Webhosting 101: 5 Essential Web Hosting Features

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Launching your own website is a great way for businesses and individuals to get their products and opinions out to the greater world. A website can allow an individual to voice their opinions and thoughts in a venue that reaches far beyond their circle of friends, while it also allows a small business to reach customers in regions they cannot otherwise reach. Setting up and maintaining a website can be a lot more difficult than most think, particularly when it comes to web hosting.

There are easy options out there through providers like Google and Blogger, but these websites are not going to be very extensive and often won’t meet the needs of any business.

Fortunately, there are a number of devoted web hosting companies that help individuals and businesses launch professional, useful websites with a variety of features and options. Which of these options and features are the most important to have though?

The following list represents the five essential features a web hosting company must be able to provide for your site.

Customizable Templates

While not the most important feature your web host should provide, it is nonetheless important. The best way to set your site apart from the competition is to have a beautiful design that not only looks different, but also functions differently than the competition’s site. Having the right layout for your needs is critical, and if a web host doesn’t provide it, they aren’t worth the investment.

Strong Web Server

Web hosting companies will offer various web server types to help get your site up and running. Apache is the top choice for many web hosting companies, and you should be looking to take your business to a company that supports Apache. This web server is preferred by most because it not only offers a range of customization options, but also for its flexibility, ease of use, and performance stability.

Multiple Domain Hosting

Piggy-backing off the last point, a good web hosting company offering Apache web servers should also be willing and able to provide customers with multiple domain hosting. The flexibility and stability of Apache allows for this, and a good web host will offer this feature in one plan as opposed to requiring separate plans for each new site or domain.

Security

This feature is more applicable to business than individuals, but it is nonetheless very important. Security certificates and secured transactions protect your site from illegal behavior and also provide customers with a sense of confidence when making purchases online.

Technical Support

Things will wrong with your website; it is inevitable. The question is do you want to be left to your own devices to figure out how to fix those problems or have a dedicated team of professionals ready to offer up their knowledge?

A great web hosting company will offer excellent tech support. The best tech support is available 24/7 through various venues including telephone, email, and online chat.

One quick online search of web hosting companies will turn up a seemingly limitless number of companies offering the service. While that may seem good from a variety standpoint, what it really means is there are a lot of duds out there. Just because a company offers a low price or unlimited bandwidth and unlimited storage, doesn’t mean they are offering you the true essentials to power your website.

Don’t be fooled by the gimmicks; look for a company that offers these essentialsm and you’ll be the proud owner of an effective and efficient website.

About the Guest Author

Frank Ashton writes on the subjects of web hosting, design and website management in a variety of locations across the web. He feels passing his knowledge along to others to help them achieve their goals through greater understanding of the issues they face is his purpose. To host a site that best serves your needs, visit the web hosting hub link for more ideas and services.