Free Web Hosting

Web Hosting Service Features

Our goal, as stated elsewhere on our several sites, is to level the playing field for everyone and we mean everyone. Like anything else Getting Started is the most difficult step when considering marketing on the internet. We will let you take a look before you leap and it will flat out not cost you a dime to have your own domain name and starter web site. When you are ready we will introduce you to the best paid services available. While you are getting ready we will introduce you to Free and Paid services and products that you may need along the way. The rules, attached strings and fine print will be clearly stated at every step of the growing process.

Ready to Get Started on the Internet -
Get your 100% Free Web Site and Domain Name here

A number of businesses offer Web hosting services — that is, space on their Web server for your Web site. Most of these organizations charge for this service, and fees vary. You should look at a number of concerns when choosing a Web hosting provider for your Web pages.

Focusing only on price when you compare Web hosting service providers is understandable. But you should look at many other factors that may actually be more important than the immediate cost:

• Pricing structure: Instead of focusing only on the charges for your initial, bare-bones site, consider also what providers charge you when your site grows larger and attracts more visitors. Some hosting providers charge a very low rate for your initial site but fees become higher than the market average when your needs grow
• Support: Excellent technical support for your Web publishing effort can be one of the most difficult services to get. It is the most important aspect of hosting. You need support for putting your pages onto the server, for answering questions about your site, and for solving problems. Find out about the support providers offer for each type of Web hosting option that interests you
• Web-related consulting services: Web hosting providers also offer other Web-related services that they charge for, such as hosting business sites or managing your site for you
• Domain name: The domain name is the name of the server where your site resides, but providers today can put multiple domain names on a single computer. This means that you can have your own domain name, even if you have a small site, as long as your Web hosting provider registers the name. Registering a domain name costs service providers anywhere from about $10 to about $30 per year

Some Web hosting providers offer to register a domain name for you, but then retain ownership of the domain name themselves. Not owning your domain name free and clear can severely hamper your ability to move your site later.

When you consider a Web hosting provider, consider in your evaluation the following factors:

• Speed: How fast can users access your Web site? How fast can users download files hosted on the site? You can ask, but you should also test. Try accessing some Web sites hosted by any service that you're considering and see how fast they are, especially at busy times of the day. Compare what you find to other Web sites
• Downtime: Is the Web hosting service that you're considering ever "off the air"? You may think that downtime is rare, but even entire online services such as America Online have downtimes. Find out the track record for downtime of the Web hosting service that you're considering and compare that service's record with competitors
• Switchability: Having the ability to switch Web hosting providers is crucial. With the right to switch, you can resolve any other problems. Without the right to switch, you may be unhappy with some key element of your Web site for a long time. Two things can keep you locked into an arrangement with a provider: contractual provisions and control of your domain name
• Viability: Many Internet-related businesses have gone out of business. Make sure that you choose a provider that has a track record
• Reporting: You really, really want your provider to offer basic reporting features, such as the number of visitors your site has each day
• Data transfer fees: Another potential gotcha involves data transfer fees. When users look at a page on your site, all the data on that page is transferred to their machines. If users download files, more data is transferred. Many Web hosting services offer some free data transfer, but your costs can rise sharply if traffic at your site increases and data transfer rises above a minimal amount. Compare data-transfer pricing carefully
• Price: If all other things are equal, price is the determining factor. In todays market most things are equal but not always

The key factors in choosing a Web hosting provider are the freedom to switch when you need to and having control of your domain name.

Ready to Get Started on the Internet -
Get your 100% Free Web Site and Domain Name here