How to Choose a Web Hosting Service: 9 Criteria

In reality there are no "perfect" web hosting companies. However you can most definitely find one that is suited to your needs. Below I will outline 9 sets of criteria that can help you decide how to choose a web hosting service.

1: Reliability

Your web host should be reliable and fast. Look for a service that guarantees an uptime of 99% or higher, 99.5% is preferable.

2: Disk Space

You will usually need less than 5MB of web space, so avoid offers that claim "unlimited space". This is usually retracted in the fine print, and you end up paying more when you could have gotten by with less.

3: Technical Support

When you are decided how to choose a web hosting service technical and customer support should be at the top of your list. Only choose a provider that offers 24 hours a day 365 days a year technical support and customer service. This is important as things can go wrong at the most inconvenient times (holidays, weekends, etc.).

4: Data Transfer

You should stay away from companies that advertise "unlimited" data transfer. This is usually not the case, and you end up paying for it unexpectedly. Always looks for details on how much traffic the package allows.

5: Provides Emails & Autoresponders

Get a host that provides email addresses with the package. It's more professional, if you have your own site, to have email addresses at your own domain. You should also be able to set an email address to reply automatically to the sender with a predetermined message.

6: Provides SSL & MySQL

If you are decided on how to choose a web hosting service then you should know if you plan on doing any sort of business through your website, you should look out to see if the host provides these services. These usually require a higher priced package, but are worth the extra money. You will definitely need SSL (secure server) if you plan to collect credit card information from people on your site.

7: Provides Web Hosting & Domain Registration

It is more convenient if you find a web hosting service that also provides domain registration.

8: Offers Multiple Payment Plans

It is convenient to have a web hosting service that allows you to pay month by month or yearly. Even though the yearly payment plans are often at a discounted rate, it is wise to pay monthly until you are absolutely satisfied with the services provided. This way you can avoid wasting money if you decide that particular web hosting service isn't for you.

9: It is recommended by your peers

Ask your friends or business partner which services they use and which to stay away from. People usually like to give advice or tell you about a company that has wronged them. This has saved me from several web hosting disasters in the past.

When you are deciding how to choose a web hosting service determine whether the web hosting service fulfills the above criteria. If it does then you are on your way to finding a host that will fulfill your needs