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The Host with the Most - The Top 10 Considerations when Selecting a Web Host
(If you want to see our number 1 and number 2 recommended hosts click here)
Type “Web hosting” into Google’s search engine and the response can be overwhelming. There are seemingly as many Web hosting companies as there are e-businesses. You might experience the fear that once you type your credit card information in and click “submit,” you’ll be stuck with a poorly performing website that offers a complicated graphical user interface (GUI) and virtually no customer support. This article will attempt to provide you with some relief and some strategies to use in selecting and getting the most from your Web host.
Know your host. Get as much information as possible about the web hosting company itself and examine the other services it offers. It is absolutely vital to understand the needs of your Website and match those needs with the provider that caters to them. Knowing your needs such as space, traffic monitoring, and bundled services up front can help narrow down the list of potential Web host providers.
The following are 10 key features to look for when selecting a Web host for Unix/Linux hosting:
1) An Easy to Use Control Panel: The control panel is where you manage your hosting account. It is a browser-based application that provides the ability to control many aspects of a web account including, but not limited to: creating and managing domains and sub domains, managing databases, setting up shopping carts, and other aspects of managing a website. Most hosting companies provide a sample of their control panel in their sales and marketing information online. Depending on your level of comfort and experience in using web services, you will want to ensure that the control panel offers ease of use, is clear in its function, and offers stability and support.
2) POP3 email accounts and aliases: POP3 is an electronic mail protocol used to retrieve messages stored on an Internet/intranet email server. Whenever a client wants to check for messages, it connects to its particular Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) email server and uses POP3 to log in to it’s mailbox and download its messages. yourname@yourdomain.com is an example of a POP3 email account.
3) FTP Accounts and Virtual FTP: FTP stands for file transfer protocol. This is where you upload your files, delete them, and update them. This may also be a function of the control panel, which is often easier for a less experienced webmaster to navigate. It is helpful to be able to create FTP sub-accounts to provide your clients or users with password protected directories. This comes in handy if your clients or users need to use FTP to upload or download files from particular password-protected folders on your Website.
4) Backup: Any host worth its salt schedules automated backups. This feature is essential in a web hosting agreement.
5) Web statistics: Web stats provide an analysis of your site visitors and play an important role in the success of your website. If you have a website and you aren’t monitoring your statistics or traffic, then you are wandering blindfolded through cyberspace. A good Web statistics engine will show unique visitors, traffic, entry and exit pages, length and depth of each visit, IP addresses of site visitors including locations, and other types of data. One of my friends learned from analyzing Web statistics that many people in Germany were interested in his products. His company now has a European sales force and he has doubled his profits in two years.
Many web stats will also show keywords entered by the user into search engines that enabled them to find your site. Over time, this analysis can help you determine if your keywords and content are bringing the visitors you want to your site. It can also show which keywords and particular content are not drawing visitors, offering a knowledgeable basis on which to make future Web marketing changes. And if those paid Web directories are not generating any traffic, you can save money by discontinuing your subscriptions to poorly-performing services.
6) PHP & MySQL Support: PHP is a scripting language that is especially well-suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. PHP is mainly focused on server-side scripting, so you can do anything any other CGI program can do, such as collect form data, generate dynamic page content, or send and receive cookies. MySQL is fast and flexible enough to allow you to store logs and pictures in it. Its main goals re speed, robustness, and ease of use. All of the Linux plans support PHP and MySQL. Make sure you get this free of charge when you buy the hosting plan.
7) Webmail & SMTP: It is extremely useful to have a web-based e-mail program available. Most web hosting companies provide Webmail access to their customers. Often it comes with an address book, rich text editor, spelling checker, and all of the common features of any e-mail programs. Email becomes an integral part of your life once you launch your website. Make absolutely sure that that the host provides you with access to Webmail to check your mail through a web-based interface. Configuring your e-mail client (the email application on your computer) should be made simple and there should be step by step instructions for all common configurations such as Outlook, Outlook Express, or Eudora. Only if SMTP or IMAP support is enabled can you use this option.
8) SPAM Filter: SPAM filters are more important for novice webmasters who plan to use Webmail. No e-mail user is free from a spam attack. It is the e-mail equivalent of junk mail. It is one of the biggest problems in electronic communication today. You should have spam filters installed on the server where your Website resides to cut down on this time waster that could have even more serious consequences in the form of malicious content. Most webhosts offer this but if yours doesn’t then you may be able to use a spam protection program which runs on your computer. A favourite of mine is SpamBayes which integrates straight into Outlook.
9) HTTPS (SSL) access to your hosting account: SSL is used for secure communication between the user browser and the server. The information is encrypted and secure. SSL is usually used for ecommerce sites and sites that require submission of other sensitive information such as user names and passwords. Having an SSL on your site allows you to use the shared SSL certificate provided by your hosting company. The other option is to purchase an SSL certificate for your site and ask your host to install it.
10) Security: You will need shell (telnet or SSH) access to your account. SSH is used for secure access to your account. SSH is usually offered on Unix hosting plans. You can zip, unzip files, change permissions of files, or run certain programs on the server. The host should also offer subdomains for creating subsections to your website without having to use directories in URLs. Other software that should be present and secure relates to shopping cart features. A shopping cart is a piece of software that acts as an online store’s catalog and ordering process.
These are the most common features of a web hosting plan. Do some research before making a choice. If you want a great place to get started, have a look at who we recommend as excellent reliable hosts here.
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Read Review | Visit IX Web Hosting
Read Review | Visit Host Gator
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Selecting The Right Web Host