Many people have heard of web hosting, though few actually understand what it means. Web hosting companies provide the servers and bandwidth where your website will be located. Keep reading to find out how you can select a good web hosting service.

While it’s common for web hosts to offer add-ons with their packages, the actual features and packages vary widely between hosts. When comparing hosts, compare the levels of services and features offered. For instance, one host can have a lower price advantage, but the feature you need may only be in a package that is higher priced.

Find lots of different recommendations before settling on a host. Looking at just one or two companies may not be enough for you to identify one that clearly stands out.

Are you having problems deciding between shared or dedicated web hosting services? If your website receives a great deal of traffic, shared hosting might cause problems. If this is the case, you are better off with dedicated hosting.

Are you considering a free hosting provider? If you decide to do this, back up all of your data. Most free web hosts don’t provide backups of customer data. If anything disappears, you’ll have no luck getting it back from the hosting company.

Figure out how large your website will be within the next year and choose a hosting plan that gives you enough hard drive space. A single HTML page doesn’t require a ton of space; however, if you add items like videos and photos, you’ll need more space quickly. Having access to about 100MB of space for storage can give you adequate room for your site to expand.

Web Hosts

The amount that web hosts charge for service packages depends upon how much traffic your site receives. But this is not a given, many web hosts use a formula based on your traffic whle some charge a flat rate.

Check to ensure the hosts that you’re considering provides you money back guarantees. Most hosts provide a guarantee that will allow you to have your money refunded within thirty days or less of signing up if you’re not happy. Some hosting providers make promises they cannot keep.

When selecting a web hosting company, it is a good idea to choose one that has received numerous awards. This provides an easy way for you to judge a web host’s service and support. It is possible to falsify these awards, but this is typically a reliable means of assessing performance. Look for a host with a lot of awards requiring votes from their clients.

Your web host should have an excellent reputation. Read articles and reviews on web hosts to see which ones garner the most trust and which will give you the most for your money. A company that does not offer quality customer service and innovative services will be easy to recognize as well.

Hosting your own site is impossible if you’re using a dial-up modem. The only way to keep your site up and running at all times is to have it hosted by a company that can provide an always on and fast Internet connection. Otherwise, downtime and lags will hinder your site and may even bring it offline.

Do not fall victim to gimmicks, scams and hidden fees. Many hosts will advertise low prices, but leave out the fact that there are additional fees. This is why you should find out what your hosting plan includes and what features you are going to need. Select a plan that includes all the features you need at a price that is reasonable.

Web Hosting

Overall, web hosting gives people an opportunity where they can make their own webpage and provide their content on a server that somebody else runs. After reading these tips, you should start looking at different web hosting services and choose the best one possible.