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2. Options. This is crucial. First,
you must have access to a secure server. Even if you don't need
it now, you will at some point and you can avoid the headaches
of trying to switch plans or adding a secure server. You should
also have access to a cgi-bin and be able to put powerful scripts
on your site. Something to look out for is companies that restrict
the amount of traffic your site can receive every month. At the
beginning 2 GB of data transfer a month sounds like a lot. And
it is plenty for a while. But when you start offering a bunch
of e-book downloads of other software and your traffic is decent,
your are going to fly over your limit causing extra charges. Your
site could even get shut down.
3. Customer Service. When you have
a problem with your website (And you will) you need that problem
fixed NOW, now a week from now. The best way to figure out if
a company really provides good customer support is to find an
e-mail address on their website (if there isn't one don't even
think of hosting with them) and send them a note asking a few
simple questions. If you get a real answer within 24 hours you
can expect solid customer support as technical requests usually
are high on the priority list. I have e-mailed companies that
responded after two weeks! You can be sure that I did not host
with them.
4. Traffic. What? I thought this
was an article about domain hosting, not about getting traffic?
Hosting companies don't give you traffic, right? Most don't, but
if you look hard enough there is a company (I only know of one)
that provides TRAFFIC when you host with them! Now in the extreme
competitiveness of the domain hosting arena, this is what was
the determining factor in my decision for a hosting company. Listen,
when you are starting out with a site online you need traffic!
You need a lot of it! It is very difficult for the average website
owner to get significant traffic to their site during the beginning
months. You want to know how much traffic you get? I'm talking
about 2,000 to 8,000 real live people visiting your site. That
is how much I have received, and it is still coming in 5 months
later! This is the most important part of a hosting company. If
you are starting out, do yourself a favor and get traffic with
your hosting.
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