Using a free web hosting service is a good way to launch a site at a low cost. Read this article to find out more about free web hosting solutions.
Most free web hosts will let you choose only part of your domain name: the name of your host will appear in the second part of your domain name. Look for a free web hosting service that lets you register a domain name or associate your content with a domain name you have already purchased. Expect to spend around fifteen dollars a year for a domain name: make sure you renew it on time. It might be best to register your domain name with a separate service so that you can keep using it even if you cancel your web hosting plan or if your web host ceases to exist.
A free web hosting plan often means limited space. This should not be an issue if your site is relatively new or if you do not plan on expanding it. Choose a free plan with as much space as possible and keep track of how much space you are using. If you keep adding more content to your site, you are eventually going to need to upgrade your plan or look for another solution. Keep in mind that an HTML page might not take a lot of space but pictures or videos will.
Look for a free web host service with useful features and a quality interface. You should create free accounts with different web hosts and compare their features and interfaces. It is best to use an FTP client to upload files to your server: look for a free web host program with detailed tutorials on FTP clients if you are not familiar with this software. Test different interfaces and choose the one you feel the most comfortable with so that updating your site is never a problem.
Are there any bandwidth limitations to your free plan? The amount of bandwidth allowed corresponds to the volume of visits you can get. Web hosts allocate bandwidth differently: you should read the small print of your contract to make sure you are getting a good amount of bandwidth throughout the day. Some web hosts will give you most of your bandwidth at night or allocate bandwidth unfairly: you can avoid these services by reading reviews and testing different free plans.
Find out your web host makes money. Most free plans require you to place banners and ads on your site. This is acceptable if the ads are discreet and relevant to the theme of your site. You should beware of any offensive ads or unrelated banners: your site will never look professional and trustworthy if your visitors are exposed to ads they do not care about. If possible, look for a free web hosting plan with no ads at all or with a selection of ads to choose from so you can use ads your visitors will find relevant.
Use these tips and take the time to test different free plans before launching your site. Stay up to date with the web hosting market and move your site if you find a better plan.