The Internet is considered by many to be the single greatest invention of mankind to date. Sure, this is a highly debated point, to put it lightly, but it’s definitely clear that in terms of actually inventing something from conceptualization to usability, more people use the Internet than anything else man has ever created. The odds are good, therefore, that you will build a website in your lifetime. To do this, you may need to know about web hosts.
To knock the complicated jargon out of this explanation, a web host is simply a company that controls the servers on which your website will be housed. Things don’t simply float around in the air. There is a physical location out there storing your data via memory in a server. When you choose a web host, you’re choosing a company that has control over the data and/or its location. You can think of it, in a way, as renting out a storage bin and keeping your things in there. Only this is a virtual location you and other people can access easily through a simple pathway.
The price of a web host all depends on what you want for your particular package. For instance, if you’re only after a simplistic site that sells a few products, you can find a really inexpensive hosting package. This is because you may not need a lot of data storage or a high or unlimited rate of data transfer. You may not take up too much physical space with your virtual memory, and you may not need a lot of extra features like added security, search engine submissions, off-site backups, etc. The more features you choose with a web host, the higher your costs are going to be.
Free hosting is always on the minds of people looking to build websites. Well, there are essentially two viable ways you can have a site hosted for free. With the first, you can choose a blog host like WordPress. There are ways in which you can make this look more like a website than a blog, but you’re always going to have to deal with the limitations. You can also host with a legitimate dotcom company, but you will have their name attached to your address unless you pay money.
The primary thing you want to look for in a web host is how this host treats its customers. Reading user reviews about the company is always a must. Beyond that, you should definitely be on the lookout for great security, guaranteed uptime, an easy interface with site-building tools, scalability, and an affordable package that won’t drain your wallet.
As discussed previously, the differences have to do with the limitations of a free host. Remember, you’re actually using someone’s physical space, so you won’t get a lot of this for free. When you’re opting for the free host, you won’t get a lot of tools and add-ons. You won’t have a lot of space to work with. You won’t have a legitimate domain name. You can be sure that every popular, professional website you’ve ever visited has paid for its host.
Finding the right web host will ensure that you can build a site quickly and can always manage it properly. Use the information you have learned above to help you choose the right web host for you and your website.