Hosting Marketers News

Consumers can find an excellent shared hosting provider by using Web hosting directories or by directly soliciting hosts for comments on their service packages.
Using hosting directories is a highly recommended strategy, because such sites aggregate a tremendous amount of information about the hosting industry and its participants. By leveraging a host directory, regular consumers can contrast and compare the different features of several Web hosting firms.

The most credible hosting directories have catalogues that allow you to search for hosts that match specified criteria, whether it is based on cost, technology or geography. Most of the more sophisticated hosting directories also include an “advanced search” option that allows consumers to fine tune their hosting requirements.

Users of these resources must be cautious and exercise due diligence however. Some directories only allow paid advertisers in their catalogues, making the directory non-meritorious in composition. Consumers should be aware of how the list is compiled, updated and what criteria are used to add companies - especially if the site offers a top ten or twenty ranking.

Many hosting companies only conceive of hosting directories as marketing channels. For this reason, some disreputable hosting companies and executives have developed, purchased or even influenced certain hosting directories to boost their own revenues.

Too often, a directory will actually sell the most popular listings to various hosts who are willing to pay top-dollar for an award or recognition. Consumers should thus make no correlation between an award and quality.

Kudos, awards and recognition are indicators that a host has financial resources to advertising online, but does not indicate whether the host offers credible and reliable service.

Not all awards and recognition are purchased advertisements, however. When recognition is not purchased, you only need to inquire how the host was specifically selected for an award. This can usually be determined from an evaluation formula that is posted on the Web site.

Consumers should also note that many hosting directories not only offer a large list of hosts, but also detailed information about the host’s features, price ranges and provide consumers with the ability to compare hosts again each other.

More sophisticated hosting directories will also include in-depth articles, message forums, evaluation tools and even promotional campaigns that will save you money with the most credible hosting firms. These features are also important because they allow consumers to obtain more in-depth and personalized information about a hosting firm.

Other resources that consumers may want to consult are online bulletin boards. Specialized bulletin boards contain and solicit postings from consumers who provide their opinion and experiences concerning their experiences with a hosting company. These resources provide users with a candid understanding of the inter-workings of hosting companies.

Savvy consumers should also consider searching for online comments concerning a specific host that they are seriously contemplating. Finding comments from dissatisfied consumers is as important as finding complements about the company. Consumers can find comments by conducting a search, using the candidate hosting company’s name, in a search engine.

Another strategy that should be employed is direct correspondence. The concerned consumer should actually send potential hosting companies pre-sales e-mail to determine what features are available. Sending a pre-sales e-mail will also give the consumer an indication of how quickly the host responds to general inquiries. A credible Web host will respond in less than 24 hours. However, consumers must be aware that most hosting outfits will always respond to sales inquiries faster than technical support requests.

When composing a pre-sales e-mail, consumers should ask the following questions (consider simply copying this following list and sending it to a candidate Web host):

Is there a discount if I pre-pay for a number of months in advance?
What payment methods are available?
How many months in advance am I required to pay?
Is there a set-up fee?
Is there a trial period or money-back guarantee?
What is your bandwidth, transfer or hit limit?
May I visit other sites hosted by you?
Will I have my own IP number or is it shared?
Do you offer an unlimited, 24/7 technical support service?
How much space is available with your package?
What is the OS and version of the server my site will be placed on?
What are the hardware specs of the server?
How many sites are currently running on the server?
How many more sites do you think you will put on it before it is full?
How do you decide what constitutes a full server?
Is there any way for us to set up a mailing list for announcements?
Will I have 24-hour FTP and telnet access?
Will I have anonymous FTP?
Will I have an automated control panel to access my site?
Do you provide a full, free CGI directory?
Can I run CGI scripts outside of the CGI directory?
Is there a limit to how many scripts I can install?
Do you provide full shell access?
Can I debug a problematic CGI script on the server?
What version of Perl do you use? Does it contain a full set of modules?
Do you offer a Web statistics package?
Will I also have access to the raw statistical log files?
Does the space used by my logs count against my allotted disk space?
What is your acceptable usage policy?
How long have you been in business?
By employing a strategy of due diligence through the combined use of credible, hosting directories and direct correspondence with hosting firms, smart consumers can find an excellent shared hosting provider.

Virtual or shared Web hosting is the business of housing and serving files for a Web site. Typically, an individual or small to mid-sized business cannot afford to independently obtain an extremely robust connection to the Internet for their Web presence. Virtual or shared Web hosting provides these consumers with the option to outsource their Internet requirements inexpensively.
Using a shared hosting service allows these companies to share the cost of a fast Internet connection for serving files. It is the most basic entry-level, fee-based hosting service a customer can select.

Shared hosting offers clients the ability to host their Web site on a powerful, professionally managed server at a low monthly cost. Shared servers provide individual Web sites with redundant connectivity and guaranteed uptime. These services provide an excellent solution for entry-level hosting needs because they are designed to host small-scale e-commerce sites and static Web pages.

Shared hosting is also popular among first-time webmasters because it can provide a reliable Web presence without advanced technical skills. Such a service is also advantageous to the smaller consumer because it assures them that they will obtain transparent services and that their Web site will have its own domain name and set of e-mail addresses.

Virtual hosting services are thus extremely popular because they offer the smaller consumer fast deployment, strong resources and most importantly, low cost. By paying an affordable and predictable monthly fee to a shared Web hosting service, consumers obtain reliability, expertise and faster connections than their dial-up service can provide.

Such a service is also advantageous to the smaller consumer because it allows them outsource a high-traffic, content-rich Web site for a small percentage of what it would cost to hire a single employee to develop it and run it in-house. For this reason, most individuals and small businesses opt to select a virtual hosting service because it is inexpensive and usually provides the basic services that they require.

Convenience is another factor that drives popular interest in shared Web hosting due to the service’s fast setup time and bundled features. Typically, site activation can take minutes after you have purchased services with a credit card.

The most characteristic feature of virtual Web hosting is that services are usually bundled. For an inclusive monthly fee, consumers can obtain a variety of high-quality, multi-platform Web site solutions.

Usually the bundle of services includes a minimum amount of disk storage space for your Web pages. The bundle will normally also include a minimum amount of data transfer, or a capped amount of data that your can send to individuals that access your Web site. Most virtual accounts will also include e-mail forwarding services along with hardwired, physical e-mail boxes. Mail forwarding services allows you to create e-mail aliases at your domain name that will forward to an external e-mail address.

A decent shared hosting firm will also include free 24×7 technical support in all of its service bundles. It should also include unlimited file transfer protocol (FTP) services so that you can update your Web site at anytime.

For your own reference, a shared Web hosting service should also provide you access to Web statistics, so that you can gage how many Internet clients are visiting your site. For the sake of accuracy, a reliable Web host should also provide its customers with access to raw statistical logs, so that consumers can use their own statistical Web packages for site analysis.

Other services that are typically characteristic of a shared Web host include: daily tape backup of your Web site; anonymous FTP server access so you can provide public access to your files via file transfer protocol format; and full CGI-BIN access so that as you upload scripts that will add functionality to your Web site.

Most shared or virtual hosting services now also offer hosting automation software such as control panels. The control panel allows a consumer to control most aspects of their hosting service through an online graphical interface. The graphical interface allows users to control all the characteristics of a shared hosting service described above.

Virtual or shared Web hosting is the business of housing and serving files for a Web site. Typically, an individual or small to mid-sized business cannot afford to independently obtain an extremely robust connection to the Internet for their Web presence. Virtual or shared Web hosting provides these consumers with the option to outsource their Internet requirements inexpensively.
Using a shared hosting service allows these companies to share the cost of a fast Internet connection for serving files. It is the most basic entry-level, fee-based hosting service a customer can select.

Shared hosting offers clients the ability to host their Web site on a powerful, professionally managed server at a low monthly cost. Shared servers provide individual Web sites with redundant connectivity and guaranteed uptime. These services provide an excellent solution for entry-level hosting needs because they are designed to host small-scale e-commerce sites and static Web pages.

Shared hosting is also popular among first-time webmasters because it can provide a reliable Web presence without advanced technical skills. Such a service is also advantageous to the smaller consumer because it assures them that they will obtain transparent services and that their Web site will have its own domain name and set of e-mail addresses.

Virtual hosting services are thus extremely popular because they offer the smaller consumer fast deployment, strong resources and most importantly, low cost. By paying an affordable and predictable monthly fee to a shared Web hosting service, consumers obtain reliability, expertise and faster connections than their dial-up service can provide.

Such a service is also advantageous to the smaller consumer because it allows them outsource a high-traffic, content-rich Web site for a small percentage of what it would cost to hire a single employee to develop it and run it in-house. For this reason, most individuals and small businesses opt to select a virtual hosting service because it is inexpensive and usually provides the basic services that they require.

Convenience is another factor that drives popular interest in shared Web hosting due to the service’s fast setup time and bundled features. Typically, site activation can take minutes after you have purchased services with a credit card.

The most characteristic feature of virtual Web hosting is that services are usually bundled. For an inclusive monthly fee, consumers can obtain a variety of high-quality, multi-platform Web site solutions.

Usually the bundle of services includes a minimum amount of disk storage space for your Web pages. The bundle will normally also include a minimum amount of data transfer, or a capped amount of data that your can send to individuals that access your Web site. Most virtual accounts will also include e-mail forwarding services along with hardwired, physical e-mail boxes. Mail forwarding services allows you to create e-mail aliases at your domain name that will forward to an external e-mail address.

A decent shared hosting firm will also include free 24×7 technical support in all of its service bundles. It should also include unlimited file transfer protocol (FTP) services so that you can update your Web site at anytime.

For your own reference, a shared Web hosting service should also provide you access to Web statistics, so that you can gage how many Internet clients are visiting your site. For the sake of accuracy, a reliable Web host should also provide its customers with access to raw statistical logs, so that consumers can use their own statistical Web packages for site analysis.

Other services that are typically characteristic of a shared Web host include: daily tape backup of your Web site; anonymous FTP server access so you can provide public access to your files via file transfer protocol format; and full CGI-BIN access so that as you upload scripts that will add functionality to your Web site.

Most shared or virtual hosting services now also offer hosting automation software such as control panels. The control panel allows a consumer to control most aspects of their hosting service through an online graphical interface. The graphical interface allows users to control all the characteristics of a shared hosting service described above.