Avoid free web page hosting. While a free site may be an acceptable choice for a small hobby
website, if you want to make money, there are simply too many restrictions. Not only will you be
limited to using their domain name, you will also have restrictions on space, advertising, and little to
no support. These features are well worth the minimal costs of an affordable web host.
Think about your long-term budget before you commit to a web hosting company. Some companies
offer discounts if you commit to a 1-year, 2-year or longer contract. Choose a company that offers a
low fee for long-term hosting, but make sure the company you choose offers all the options you need.
Beware of hosting services that charge very low fees, remembering that you get what you pay for. If
you really only need a one-page site to direct customers to a brick-and-mortar business, then by all
means go for a $5 a month provider. However, if you plan to do any kind of online business
transactions, or are reliant on high-end graphics and a lot of information, then pay for what you
need.
Choosing the right web host can be a challenge, but if you follow the tips in this article and do your
research, the process can be much easier.
As you can see, there are several contrasting choices that are available to you when choosing a

3. hosting company. If you know the distinction between the services, then you will be happier with
your decision. Apply the advice from this article so you understand which of these hosting options
will work best for you.