Four Things to Consider When Choosing Your Web Host
1) What is a web host?
When you have a website, you’ll need to pay someone to host the site (meaning they provide computer space and backups for the content on your website, and manage the technical stuff like hardware, software and internet connections.)
2) Does the web host offer premade templates?
If you have minimal web knowledge, look for a host with premade templates. Using a template gives you a chance to get your site up quickly without having to pay a web designer or figure out how to design a website yourself. Most hosts with free templates also offer the option of upgrading to a custom design if you want changes made.
3) Does the web host offer a free trial period?
During your free trial period (usually one month) you’ll be able to play around with your site -- learn how to install pages, enter content, change the look, etc. These free trials are a good way to see if you like working with a host’s CMS or editing tools. Most hosts have some kind of guide to help you get started.
4) Are there hidden hosting costs?
Some web hosts advertise very low (less than $5/month) hosting, but once you add all the features you want, the price increases dramatically. When you are choosing a host, be sure to check out what’s included. The features you want may not be included or may be limited. You can expect to pay at least $15/month if you want the option to use PayPal, mailing list, media players, etc. Here are a few costs to look for:
Does the monthly fee include:
shopping cart/paypal button
mailing lists
email accounts
event calendar
music player
flash media player
guestbook
file uploads
site activity reports and stats
digital downloads
Are there limits on or extra charges for:
number of website pages
bandwidth
disk space
Musician-oriented web hosts:
Rock-n-Roll Designs
HostBaby
Bandzoogle
Choosing Your Web Host
