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Webpage Hosting - Essential Features

In the selection of a host, many site owners will focus too much on the flashing advertisements shouting about "500 MB of Disk Space!!!" or "Unlimited Email!!!" and "No Setup Fee For A Limited Time Only!!!" By striving to find a good deal and save money, consumers can easily overlook some of the most important qualities of a host. We've listed a few of the key features you should keep in mind while shopping for your hosting account.

The Most Important Things To Look For In A Hosting Provider

Reliable Uptime - This is by far the most important thing to remember when comparing hosts. Your web site will only be as effective as it is accessible. Just think about the consequences of your site being down, even for a short time. Personal site owners will be left frustrated while business site owners could lose money. A downed web site means diminished traffic, irate customers, and a tarnished reputation. Look for the provider's uptime guarantee and make sure it is 99% or above.
Sufficient Bandwidth - Bandwidth is one of the most important features because this is where site owners tend to run up their hosting fees. If you choose an account that doesn't have enough bandwidth, you can end up paying quite a bit of money each month for exceeding your bandwidth usage. Its hard to judge how much bandwidth a site will use, since it depends on the size of your files, how many visitors you get each month, and how many pages they view. Sound and video files really eat up bandwidth, as well. If you're expecting a lot of traffic, you'll want to pick a hosting account that gives you the most bandwidth for your money.
Money-Back Guarantee - You would expect every provider should have this, right? You might be surprised how many of them do not. Before you purchase an account, read over the company's guarantee policy or Service Level Agreement (SLA) to make sure you understand the conditions and timeframe of the guarantee. Also, look to see if any setup fees are included in the refund. A money-back guarantee provides you with a measure of insurance, and suggests that a web hosting company is confident in its ability to satisfy its customers.
24-hour Customer Support - When you see the words "24/7 Support" listed on a hosting account, you may want to read a bit further. See if its email only, or both phone and email. Many times it will just be email. If the host does have 24/7 phone support, check to see if its a toll-free line or if you will be paying for any calls. If a web host does not have its support personnel available to you at all hours, you might find yourself waiting until 8 or 9 AM the next business day before you can have a problem resolved.
The Exact Special Features That You Need - Not every web site needs the same features. Make sure the account you are buying has the special features that you specifically need. For example, we won't host our sites with a host that doesn't provide us with Server Side Includes. We must have them! Make a checklist of the features you know that you need or want for your web site, such as PHP support, databases or shared SSL. Its not enough to choose a reliable hosting account with a lot of bandwidth if it doesn't have the extra features you require.

So, go ahead and click on the colorful ads about free months and special offers, but please keep in mind these essential hosting features before you type in that credit card number.