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How to Know If A Web Host Is Right For You

Author: DanScott
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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.

If you've spent much time looking you've probably heard numerous times that there is no such thing as a "perfect" web host. They are, after all, just a combination of people and machines; both inherently fallible and both subject to the whims of fate and likely to fail us at a critical moment. But, if we accept the fact that web hosts are fallible just as people are, then I think many of the same criteria we use for finding the "perfect mate" can be used in our search of the "perfect web host".

First, start with yourself and your motivations. To really know what you're looking for you need to know why you're looking. What is it you really want out of a web host? Are you interested in creating your own blog? Forming a forum on the plight of escorts in New York? Creating your own brickless storefront?

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.

Is this your first time? Look for a host that gets good reviews for customer service. Don't be fooled by friendly and eager responses during those heady days leading up to a commitment. Be sure to test their support after you sign up but before you put a whole lot of effort into building your site. Pick various times of day and use all of their available forms of contact and make sure you get helpful answers in a reasonable amount of time. If you don't get support from them now when it's easy, you're not going to get it later when it's hard, either.

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.

Been there before? Use your prior experience to look for those things that have worked for you in the past. And, although I shouldn't have to say it, stay away from the things that have burned you before. If you've learned the hard way that a terabyte of storage doesn't always mean a terabyte of storage, use that experience and read the fine print this time.

Make sure you understand your needs and your weaknesses before you start approaching web hosting providers. Look for one that is a close match to your situation. Take the time to do your research carefully before committing yourself and be prepared to walk away if things don't work out.

Web hosts, like every other human venture, are not perfect. But, if you do your homework you can find one that fulfills your needs and will keep you satisfied for years to come.

About the Author

Dan Scott is a Computer Scientist with over 25 years of accomplishments in designing, constructing, and supporting computers and information systems. Make sure you check out his web hosting analyses covering the top affordable web hosting providers.

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