By Leva Duell
Many people don”t realize they need a hosting company to put up their web site on the Internet. Every web address must reside on a server to be accessible on the Internet. When Internet users enter your web address into their browser, the host directs them to your web site.
A server is a computer that is connected to the Internet and uses specialized software to make web pages available on the Internet at fast speed. Getting your own server and maintaining it is expensive and requires specialized skill. That’’s why small businesses usually rent space on a hosting company’’s server to store their web pages.
Below are the answers to questions I”m often asked about hosting.
Can I use my own computer as a server?
Yes, you can, but you probably don”t want to do that or don”t know how to do it. When you turn off your computer, nobody can access your web pages. Hosting companies use much higher speed internet connections, allowing your web pages to be viewed at a much faster speed than your telephone line.
Can I get free hosting?
Free hosting has many limitations and often provides only limited space for personal use. A major disadvantage of free hosting is that you will have a long address which starts with the provider’’s name instead of your domain name. In addition, most free hosting companies place advertising on your web pages that detracts from your message and slows down your pages.
Hosting fees range from $4-$100/month and up, depending on the space and features you need. The average fee for hosting for a basic small business web site is $7-$25/month. You may have to pay extra for a shopping cart, sequential autoresponders and other features.
If you want free hosting, do a Google search for “free hosting.”
To convey a professional image, you must pay for hosting and get your own domain name.
Hosting for a basic business web site shouldn”t cost more than $20 per month. You could pay higher fees if you need more features but don”t pay for features you don”t need.
How do you select a hosting company?
Select a hosting company based on their service and support, the reliability of the company, the speed and quality of their servers, cost, the web space and bandwidth they provide, and the availability of features such as pop email accounts, statistics, and autoreponders.
The easiest way to select a hosting company is by referral. Your web designer can recommend a hosting company and upload your web pages to the server. If you design your own web pages, you will need an FTP program such as WS_FTP to upload your pages.
About The Author
Leva Duell provides web design built on proven marketing strategies. Visit http://www.fivestarwebdesign.com/ebook.html and get a FREE ebook, Inside Secrets to Developing a Profitable Web Site, providing powerful, non-techie web design and marketing strategies to increase your online profits.
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