How to Know If A Web Host Is Right For You
submitted: 2008-04-05 01:54:23 |
by: DanScott
Total views: 28 |
Word Count: 592 |
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Looking for a perfect web host is kind of like looking for a perfect partner. We want to believe they exist, everyone else seems to have found one, but the search is long and it's easy to get discouraged.
By now I'm sure you realize that, just as their is no perfect mate, there is also no perfect web host. Just like people, web hosts are subject to mishap and seem all too often to let us down just when we need them most. Given these shortcomings, finding a web host we can feel comfortable with should follow some of the same rules for finding a mate.
How do you begin? With yourself and your needs; before you can really relate to others you must first know yourself. What do you really want out of the relationship? Are you interested in blogging? Setting up a business site? Starting a chat group on what makes a great web site?
The list of web hosting services can be narrowed by determining what kind of site you have in mind. Do you plan on a full-blown e-commerce site with dynamically generated pages, shopping carts, and lots of database activity? You should consider going straight to a dedicated server. Just want a site to share pictures of your favorite felines with your cat club? A shared host will be more your cup of tea.
Are you new to the whole web hosting scene? Avoid the desire to be a wall flower and look for somebody that will treat you with tenderness and respect. Focus on customer service, look for reviews indicating great communication and support along with lots of ease-of-use features. After you've made a choice, test their support services early on before you have a lot of time and effort committed to your site. Send emails, make phone calls, use the online support to see how quickly they respond and how helpful they are. If you're not satisfied don't stick around hoping they'll change...they never change.
What kind of software do you intend to run? PHP or ASP? Will you need a database like MySQL, or a shopping cart, or mail forwarding, or SSH, or SSL, etc? I know, it's confusing and the list goes on and on, but if you don't have at least some idea of how you are going to build your web site, what software you will be running, and what supporting applications you will need, you may not be ready for a web host relationship yet.
If you've experienced the hosting scene before, think about your prior affairs and what you liked and didn't like about them. It sounds obvious, but try to find hosts that offer the features and services you liked and avoid those you did not. So often we tend to repeat the same mistakes we made in the past both in choosing patners and in choosing web hosts. Just because they promise us a terabyte of bandwidth doesn't mean we'll really get it. Read the fine print.
A clear understanding of your needs along with careful research can net you a partnership that you can both be happy with. Remember to always read through the details and always be prepared to leave.
So, there's no such thing as a perfect web host. If you're careful in defining your objectives and do some conscientious research you can find one that you will be happy with for the long term.
About the Author
Dan Scott is a Computer Scientist with over 25 years of experience designing, building, and supporting computers and information systems. Make sure you check out his web hosting analyses on the top affordable web hosting sites. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory
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