Domain Name – many web site hosting services allow you to register a domain name through them whilst signing up to a hosting package (on occasion a name can be included free in your package but will most likely use a lesser known extension). Although this is the easiest way to get started, it will probably not be the cheapest. You should study a few domain name registration sites as costs do vary even for top level domains such as .com. You can resolve the DNS later by linking the domain name to your web site hosting services nameservers.

 

Hosting Service – you will have to sign-up with one of the many web site hosting services. Through this service you will acquire space on a server with a fast internet link where you will be able to host your site.

 

You will access your web site hosting service using a control panel the functions of which will include, creating ftp accounts to gain access to your server and upload files, creating and managing email addresses on your domain, managing databases, running backups and reviewing web site data.

 

There are a great many businesses selling web site hosting services and it is not simple to select the best service for you. You might think that web site hosting reviews could assist but sadly, whilst these sites are plentiful, many are not as independent as they appear. It is, however, worthwhile taking a look at independent forums like hostjury.com and webhostingtalk.com.

 

When selecting from web site hosting services your aim should be to find the service that meets your requirements at the cheapest price. It would be a mistake to just buy the most inexpensive service, then again there is no point in going for an expensive service that offers more than you want. The key issues to consider are:

 

Page Loading – It is important that your web pages load rapidly or else people will get frustrated and move on to another site.

 

Site Availability – Hunt for web site hosting services which offer an availability guarantee of at least 99.9%, any downtime is damaging as your web site will simply not be online and you will miss site visitors – maybe permanently.

 

Technical Help & Support – If you have urgent problems you want immediate assistance. You should consequently look for web site hosting services with support accessible 24/7/365 by telephone. Email only support is not good enough.

 

Disk space and bandwidth ought to not be an concern if you are just opening your site but do not be influenced by offers of an "unlimited" amount of these resources, as this is meaningless. Basic hosting is on a "shared" basis which means that many customers use the same server and bandwidth. This is okay as a starting point but in case you need to upgrade later you should choose from web site hosting services which also offer virtual private server hosting and dedicated website hosting. If you plan on selling from your web site you will need to consider the additional features of eCommerce web site hosting.