How to choose a Web host for your business

A good host is essential to any gathering. That's particularly true when the event takes place in cyberspace.

Choosing a Web host—a company or solution that rents you space on the Internet where you place your Web site—isn't a decision to take lightly. The right host can prove invaluable in helping fulfill whatever goals you hope to achieve online.

Here are six issues to consider when shopping for a Web host.

1. As a rule, contract directly with the Web host.   Make certain that your host is around for the long haul. Ask about the company's financial security; additionally, don't go through your Web site developer if you're using one.

   "Any business needs to control their hosting separately from their Web development vendor," says C. David Gammel of High Context Consulting, a Salisbury, Md., technical consulting firm. "I have seen companies that lost control of their site for significant amounts of time when their vendor went AWOL or out of business. Having your own relationship with the hosting company mitigates some of that risk."

2. Match your host to your needs.   Think about the sort of site you have and the function it fulfills in your business. If you view your site as a simple marketing brochure, the range of services offered by a host may not be important. "If the company’s Web site is a simple electronic brochure and it’s unclear how much traffic you get, go for the cheapest rate," says Lanny Goodman, a veteran entrepreneurial and technical consultant based in Albuquerque, N.M. "But, if it's interactive and an important lead generator, I would look to one of the larger, more established hosting firms,” says Goodman, author of "The End of Management."

   Related to this, are fundamentals such as disk space (for most businesses, experts say that 10MB of disk space on a server is sufficient), and domain names (can you have your own, or only one incorporating the name of the Web host?).

3. Ask about reliability and technical support.   If your site is a fundamental element of your business—for instance, online shopping is significant to your bottom line—look for a Web host that is highly reliable. Many sites require a minimum of 99% up-time. Request potential hosting partners to document how often their system has gone down in the past (many Web hosts guarantee a certain amount of up-time). Find out what sort of technical support they offer and its availability.

   While some hosts are inexpensive, they don't offer much in the way of technical support. "By contrast, others are proactive in making sure your system is fully functional," Goodman says. "They respond quickly if there is a problem, stay in constant communication, and work with you when it’s time to upgrade your hardware." It's a good idea to look for a host which offers 24 x 7 technical support, including weekends and holidays.

4. Investigate the speed of data transfer.   . Naturally, you want visitors to your Web site to be able to move about quickly and efficiently—that's an issue of system speed. Data transfer speed refers to how quickly pages load and the rate at which other information on your Web site is accessed by visitors. Ask about data transfer statistics, and have the Web host show you how the data transfer speed they provide will be adequate for your needs. Many authorities urge consumers to be wary of hosts that tout "unlimited" data transfer capacity—if nothing else, you may end up paying for capacity that you don't need or use.
5. See how flexible the host is if you wish to add on later.   It's perfectly fine to start out with a modest Web presence, but that doesn't mandate staying that way. If you begin small, ask your Web host how easy it is to add additional features in the future.
6. The telling truth: how they treat you as a prospective customer.   No matter what specific questions or issues you may have, pay attention to how responsive your would-be Web host is when you're shopping around. Note how quickly they address customer questions and e-mails. This is particularly important for Web hosting. If your site goes down or experiences some other problem, you want a provider that's on the ball and able to respond quickly.

   "Does the sales rep ask a lot of questions about your business?" Gammel asks. "You want to find a partner who will go to great lengths to understand what you do and how they can best support your processes and Web site."

Bottom line: Treat your Web host as you would any other service provider, such as your telephone company or power supplier. Don't shortchange your homework. As your needs grow, look for providers that can offer specialized services including research and analysis of site usage, and search engine optimization. If you have any significant doubts about a prospective host, it's best to keep shopping. Your Web site is far too important to your business to leave it in potentially unreliable hands.

Get more information here on using Office Live Small Business as your Web host.

About the author   Jeff Wuorio is a freelance writer, author, and speaker based in southern Maine. He writes about small-business management, marketing, and technology issues. You can find Jeff's business and finance blog at http://wuorio.blogspot.com.