It can be tough to choose from the thousands of hosting companies. Which ones will be reliable, which ones are to be avoided? I hope I can give you some tips to help you to find a web hosting company worthy of your business, a safe platform for your site.<\/p>\n
Assess your own needs, to decide what sort of host you need. If you’re just hosting a hobby site or sharing photos and vacation stores with friends, then a low cost or even free host may suffice. If you need a host for your business or organization’s site, then you need a truly professional host. I’m going to focus my comments on those of us who need a professional host. While there’s no single characteristic of a good host, here are some of the things that I look for:<\/p>\n
Active forum<\/strong> Good help\/support department<\/strong> Good control panel <\/strong> A widely used control panel is advantageous, as it means that you can find help and tips from many sources, not just at your own host’s help desk or forum. WebHostingBuzz uses cPanel\/WebHostManager, one of the most popular control panels.<\/p>\n Range of hosting plans<\/strong>
\nI prefer a host that runs a discussion forum with participation from both staff and clients. Such forums can be a valuable source of ideas, tips and support from fellow clients. I’ve often found great ideas from other clients, and I’ve given help to clients. It’s also important to me that the hosting company’s staff participate in the forums.<\/p>\n
\nAlmost all of us will need help at some point. I want 24 hours\/day, seven days\/week support availability. A decent ticketing system is important, that tracks each help request with a unique number so that replies and follow-ups are all tied to that ticket. If you think you might use telephone support, choose a host that offers it. Some have toll-free numbers, though this will not be possible from all points in the world. If applicable, test the phone support response by calling the number.<\/p>\n
\nWikipedia calls a web hosting control panel: “a web-based interface provided by the hosting company that allows customers to manage their various hosted services in a single place.”
\nWhile it’s possible to manage a web hosting plan without a GUI control panel, it’s easier with one than without one. It allows many functions to be done easily and quickly via a web page, rather than using specialized commands or contacting support.<\/p>\n
\nA host with various plans and types of hosting enables you to easily upgrade as your needs grow. It’s much easier to upgrade to a new plan with your existing host than to move to a new hosting company.<\/p>\n