Web Hosting: What to Look for in a Host

Remember all of the site planning I mentioned in Planning the Party? Well, pull it back out when you start trying to decide on a host. Make a list of all the things your site will do and then list new functions you want to add in the future. (Plan as far out as five years even!) When you start talking to hosts you'll need to tell them the features your site will need.

Start by going to some of the Web host review sites listed on our Links page and see which ones look like likely candidates. Many of these sites will allow you to enter your requirements and compare host packages or even automatically request quotes from several vendors.

Compare the various features included in their packages. Most should provide account holders with:

• site statistics about how many visitors came to their site and which pages they visited, as well as how long they stayed on the site
• FTP software for uploading your Web files to their server
• e-mail accounts and possibly auto-responders that can simplify response needs like a "thank you -- your order is being processed" e-mail when someone orders a product from your site
• e-commerce tools like easily customized product order forms
• regular site backups
• secure socket layer (SSL) capabilities and other security measures for e-commerce
• an account control panel that lets you do administration functions for your site from your browser (this is relatively new)

There are other features hosts offer so it is important to investigate your options. You might also talk to other online business owners and see what their host experiences have been like. See what tools they use and what tools their hosts have provided. Ask them how many problems they've had with their host and anything else you can think of to help you put a list of prospective host candidates together. Get as many recommendations as you can.