In today’s world, every business and professional needs a web presence on the Internet. This is true, even if most of a company’s products and services are sold through the traditional brick and mortar system. The reality is that every growing business relies upon the Internet, at the very least, for advertising, dissemination, and informational purposes.

Web hosting companies were born out of the great need to provide an environment in which the masses, including individuals and businesses, could have a web presence developed and housed without great cost. The web host is an extremely important part of any online plan, whether for a business owner, group or individual. Below is a checklist of some of the more important items to consider when selecting a web hosting company for services to manage the web presence:

1. Customer Service. The number one concern of all potential customers is usually the level of service that any company provides. Most web hosts offer 24-hour support. It is always a good idea to take a look at the quality of the web host’s online documentation. There should also be multiple ways to contact them, including live chat, ticket, email and phone support. Test out the customer support by sending an email question and noting how long it takes to receive a response. This should provide an indication of how available the company actually is to its customers.

2. Domain Name. Some web hosting companies include domain name registration in its services, but it is important to compare prices and learn how to register a domain name, in any case. This is the only way that you will be in control of the domain name, which is particularly important if you ever find the need to choose a new web host again.

Another consideration is how many domains can be hosted per account, so that if you plan to expand the business, it will be possible for other domain names to go to the same site. Therefore, find out if there are extra charges for hosting other domain names. If you plan on hosting several sites to determine which will be successful, it may be possible to get a volume discount or reseller package.

3. Website Building. Determine whether you will be creating the website using software provided by the web hosting company, or hiring someone to build the website. If there is a third party involved, ensure that all of the issues mentioned here, in addition to business-specific considerations, are attended to. Unless you have a certain level of technical experience and are comfortable, it may be a good idea to consult with a professional web designer. Many times web hosts also offer web design services to consider.

4. Technical Specifications. Below are some technical aspects of the web hosting service that should be evaluated.

a). Uptime Guarantee. The more professionally run web hosts offer a 99%, 99.5%, and 99.9% uptime guarantee. If this information is not directly specified on the web host’s site, it is usually not a good indication. It is also important to review the web hosting agreement, to determine exactly what is meant by the uptime that is guaranteed. Some web hosts may also offer a pro-rated payment situation. The uptime guarantee is the first insight into a web host’s technical acumen.

b). Server Performance and Reliability. Reliable equipment is an absolute must for any web site to function as it should. Therefore, it is necessary to check into the server reliability and speed. There are some free tool evaluators available, such as NetMechanic.com, which will measure the speed of access for the network, DNS lookup, connect time, download time, and absence of timeouts. The “download time” statistic is the most important item to compare. As a guide, list the entire candidate web hosting services that are being considered, and do a comparison to evaluate the tests. Ensure that a sampling of peak, as well as non-peak times is included in the evaluation.

c). Disk Space. The amount of space a web host offers should consist of what it will take to house the web pages and files that make up the intended web site, on the host’s server. It is necessary to determine just how much space is required for the type of web site being planned, including room for expansion. Planning ahead will always save money later. If a great deal of growth is expected, consider sites that offer 100 MB or more. “Unlimited” hosting space is not truly unlimited, but does provide much more space than is usually required. The host agreement should indicate the actual space size.

d). Bandwidth. The amount of data that is transferred from the web host’s server to a computer while it is being viewed is measured in bytes. As it is with disk space, most web hosting companies offer more than enough transfer bandwidth per month, usually measured in “GB” (gigabytes), with some offering unlimited. Ensure that you understand the amount of bandwidth that the website will need to function properly, as well as for expansion. For cost considerations, there are often hefty charges if the bandwidth limit is exceeded. The issue of bandwidth can be particularly important if the site will be running many downloads, or lots of photo images.

Bandwidth and traffic allowance are related. Compare the traffic allowances offered, to what the needs may be. Some web hosting services provide a small limit on the amount of material that may be downloaded from the web site each month, and can charge large amounts when the limit is exceeded. Some companies offer huge traffic allowances (several thousand MB/month, where 1,000 MB = 1 GB) for the same price as others that impose a few hundred MB/month limit. Ensure that there will be adequate traffic allowance available, by planning ahead for growth.

e). Power Supply. Most Internet hosting companies use some combination of equipment and software to ensure that the servers are up and working. It is best to ensure that the server is hooked up to a UPS (uninterrupted Power Supply). The UPS is a large battery and power conditioning unit that provides the server with enough power for safe shutdown or when the power returns. In addition, most hosting companies have software and equipment that monitors the servers and restarts them if necessary. Another issue to consider is how the company handles server failure, and if it has a manual restart option.

f). Backup. Check into how often the files are backed up (which should be every night). In any case, it is also recommended that you keep an up to date copy of the web site on your computer, as a precautionary measure.

g). Email. Basics generally include: POP3, SMTP, unlimited email accounts, forwarding, auto responders, web mail, mailing list, spam protection, and a catch-all address. Typically, most hosts allow you to easily manage the email through the control panel.

h). Control Panel. The interface where all of the parts of the web site are controlled is the control panel – also known as the dashboard on the web host’s web site. There are many different types of quality control panels available such as CPanel, Plesk, and Helm (for Windows). Ensure that the web host has a user friendly control panel, so that with a little trial and error, you or whomever you designate, will easily be able to manage it. Try to select a plan that allows a preview of the control panel before you buy, or ensure that there is a 30 day money back guarantee, to handle any issues.

i). Scripts Access. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the most common way that files are uploaded to the web host server. Unlimited and unrestricted FTP access to a web site is essential. Therefore, it is necessary to have an FTP program to transfer files.

Many new scripts and programs require PHP support and it is almost a standard feature. Other programming support that could be necessary to run certain programs / scripts for the website includes Perl and Java support. With the Apache server, the .htaccess file can be used to control the error pages and allow for web site protection. These are all things that you or your programmer should be able to access.

Some programs require a database to run, and there are web hosts that may charge extra for this and other scripts. Therefore, it is important to be aware of which scripts apply to your particular web site needs.

j). Shopping Cart System. Any consumer based business web site that sells product online will require a checkout system, so be certain that the web host offers shopping cart software. If e-commerce is the purpose of the web site, avoid hosting packages that do not allow adding order forms, statistics, or multiple e-mail accounts to the website. These are necessary tools for any webmaster running an online business.

k). Other Application Requirements. Either you or your programmer will need to go over any specific and particular application requirements that may need to be setup (such as Online Merchant or other online store applications). It is important that the web host features support whatever application you are presently or that you may be considering running. This is absolutely essential in order to ensure that a great deal of time with configuration tasks will not be spent.

l). Secure Socket Layer (SSL). Any website that will be accepting credit card orders needs Secure Socket Layer (SSL) support included in the plan. A merchant account requires that you use an SSL conection. It is also possible to use a third party credit card processor if need be, such as Paypal.

m). Statistics Program. Hosting companies usually provide the raw logs for the account or some sort of online statistics application. Logs should contain information from search engines on the words and phrases used, how long the visitor stayed at the site, entry page, number of page visits, broken links and errors, and exit page.

n). Other Features. Consider what other features may be needed to implement your website such as the ability to use Microsoft’s FrontPage, auto responders for email processing or email aliases (automatic forwarding) to allow for email receipt in more than one place.

5. Cost Considerations and Billing. Costs are always a consideration for all businesses, however, it is never a good idea to choose the cheapest service simply because it is a lower cost. The cliché, ‘you get what you pay for’ really does apply, especially with web hosting companies. Excellent technical services and support cost money to maintain, so it should be expected that any company will include them in its budget in order to run properly. To do anything less endangers the success of the company. It is important to consider the best value for the money, along with the highest quality of service available.

Many web hosting companies offer advantageous specials. It is always a good idea to investigate any hidden costs when comparing overall price. Ensure that you know what the billing policies are and whom to contact to discuss any issues that may arise.

6. Guarantee. Choose a hosting service that offers a guarantee. This demonstrates that the web host has enough confidence to provide professional and technically sound services, which make it more likely that you will be a satisfied customer.

Thoroughly go over all of the above items, and add any others that may surface either through your own awareness of business-specific issues, or that of a technical consultant. Do some research to see how similar businesses or endeavors to yours are being handled on the Internet, and add those particulars to the list. Once the list is finalized, you can then set about researching the best web hosting companies to suit your particular needs.

It is key to choose a web host that has sufficient technical specifications at hand for growth. Paying attention to all of the above factors will lessen the chance of disappointment in the future. The bottom line is that choosing an excellent service to host a web site does not have to be overwhelming if these important considerations are all taken into account.

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