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Selecting a great web hosting service can be easy
Consider this when looking for an outstanding web hosting service...
- Support.
Is there really anybody there?
Send a question to your candidate web hosting service by email and see how long they take to respond.
You want to know if they'll be there when you need them.
Some web hosting services offer 24-hour support and a few will respond quickly.
Speedy customer service is rare and indicates a superior web hosting service.
I think that this is the single most important consideration.
Also, check out the quality of their online documentation.
- Traffic allowance.
Compare your traffic allowances.
Some web hosting services give you a small limit on the amount of material that can be downloaded from your site each month
and charge you large amounts when that limit is exceeded.
Some web hosting services offer huge traffic allowances (several thousand MB/month, where 1,000 MB = 1 GB)
for the same price as others that limit you to a few hundred MB/month.
Sure you probably need less than a hundred MB/month now,
but why put yourself in a position where you have to move when your traffic takes off?
Plan ahead and allow for growth.
- Space.
How much space do you expect to eventually want for your web site?
Planing ahead can save you lots of money later.
If you expect to grow, look for a web hosting service that offers sites of 200 MB or more.
Some webhosting services offer 800 MB sites for less money than others that offer only 30 MB.
- Features.
Consider what features you want from your web hosting service to simplify development of your web site.
- Do you want access to a cgi-bin so that you can install your own scripts?
- Do you want many scripts pre-installed and pre-configured?
- Do you want to be able to use Microsoft's FrontPage?
- Do you want autoresponders for email processing?
- Do you want email aliases (automatic forwarding) so you don't need to check email in more than one place?
- ...
- Guarantee.
With so many web hosting services to choose from, why not choose one that offers a guarantee?
Webhosting services that offer a moneyback guarantee are confident that you'll be delighted with their service.
- Cost.
Look for hidden costs when comparing price.
- Do they expect you to pay for a long term in advance to get a good price?
Choose a webhosting service that doesn't bait you with a low price that's only available if you make a long-term commitment.
- Will they handle the registration or transfer of your domain for free?
Choosing an excellent webhosting service doesn't have to require luck.
Knowing what to look for makes selection simple.
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