Our website might be our bread and butter, but it's often difficult to determine which website hosting solution will best fit our needs. Is our primary objective to find cheap web hosting, do we need a specialized ecommerce web site hosting solution, or do we have a high-traffic website that needs a massive amount of bandwidth? The good news is that finding affordable web hosting is as easy as registering a domain name. Nevertheless, it's important to research our options before signing up. Here are some features to keep in mind:
Disk Quota - Ensure that the plan you choose not only accommodates your current needs, but also takes into account your future growth. The difference in price between 30 GB of disk space and 60 GB of disk space is relatively inconsequential, so when in doubt opt for more.
Bandwidth - Cheap web hosting providers sometimes skimp on bandwidth, so make sure you know the bandwidth you currently use and sign up for a plan that gives you some wiggle room. Basic plans can offer 100 GB of bandwidth, while premium plans often provide unlimited bandwidth. Keep in mind, however, that some providers prohibit customers from using an "excessive" amount of bandwidth. Be sure to check the fine print in a website hosting company's Acceptable Use Policy so you don't face unpleasant surprises down the road.
Email Accounts - Depending upon the type of enterprise you have, you may need 30, 60, or more email accounts. Ensure that the service you choose can accommodate your current and future need for email accounts. Beyond the number of email accounts, look for providers that offer a range of email tools, such as the ability to manage email accounts, auto-responders, mailing lists, spam filtering, and custom mail filtering.
MySQL Database - MySQL is the most popular open source database on the planet, so ensure that the hosting provider you select can deliver the number of databases you need.
Dedicated IP - Unless yours is a personal site, you most likely want a dedicated IP. Otherwise, you may suffer the consequences of transgressions committed by sites that share your IP. It's also helpful to have your own IP if you're engaged in search engine optimization strategies. Of course, if you're looking for ecommerce web site hosting, a dedicated IP is necessary for SSL URLs.
Control Panel - It's critical that the company with which you choose to work offers a control panel feature to its customers. Whether you're a seasoned programmer or a newbie, a control panel makes life much, much easier.
Aside from finding the features you need, it's important to find a website hosting service that is above board. Some cheap web hosting providers pile on additional fees or charge exorbitant set-up fees. Carefully read both the Acceptable Use Policy and Terms of Service for any provider you're considering.
There are many affordable web hosting companies that are fair, honest, and effective. The best among them offer round the clock technical support and a money-back guarantee.
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