A Web Hosting Plan for the Individual

As an individual who is only using a Website for personal purposes, you will likely have very small requirements for the type of hosting plan you purchase. The top 5 things to keep in mind when looking for a hosting plan are:

- First, you will be fine with a shared server plan. There should be no need for you to purchase dedicated hosting.

- You may be able to find a good shared server hosting plan, with a good amount of space and bandwidth, for as little as $4 per month.

- If you do not know how to build your own Website using a program like Microsoft FrontPage, and you do not have Website builder software on your computer, then you are going to need to make sure that your hosting plan comes with a Website builder.

- You will likely not need a plan that hosts more than one domain name.

- You will see hosting plans with options such as an SSL certificate, Web analytics, and other things that are usually intended for those running a business online. These are things that you will have no use for.



The most important thing for you to remember is not to overpay for space or extras that you will never use. Even if you can find a “better” hosting plan, it is not worth it if you won't take full advantage of it.

Features of Professional Web Hosting Accounts

There are many options when looking for professional web hosting. The professional web hosting accounts offer varied features, so it's important to make a list of your top requirements and keep looking until you find a host which will provide all of the features you desire. You can get features including streaming audio/video support, database support, high number of email accounts, web logs (blogs), bulletin boards, free clipart, and e-books.

What is a Control Panel?

A web hosting control panel is a way to easily control your web hosting account. It is software installed on your web server which gives you control over your web hosting account. Each web hosting service provider will offer some type of control panel, some are very graphical and allow you to view statistics in a variety of ways. Generally a control panel will allow you to add email accounts, change passwords, access your files, view statistics and backup your site. Every control panel is different and offers various options. It is a good idea to see a demo of the control panel or carefully review what features are offered and make certain to choose a control panel which will fit your needs.

What should I Expect from a Control Panel

Some web hosting control panels offer many features but are clunky and difficult to use. Others are very graphical and take quite a bit of time to load. As the industry grows, control panels are becoming easier to use and features are expanding. At the very least you should have control over adding and managing email accounts, changing passwords, viewing statistics, editing email filters forwarders and create custom error pages.

Professional Web Hosting and Bandwidth

Some companies set up their web hosting account and then find out that their pages don't load or customers cannot find them. One reason could be the amount of bandwidth your professional web hosting package offers. Make sure you purchase enough bandwidth because if you don't, and your site get a lot of traffic, your bandwidth limit may be reached half way through the month and either your web host will charge you high fees for the extra bandwidth, or your page won't load. If you have a really high traffic site, you should consider a dedicated server (you have access to all of the bandwidth on the server), or a professional web hosting package which offers higher bandwidth.

Professional Web Hosting and Design

Most web hosting companies will offer a variety of web design options. Some offer only web templates which are nice for the beginning user, but are often very limited and not search engine friendly. When building a business or high traffic site it is important to find professional web hosting and design packages. You can have a beautiful site designed but if it uses flash only for the front page, search engines will have limited access and may not index your site at all. A good professional web hosting and design company knows not only how to make your site look good, but also can help give you information about how to build it effectively.

Professional Web Hosting

When you sign up for professional web hosting you should have the expectation to get good customer service, a money back guarantee, high uptime and more options than hosting for a personal site. Generally your professional web hosting accounts will offer lower bandwidth and fewer features than a business web hosting package, but also cost less money. Look for high bandwidth so your host can handle high traffic. Increased storage and database support are also important, as well as what type of customer support is offered.

Using a Control Panel

Every control panel varies. It will depend on your web hosting as to what control panel package they offer. A good hosting provider offers detailed instructions on how to use their control panel and what features are available. You should also be able to see a demonstration. Each control panel should have a FAQ or help section where you can get specific answers as to how it works. It is a good idea to become familiar with your control panel as quickly as possible so you can utilize the statistics and effectively use all of the features. If your web hosting provides control panel software from an outside vendor, you may also get documentation on that vendor's website.

Affordable Web Page Hosting

There are so many places which offer web hosting. So how do you know which one is right for you? I've seen prices ranging from over $100 per month to free web hosting offers. The most important thing is to find web hosting which will work for you. Affordable web page hosting is available in many places, however be sure you find a reliable service and get recommendations. When making your decision be sure to ask the right questions such as: How much does it cost for higher bandwidth? Do you provide customer support 24/7? Do I have access to log files? Do you support FTP or Frontpage? Do you have templates where I can quickly put up a web page? How much storage do I get? If you ask all of the right questions you should be fairly secure in knowing you'll get affordable web page hosting which will fit your personal needs.

The Perfect Professional Web Hosting Package

I don't think there is any “perfect” web hosting package. However, we all seem to continue searching for that elusive perfect web host for every situation. Alternatively, I do think you can find the perfect professional web hosting package to meet your own needs. There are so many web hosts out there, so make sure you do your research and find a company with a good money back guarantee, high uptime, great customer service, and a good reputation. Take note that higher prices do not necessarily mean higher quality.

Professional Web Hosting and Stats

One of the most important features when purchasing your web hosting package is to find out what type of web logs are available and what information will be included. If you want to effectively market your site you have to make certain to know where your customers are coming from, what pages they are viewing, how they exit the site, which visitors are turned into customers, and what keywords they are using when searching for your site and other statistics to track your visitors. The more you know about your visitor, the easier it will be to turn those visitors into customers and repeat visitors.

Affordable Web hosting

Finding good web hosting is one of the top priorities for a web developer. First you should make a list of the requirements which are most important to you such as FTP, server reliability, email, customer support, log file access, bandwidth, etc. There are thousands of possible choices for affordable web hosting so the best way to find a reliable server is by recommendation. Talk to everyone you know and find out if they have a web host they like. If you can get 3 or 4 recommendations for the same hosting service, generally you will have a good experience as well.

Tips for Choosing a Web Hosting Control Panel

When selecting a web hosting control panel it is generally best to view a demonstration so you can actually see how it works and what features are available. The more access and control you have over your site, the better. You should expect easy navigation, the ability to add email accounts, determine how much disk space you have used, and determine how much traffic your site has generated. Most web hosting providers say they offer control panels, but you should research how much control you will really be getting because they vary widely.

A Web Hosting Plan for the Small Business (Sole Owner, Non-Merchant)

As a small business owner, your Website may be the main or sole source of your income. A large percentage of small businesses begin on the Internet and maintain most of their business this way. For this reason, it is very important that you choose the right hosting plan, while not overspending your budget. It can be hard to strike a balance between cheap hosting intended for individuals and expensive hosting intended for those who sell a slew of products on their Website. The top things to keep in mind when looking for a hosting plan for your small business are:

- First, since you are not selling any products online and will be using your Website to promote yourself and your services, a shared hosting plan should be sufficient.

- You may be able to find a good shared server hosting plan, with a good amount of space and bandwidth, for as little as $9 per month. Although there are cheaper hosting plans available, a plan that is $8-$10 per month will usually have certain extras that you will need to help promote yourself and measure your visitor activity, such as Google AdWords/Yahoo! Search Marketing credits and Website statistics.

- If you do not know how to build your own Website using a program like Microsoft FrontPage, and you do not have Website builder software on your computer, then you are going to need to make sure that you have a plan that includes web hosting with site builder.

- An SSL may be appropriate if your are collecting/sending customer information – including non-credit card data.

The most important thing for you to remember is that you should try to offer payment options outside of direct payment through your Website. If you are a services based business, you are likely to have returning clients which will make check, money order, or Paypal payment options easier. Accepting money directly through your Website may end up costing your more money than it is worth, and should be reserved for those who sell products via their Website on a daily basis.

A Web Hosting Plan for the Medium-Sized Business (Company, Non-Merchant)

As a medium sized business, you will likely need more space and security than many other individuals, groups, and small businesses. The top 5 things to keep in mind when looking for a hosting plan for your medium-sized business are:

- First, you should make a firm decision between shared or dedicated hosting after laying all the pros and cons out on the table. It will cost more on a monthly basis, but should be considered if you are exchanging information with your clients via your Website.
- If you do decide to go for a dedicated hosting plan, there are different sizes you can choose from. You may be okay with one of the smallest plans, as long as your space and bandwidth requirements are small enough.
- If you do decide to go for a shared hosting plan, it would probably be wise not to settle for a cheap hosting plan. Hosting plans that are less than $20 per month are usually better suited for individuals, small groups, or very small businesses.
- If you do not know how to build your own Website, you may want to consider hiring a team to create one for you. A website builder will not be sufficient, as you will want a Website that looks professional.
- You may need an SSL certificate, especially if sensitive information will be transmitted through your Website. You may also find that a good Website analysis tool will be very beneficial when it comes to understanding how effective your marketing strategy is.

The most important thing for you to remember is that, the more well-known your company is, the more likely you will become a target for those who want to get their hands on your clients' sensitive information. This is especially true if your clients have made a name for themselves as well. For this reason, Internet security should be your top priority. A dedicated server hosting plan will be most beneficial in this area, especially if your Website and bandwidth requirements are large enough to warrant it.

Mastering Your New Control Panel

When you are shopping for a hosting package, the selection of your new control panel should factor in as a major part of your decision. There are several control panels currently on the market, and many hosting companies favor CPanel, which is regarded as one of the easiest control panels to use.

Your best bet when it comes to selecting a control panel is to try a variety of different demos so that you can get a true feeling for how each one works. Several web hosting companies offer these free demos, and most companies that create control panels will provide a demo