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Web hosts are companies that rent space on a server they own as well as providing internet connectivity. With so many choices shopping for a web hosting provider can be difficult. There are many different types of web hosting packages and pricing structures. Here are some things you should look for when shopping.

Disk Space and Data Transfer Bandwidth

The first consideration you need to look at is disk space and data transfer bandwidth included in the plan. A smaller site only requires a few megabytes of disk space; however, the data transfer needed is based on the number of web pages multiplied by the number of visitors. A popular site with a lot of graphics will need greater bandwidth transfer than just a text site. It is difficult to recommend a specific minimum amount of bandwidth, since it depends on how you design your site and the number of visitors you're able to attract to your site. In general, look for a host that provides you with at least two gigabytes of data transfer per month for a high traffic site. If you don’t need this much but you expect your site to grow look at a hosting provider that give you the option to increase your hosting package options as you grow your business.

Reliability

Next thing to consider is the reliability and speed your provider has. Uptime is critical for any online business. Most companies’ claim 99% of up time but down time does occur. If your site is down frequently it will lose visitors. Likewise slow loading sites can cause visitors to look elsewhere. Ask your host for a list of companies you can contact yourself and get some feedback from them.

Technical Support

Excellent technical support is a must when selecting a hosting company. You want a host that provides support 24/7 and doesn’t charge extra for this service. Make sure they also have technical support on public holidays. If they don’t reply with 24-48 hours you need to look elsewhere.

Backup Services

Make sure your host offers unlimited daily backups or recovery services? This is important to protect your site from hackers, loss or breakdown.

Web hosting Services

Make sure that your hosting provider offers a variety of services including FTP access. FTP access is necessary for uploading files from your computer to your server. Other features you may require are shopping cart functions, spam protection, e-mail forwarding, multiple domain hosting and web statistics among others. Check out the various packages offered by the hosting provider and what services are offered with each plan. Make sure your host offers a control panel as well. You will not want to go through technical support each time you need to need to change a password or add an e-mail account. A control panel allows you to manage certain aspects of your account yourself.

Pricing

When looking for a web host provider don’t let price be the only factor in your decision making. Quality is extremely important for e-commerce and other online businesses. That doesn’t mean you need you need the most expensive plan either. Remember that a good hosting company won’t expect a long term contract.

The following hosting sites are good places to start. I have been using HostGator for some time and have been happy with them.