How to Choose a Hosting Account

Your hosting account is where you will upload files so that your website can take shape and be visible to the outside world. It is also where you can track statistics, install applications, setup e-mail addresses and setup FTP accounts.

For those who do have an existing hosting account, take note of the features I will recommend you have with your hosting account. See how it compares to what you currently have. For those who do not have a hosting account, please take note of the things that I recommend your web hosting company have.

#1 – Good Technical Support – The best support is probably the most important aspect of your website hosting company. If you think about it, that company will be responsible for making sure your website is online and that your e-mail is working so you want to make sure that they are responsive when you need them.

#2 – Disk Space – It’s important to see how much disk space they offer because you don’t want to run out. If your website is going to contain a lot of images and add-ons, you may want to consider a website with more disk space. Otherwise, a simple website with not many images doesn’t take up much space.

#3 – Bandwidth – Bandwidth is the amount of data that is being transferred from your website to the people viewing your website. If your website has a lot of photos or downloads, it will eat up bandwidth. So, check to see how much they allot to each site.

#4 – Uptime – Make sure that the website guarantees a certain percentage of uptime. This is how often your website will be shown online. You will always, no matter what, experience some downtime but it should be less than 1-3% of the time. Uptime of 97-99% is good.

#5 – MySQL – This application allows you to run scripts on your website. Some programs that you may want to install down the road, WordPress, Moodle, etc., do require MySQL.

#6 – FTP Access - Unlimited and unrestricted FTP access to your site is mandatory. You will need an FTP program to transfer files.

#7 – Control Panel – Check to see if they offer a control panel. The easiest one to use out there is Cpanel. It offers a GUI (graphic user interface) and is very easy to understand.

It’s important to review the things you need right from the beginning because it can be a hassle to move your website at a later date. Make sure to check and see if your website company can accommodate your needs and then you will feel more confident with moving forward with your website.

Also, as I mentioned, if you plan on creating a blog site, you will need to check to see if they have WordPress as an available installation. Most times, it’s bundled with something called Fantastico but the easiest way to find out is to give the company a call.

When you are ready, setup your website hosting and be sure to record all of the information in a safe place.

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