In this article we have collected all important information you need as a new webmaster in order to plan and build your own website successfully. There are three main steps you should consider when creating a website: you have to choose a web host, a domain name, and an application to create and manage your website content with. 

Choosing a web host is the first step you should consider when starting a website project. In order to have your website available in the World Wide Web, you need a place where to host it. This place is provided by the web hosting provider. The web hosting as a service incorporates the space where your website files are stored, the traffic to your website, and lots of extra services such as firewall protection, technical assistance, email services, FTP access, domain name registration, website building tools and more. 

In order to choose a web host for your website you have to consider a few important issues: 

Price: Can you go with a free web host? 

Many webmasters search for free web hosting providers, at least for their first web site. That is understandable - you do not know how to compare hosting services and you check their prices. Well, once you start a web site, you will see that there are several other things that also count, appart from the price. For example, free or very cheap hosts publish ads on your web pages and provide you with no technical assistance. Below we have listed some of the most important factors when choosing where to host your online project 

Customer Feedback 

When you compare a couple of hosting providers that meet your budget and tech requirements, go and check for customer feedback. There is plenty of information in Google, Yahoo or specialized hosting directories. You will surely see if the provider is reliable, if answers to tech issues quickly, if meets the uptime numbers promised on the index and if customers like it. So, go and check for hosting reviews about your man: 

Technical support 

Technical assistance is always needed from your web host, at least from time to time. When you start working over your web site questions will arise: How to get started; How to upload files; How to create an email account, etc. 

Sometimes you will need those questions answered as soon as possible, or even immediately. That is why your web host must provide 24x7 tech support assistance. Your technical questions should be answered within 1-2 hours max. Besides the speed of responses, check if the support is technically competent. And do not go searching for phone support - the phone support lines are always busy when you need them. The most efficient companies use ticketing systems, where you deliver all technical details needed to have your question answered within an hour or less. 

Hosting features: web space, bandwidth, CPU, PHP limits, etc. 

The features of web hosting plans are constantly growing. In 2003, the max disk space quota per shared hosting plan was 5MB. In 2009 few providers offer less than unlimited of everything. However, make sure to check the Terms of use for more details about what might be limited. 

Does the hosting provider support: 

Email, POP3, SMTP, IMAP, Autoresponders, Email forwarders: 

If you have your own site you would probably want to have email addresses at your own domain, for example: info@mydomain.com. You can check for POP3, SMTP (and IMAP) in order to have web mail capabilities. Check our if you can set an email address to automatically reply to the sender with a present message (Autoresponder). See if you you forward a message from one email to another for example: all the emails coming to sales@mydomain.com to be forwaded to salesmanager@mydomain.com 

Control Panel: 

This feature is especially important if you want to maintain your site or have someone else to maintain it. From the control panel you will make changes to your site, upload files, change passwords for your account, add/delete an email account, manage databases, etc. 

If you follow these basic guidelines, you will have a reliable, efficient and satisfying hosting service that will contribute to the success of your business for many years to come.

Web Hosting Guide For Beginners: How To Choose A Web Host?

As a new webmaster, you need all the tools at your disposal to make sure your website launches successfully. There are many things that you should consider during the whole process but your top priority should be choosing a reliable web hosting service and a suitable domain name. Many people may assume that website design is more important than web hosting. Although the two are important aspects, you certainly need a reliable hosting service so that the designed website can be available on the internet. 

Web hosting services are quite numerous on the internet, which makes the decision to choose the right one difficult for every web master. As a whole web hosting includes services such as proper storage of all the files related to your website, firewall protection, email services, registration of a domain name, the traffic and many more. Therefore, you need to choose a web hosting service that provides all the services recommended for the overall success of your website. 

What To Consider When Choosing A Web Hosting Service 

Never rush into the hiring decision because the success of your website is highly determined by the web hosting service in place. Here's what you need to do when choosing the right web hosting service. 

Overall Cost 

There are a few web hosting services that offer free services to new webmasters starting their first websites. However, don't rush into such an offer without inquiring more about future services. There are also other costs that might accrue during the whole process. Therefore, you should ask the web hosting service to provide an exact estimate of all the costs involved in the whole process. 

You should also provide a budget estimate indicating your available funds and how high or low you're willing to go. The company will provide a detailed list of all the services you can receive within your budget. There are a few webmasters who might choose to hire a web hosting service simply because their services are cheaper than the rest. Note that, this is a hasty decision that might cost you much more in the future. Therefore, take your time and read through all the estimates to make sure you're getting a bang for every buck. 

Testimonials, Reviews And References 

Customer feedback plays an important role in your hiring decision. Go to the web hosting service website online and read through the various testimonials and reviews left by previous customers. If they are all positive experiences, it's a guarantee that the company provides exceptional web hosting services. 

A reputable web hosting company should have positive reviews through and through. This means that the company is actually doing everything possible to meet all the requirements of the clients. Don't forget to ask for references, to determine whether the company is reputable as it is displayed in the testimonials. If possible, contact the references and ask each client to narrate their experience with the specific company. 

Technical And Customer Care Support 

Web hosting services are quite tricky. Every webmaster can attest to the fact that they have experienced technical glitches that affected their websites profoundly. A reputable web hosting company should always be available for any technical or customer support issues as they arise. If your website goes down, you should be able to reach a reliable web hosting company immediately to get it back up. Otherwise, you will be losing traffic every second the website is down, which will reflect negatively in your profits. You can easily determine how a web hosting company handles all the maintenance issues by asking previous clients about their long term experience with a specific company. 

Professionalism 

Different websites have different types of content with some reaching into the X-rated genre. Therefore, the web hosting company should employ the highest level of professionalism when handling these projects without judgment or question. Therefore, as a webmaster, the level of professionalism displayed by a web hosting company should factor into your hiring decision. 

Experience 

If you want the best web hosting company in the business, you should definitely factor in the experience of the company. There is a high likelihood that if your website is hosted by a new company, there are bound to be many technical glitches that may harm your business. Therefore, look for companies that have been in business for a few years or more for the best results.