Take the Guesswork Out of Hosting Your Domain
Website hosting has, for the most part, been simplified for the masses. That’s a good thing because with so many people eagerly registering domain names for personal or business use, finding a great hosting company is easier than ever.
While there are still some areas of website hosting that downright mystify many people, the most important aspects of configuration are simplified thanks to detailed instructions provided by most hosting companies.
Domain Names
Before your website becomes live on the Internet, hosting of your website requires that you first register your domain name. This is that memorable and keyword friendly name that everyone will enter into their browser’s address bar to find your website.
If your domain is for a business website, an appropriate domain name that relates well to your actual business is essential. The reason is when someone searches for your website, a domain name that doubles as a keyword will help in getting your domain listed in the search engines and help your placement within their results pages.
On the other hand, if your domain is for personal use, then a personally unique domain that identifies you is a great way to start. For example, complete names like “yourname.com” are becoming more common. Or, “yname.com” or even “onlyname.com” are good choices, assuming they’re available.
Web Hosting
Typically, when a domain name is registered, the option to setup domain hosting is also available from the same company. There are many choices for hosting your website, it can range from very simple one page websites, all the way to business enterprise websites with unlimited bandwidth, unlimited websites, thousands of email addresses, free FTP accounts, and the list goes on. As the list grows, so does the cost.
Thankfully though, even the most expensive options are less expensive than only a few years ago, all thanks to competition.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the amount of capacity in terms of gigabytes that your site is allowed to transfer. Only the least expensive plans will limit the bandwidth, forcing you to purchase a more expensive plan as your website becomes more active.
Server Space
Server space is the amount of server hard drive space your website is allowed to use. Again, only the least expensive plans will limit this amount. However, for a simple website 100GB is more than enough, which is a typical amount provided in a basic plan.
Databases
Each website has its own database that contains all of the information for that particular website. The lower cost hosting plans usually limit the size and number of databases, while the more expensive plans offer unlimited space and number.
Backups
One very important aspect of owning a website is to keep it up to date and safe for your visitors. If your website is hacked, or damaged from a virus or malware, having a current backup ready to go is crucial to your site’s existence.
It is a good idea to check with your hosting provider to confirm that all of files contained within the website are backed up at least daily.
Additional Websites
A great feature with website hosting plans is the ability to host an unlimited number of websites, as long as the server space and bandwidth stay within the prescribed limits.
Choosing an unlimited plan will ensure that all of the websites will have sufficient space and bandwidth to operate correctly. Having this feature is very handy, but certain steps are involved to correctly establish each website on the Internet.
Email Accounts
Most web hosting providers offer a certain number of email accounts that are associated with your domain. These are extremely useful for business sites as well as personal accounts. Many providers offer hundreds, thousands, or even unlimited email accounts.
The information above is intended to take some of the confusion out of the decision making process when the time comes to decide on the features of a quality website hosting provider.
The information provided regarding: “Website Hosting Demystified” should lead you in the right direction and ensure that your website’s functionality and safety will not be a concern.