What is a Web Host

Web Hosting is the storage of your website or home page on the internet so that others can see it and interact with it. It is important to find a high quality, dependable Web Host that can publish your website and provide you with an easy to use interface (i.e. connection) with their server.

1) Be sure that they provide 24/7 support. You should be able to contact them anytime day or night.

2) Don't sign-up for more than you need. Start with the cheapest plan and work your way up if necessary.

3) Do not transfer your domain name registration to them. It belongs to you.

Free vs Private Web Hosting

Free Web Hosting

There are two ways to host a website. You can use a free web hosting company or a private one that charges a fee. The difference is that a free web host will require you to have some form of advertising on your site, such as a banner or pop-up window over which you have little or no control. The free services also limit the amount of memory space available to you as well as impose many restrictions as to file sizes, types, etc.. For a business site this can pose problems but a personal site might use this service quite well.

There are many internet companies that offer free website hosting. Not only do they offer free website hosting but they also provide site templates and help in developing your website.

Be careful in your selection of a free hosting provider. Each has their own way of doing things. Some will plaster ads all over your site which can be a great distraction to your visitors. Also, the tools they provide for your site maintenance may not be user friendly. These are some of the things you need to check out before you sign-up.

Private Web Hosting

Sometimes free web hosting doesn't provide the control needed to present a unique website. Private hosting gives you total control over your website. Your site will be free of distracting ads like the free web hosts place on your site and the content of your website is completely under your control.

Private hosting services charge a fee for their services but afford a greater range of freedom for the webmaster. The amount of storage space and website support is limited only by your pocketbook. However, these services vary widely in the fees that they charge and the quality of their services. You need to do some shopping around if you a looking for the best value.

Gene DeFazzio is the webmaster and author of the Rocketface(R) Workshop. (http://www.rocketface.com/)