HOW TO PICK A HOSTING COMPANY
Website pages must be available on an Internet host server. You could actually set up your computer to serve as the host server for your website but this is not recommended unless you have the knowledge to do so and the capability of maintaining the server on a 24/7 basis. There are tons of hosting companies that want to host your website. I have used several and highly recommend IX Web Hosting. They are a highly rated hosting company and have some of the most competitively priced hosting packages.
Hosting cost starts at about $4 per month. Many hosting companies will lure you with cheap hosting packages but will not provide reliable service. If you want a hosting company that can be relied on to provide excellent 24/7 service you need to be careful about the company you pick. It is a real pain to later have to change hosting companies because the one you picked did not provide suitable service. I know, I had to do that once and that is why I now use only IX Web Hosting!
Before you sign up for a hosting service you need to have selected your domain name. During the sign up process your will be asked to make the following choices.
1. Product Choice
Linux or Windows: These are the server operating system choices. It makes no difference to people viewing your website.
Expert, Business, or Unlimited Pro: An Expert plan is fine for personal and small business websites. A Business plan is recommended if you are going to do ecommerce and/or have a database. An Unlimited Pro plan offers the greatest capability and is recommended if you are going to have a large database.
2. Billing Cycle
It is less expensive per year if you order hosting for more than one year.
3. Free Domain
Select the free domain option and you will never have to pay for the registration of your domain name.
4. SSL & Merchant Options
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) provides encrypted communication security if you have a business website with ecommerce and/or a database. A Merchant account allows your website to accept credit card payments.
NOTE: You can always upgrade later if you decide you need a different plan/feature.
Pick a Hosting Company
