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The Inside Scoop on Selecting A Web Host
By Joe Leech
The "finding" part is easy... Just go to the search engine
of your choice and enter something like "web site hosting"
and you'll be returned literally thousands of choice,
ranging from national providers to possibly local ones if
you set up or filter your search responses.
The trick is finding one or more that is best for you.
Your process begins by asking what you intend to do with
this host and the web site you'll be putting up, and what,
if any additional services do you want.
If it's just for personal and family use, you may all ready
have a web site just waiting for you to upload and it's an
included package to your ISP unit that is providing you
with site access, email and the sort.
But if you are reading this article, the chances are it's
for business use.. but that covers a multitude of sins!
There's a lot of questions to be asked.. one first question,
and be honest and answer this only to yourself.. do you
intend to have traffic directed to it that could be
considered a result of spam? In other words, are you going
to be doing some emailing to a list that includes any
addresses other than a personally built opt in list? If so,
at some time, you may get a spam complaint. Your email
directs the addressee to your web site. Guess who the spam-
ee will find to complain to! Your web site host! Most
hosts all have terms of service (TOS) that allows them to
summarily and arbitrarily cancel or suspend your web site if
they get a spam complaint. For some sites, you are presumed
guilty until proven innocent, and you may not even get a
chance to prove it.
If your site would be subject to this, then basically you
need to get a "throw away" site and not fill it up with
content of any lasting value. Use it to obtain a name and
email and confirm the double opt in status, after which you
send the people to the real site you value and want them to
have. If you get a complaint and get canceled, all your
pages of good web site content are not "down the tubes" or
suspended until you prove your innocent.
To me, this is one of the most critical first choices.
Next comes the technical requirements.. even ahead of costs.
Do you intend to use SQL? Databases? Front Page extensions?
RSS? .. Multiple email? Shopping cart? Ideally you'll fine
the most complete web site and set up all the offerings in a
column in a spread sheet and then across the top, list the
host name and put checks in the blocks beside the services
they provide. These may vary depending upon supplier plan.
Get what you need, but don't buy more than you need right
now.
How many domain names are you going to be using? Does the
host allow for multiple names? Is there a setup fee?
And if you don't have the domain names.. is there a bundle
which includes one or more domains? It could be a good deal
to buy a bundled package as compared to buying a domain from
one supplier, then moving it to a new host when the host can
and will provide the domain name at an included price.
Lastly, compare the total capacity. Ask and inquire about
backup of the files on your host.
All these are important.
While most articles of this type have protocol that suggest
the writer not give a commercial endorsement and I'll
respect that, I'll say without naming my provider I've been
with them over 6 years and I get 4 domains and virtually
unlimited subdomains for $24.95 per month which also
includes a safelist and FFA page I own, plus virtually any
other business service including a 3 seat conference room.
This provider has an absolute no tolerance anti spam policy
and I DO use some paid lists, so I practice what I write
about.. I have two additional throw away domains and
servers. And I'm just a very small internet entrepreneur..
not one of the "gurus". But it works for me.
I hope this article has given you at least a taste of what
to think about and helps you set up your hosting accounts.
Joe Leech has been very successful in his Internet business activities and selection of a web host has been critical. What he's learned is now shared with you and readers are invited to his FREE resource site at http://hosting.ouronlinebusiness.com/
About the Author
Joe Leech has had a varied career spanning being a USAF Officer/Pilot to being in corporate sales with both small firms and Fortune 500 companies, and in the last 20 years, working as a Manufactuers Rep and being self employed. Now semi retired, he is involved in consulting and using his experience to earn and train as an Internet Entepreneur. A portal web site is available at http://www.leechent.com
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