Compatibility with existing Software and Skills
Is your host's server, software and support services compatible with the skills and software you are using? For example if you are using FrontPage to create your site, make sure they have FrontPage extensions installed on their server.
Some of the basic features of a hosting service should include:
Domain name registration
At least 5MB of allocated space
Unmetered bandwidth
Free Technical Support
POP3 E-Mail Accounts
Email Forwarding
Email Auto-responders
Email Aliases
FTP Access
FrontPage Support
Own CGI-Bin Access
Free Perl, CGI
Server Side Includes (SSI)
Password Protection
Reseller/referral program
Flexibility and room for growth – Keep in mind the future needs of your web site. If the traffic to your site explodes, or in the future you may need a database solution then your host must be able to accommodate the changes.
Quality of their support services
Quality of existing customers – ask for any BIG current customers that are hosting with that service.
Opinions of existing customers – ask for any testimonies of existing customers to get feedback from them concerning reliability and support.
Stability – you do not want your hosting service to go out of business (like what happened to many of the free hosts) and leave you stranded. Check how many years they have been in business.
Support and Responsiveness – Make sure you can contact them 24/7 by phone or email. Test the quality and efficiency of response by sending them an email pertaining to some question you may have before you sign up.
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