Where Should I Host My Website?
August 28, 2008
If it is time for you to begin your own website, a decision that must be made early on is where your website will be hosted. This refers to where on the internet your website will reside. Just like a family or individual has a place to call home, a website needs a “home” too.
Websites have to sit on a computer somewhere, and the computers which keep websites are called web servers or web hosts.
One major decision is whether to use a free or paid web host.
Going with a free web host is always a temptation, as along with the attractive price, they often include simple website creation tools. Although these sites have many advantages, you should not use one for your “main” sites. Along with the showing of ads, they might also remove your site without warning or might close their service. Even so, the use of one of these sites can be a great part of your marketing plan. You may want to take a look at Blogger.com and Weebly.com.
If you hire a web designer, they may provide web space to you in a package, or you might purchase a hosting plan on your own. You should think about the following when selecting a web host:
Price: how much are they going to charge you every month? What features might you need that will cost extra?
Reliability: do they guarantee uptime? One of the best ways to determine reliability is to ask what others’ experience has been. The least expensive web host will not be worth it if you cannot count on it being available when your customers or readers need it.
Administration: most web hosts today use “cpanel”, short for “Configuration Panel” to administer the site. Cpanel is an industry standard these days and you should not sign up with any host that does not offer it.