When you arrive at a restaurant, the first person you see is the host. They are the ones who will bring you to the table that you reserved and they will get you settled. If there is no host, then you don’t get seated or you end up sitting outside or at the bar where there’s no food. With website hosting, it’s sort of the same process. If you don’t have a web host, you won’t get seated on the Internet. You will simply have a website that no one will ever find. And if you have a crappy web host, then you might get a seat, but it’s going to be far in the back where no one can see you and even your friends won’t come back to find you.
The Hosts Out There
There are a number of web host out there, all vying to seat you at their tables. And while they all promise you the best seats in the house, the hosts are not created the same. Some are just trying to take your money, not caring whether your website does well. Others are trying to make sure that you get seen and that every website on their servers has the same chance on the big, bad Internet. When you are looking at hosts, it’s a good idea to create a list of at least ten hosts that are possibilities for you to use. This will allow you to find the best possible host for your needs, while still keeping other needs in mind – i.e. budget, limits, dedicated vs. shared hosting.
Pick the Right Host
Yes, there are different web hosts available. And while they are going to help you with putting your website online, they are not all the same. First things first, check to see if the web host is a dedicated or a shared host.. A dedicated host is someone who will wait around to make sure you get the best possible seat in the house. You will get a dedicated server that only handles your website traffic – no one else’s. A shared server does exactly what it sounds like it will do – it will cause you to share your server with another website (or ten). Yes, the shared server is cheaper, but if your website isn’t accessible because another site on the server has a traffic jump, that money you saved isn’t worth it.
Is Free Hosting Worth It?
No. Well, some free hosting is worthwhile and it will help you to see just how effective your site is online. When you realize that you need more services from your web host, then you can upgrade your account. Free often means cheap, even if it seems to be a great deal and the site is touting just how great they are. They probably aren’t.
Web hosts are going to get you onto the Internet, but that doesn’t mean you should choose any one. You need to be seen online – and the right host makes all the difference. Especially when you slip them a $50.