About PHP Hosting

PHP web hosting will be explained in this article. But first, let's describe PHP itself:

PHP (PHP: Hypertext Processor) is an open source scripting language that borrows from the likes of C, Java, and Perl, and can be HTML-embedded. The goal in the creation of PHP (and consequently, PHP hosting) was to streamline the process of creating dynamic web pages and expediting their publication online.

PHP is a server-side language meaning it can be run on any platform (Unix, Linux, Windows) because your PHP hosting server, and NOT the client's computer, is the one reading and interpreting the code. The PHP hosting server merely inserts the results of the PHP code into the HTML file sent to the client.

PHP pages are treated by your PHP web hosting server just as any other HTML encoded pages are treated. It is highly recommended that, if you plan to use PHP in your web design, you use a PHP hosting provider that has activated support for all files with the extension ".php" at the end. A PHP hosting provider's server can recognize PHP code embedded in HTML by its start tag "<?" and end tag "?>"

Using a PHP web hosting provider rather than any old generic host can save you loads of trouble, including not having to parse and compile your files or install and learn any additional web publishing tools.

If your web host is not PHP web hosting enabled, your site's visitors will not be able view the results of any PHP code embedded in your HTML, and therefore, your pages will not load properly and will have serious, gaping holes in its functionality. 

PHP and PHP web hosting is simple enough for a newbie to learn yet expansive enough to handle a staggering array of professionals' needs. Among the more advanced tasks one can perform is webcrawling, GIS mapping, and database crawling.

PHP can be used to connect with over 19 different types of databases, including Microsoft Access and Oracle. The most popular database used with PHP, however, is MySQL (see our article on MySQL hosting). PHP has support for MySQL built in, and any PHP hosting provider will most likely also be MySQL hosting enabled.

If you have PHP hosting, you can use PHP to set up cookies which is a fantastic way to personalize your relationship with each of your site visitors. Using cookies on your site saves your visitors from having to re-enter the same information into your various forms and fields over and over again. With PHP Sessions, you can store data generated during one period of access for retrieval during future accesses. This allows you to offer users an even more customized, personal experience at your site.

To use PHP, you will need to install a PHP "parser" (CGI or server module), a PHP-enabled web server (such as a PHP hosting provider), and a web browser (who doesn't have one of these?) Then you can peruse the web's wealth of free information on how to use this prolific tool. 

Adult Web Hosting

Adult web hosting is not without its inherent risks. In fact, probably the most significant issue one should consider before embarking on an adult hosting enterprise is the law. It's crucial you be aware of the possibilities before deciding to get into the adult web hosting business.

Laws on adult web hosting vary from locality to locality, which is a big problem with an internet enterprise that, by its very nature, is global. The most you, as webmaster can do, is make every good faith effort, with your adult hosting site, to stay within the confines of the law. This means avoiding content that can be considered obscene or harmful to minors - quite a tall undertaking when you consider the diverse and disparate reactions people have to pornography.

What is even meant by obscene? Quite a large number of people consider adult web hosting in general obscene. They find any form of pornography objectionable. And while that's not what's meant by "obscene" as used above, if an angry parent is determined to press charges against you because his/her 12-year-old son snuck a peek at the girl on girl action on your website, you'll still need the protection of a good lawyer to get you off the hook, and even then there's no guarantee.

So, the word "obscene" in the context of adult hosting refers to things like child pornography, bestiality, rape, and incest. Now you'll see plenty of sites claiming that they contain scenes of "rape" and "incest". 99 times out of 100, these are fake, play-acted scenes. If they are real, the webmaster is signing up for a whole world of trouble. Don't you follow their lead just to get the extra flow of cash from any of those niche markets.

There is a popular test for determining, according to the law, the obscenity of an adult hosting site (or a magazine, etc.). According to this test, called the "Miller Test", if your product (your site) when taken as a whole is considered without any artistic, literary, scientific, or cultural merit according to the mores of the local community, it is considered obscene. By including non-adult content in your adult web hosting site (just like adult magazines that have articles on politics, cars, etc.), you significantly reduce your risk of having an obscenity charge stick.

For all webmasters, of adult hosting sites or otherwise, legal statute 18 U.S.C. 

The best way to start an adult hosting website is with your own personal lawyer on board to walk you through the sticky legal steps. While a lawyer can help you avoid the legal pitfalls and reduce your risk of prosecution, there are no guarantees in the adult web hosting industry and you need to be aware of that from the beginning.

You will need to have on your site, a "Warning Page", a start page that site visitors come to first before getting to view any of your adult content. The Warning Page can be as simple as a disclaimer against a plain background stating that your site contains adult material and should not be viewed by anyone under 21 years of age. It should also mention that if, perchance, viewing such material is illegal in the visitor's area, then they must not enter your site.

The Warning Page on your adult hosting site does not relieve you of the responsibility of keeping minors from viewing your adult material. It merely shows a good faith effort on your part to keep them away. Nonetheless, you could still get prosecuted, and your Warning Page alone would make for an extremely weak defense.

You must also use some sort of Age Verification System (AVS) as a gateway for visitors to enter your adult hosting site. Though it is far from perfect, the concept behind an AVS is that if someone has a credit card in his/her name, there is a good chance that cardholder is at least over 18 years old. You see how flimsy this argument really is. Therefore, an AVS, while an absolute necessity in an adult web hosting environment, is no real protection against a minor entering your site anyway. 

All About Dedicated Hosting

Unless overtly listed otherwise, most web hosting packages you'll come across in your search are called shared hosting providers - not dedicated hosting providers. What this means is that the server or servers that host your website are simultaneously hosting numerous other websites also. This gives you a discounted rate on web hosting services in exchange for tolerating certain technical constraints, like bandwidth, disk space, upload and download speeds, security and privacy, traffic, and probably the most notable restriction -- total control.

If you want total control not only over the administration of your website but also over the very hardware and software used to run it, then you should be evaluating not shared hosting providers, but dedicated hosting providers. If your business is large enough or growing fast enough that it requires its own internet connection and server, you may need a dedicated hosting provider or dedicated servers.

What's the downside to going with dedicated hosting providers? In a word: responsibility. In most areas of life, with total control comes total responsibility, and it's no different with dedicated hosting providers. With dedicated servers, the onus is on you to buy, install, and maintain the actual equipment - the dedicated servers - mounted in the dedicated hosting provider's data center.

Fortunately, you still get the benefit of the dedicated hosting provider's presumably top-notch, around-the-clock security over the dedicated servers physical premises, but you remain fully responsible for the security of your cyber-premises. Likewise, dedicated hosting providers will ensure that the dedicated servers in the building are all provided with redundant uninterruptible and backup power and environmental controls, but it's you who must keep your machines and cables maintained and functioning in this idyll environment.

How do you identify whether it's time to switch from a shared hosting provider to a dedicated hosting provider? There are three main indicators:

Speed

If the traffic streaming through your shared server is slowing down your customers' pace as they browse your site (or your employees, if an in-house site), it may simply be time to look for more unencumbered shared hosting. But if you've tried several shared hosting providers with the same results, then it may be time to remind yourself how impatient the average web surfer is and consider dedicated severs or a dedicated hosting provider. While you're jumping from shared host to shared host trying to save a buck, your customers are jumping ship. Your ability to respond promptly and effectively to customer transactions and inquiries cannot be overemphasized either.

Reliability

The limits to your control are nowhere more apparent than in the areas of reliability and security. It's not simply that problems can arise: problems do arise. It's the nature of the biz. And if you don't have unlimited access to your own operating system as with dedicated hosting, dedicated servers, software and database apps, etc., there's not much you can do when one arises.

Customizability

If your company is growing fast, you're going to be changing many aspects of your web presence along with it. You may regularly need to tweak your disk space and bandwidth and experiment with using different applications to better serve your changing needs. On a shared host, upgrading in such a way usually involves leaping from one "package" or "plan" to another. These packages are generally preset and may or may not serve your immediate needs. They may be riddled with programs you don't yet need, for example, yet lack in the one singular program you do. Or the next leap up from your current plan has way more disk space and bandwidth than you need at the moment. With dedicated servers and a dedicated hosting package, you can make changes incrementally, step forward, step back, heck, step sideways if you need to and when you need to.

In large part, it's the size and growth rate of your business that will dictate whether you need a shared or a dedicated hosting provider. Affordability and personal time commitment are nice secondary considerations, but if your business is booming, you would do it a great injustice to try and save on a few bucks and few extra hours per week of your time in exchange for slower and poorer quality of service for your customers.

By the same token, however, if your business is small enough to function quite smoothly on any of the shared hosting providers out there, don't squander your precious capital on a dedicated hosting package just so you can have total control. Sometimes total control isn't all it's cracked up to be. 

All About Linux Hosting

A Linux hosting choice often comes down to cost, stability, and security. The open source Linux hosting alternative allows websites to be built on the Linux operating system. By taking advantage of this particular platform for your website development, you have access to the effective and efficient open-source technologies, which include PHP, MySQL, Python, and XML.


The definitions of these are as follows:


MySQL - A popular open source database


Read more about MySQL Hosting


PHP - A server-side scripting language. PHP commands are embedded in a web page's HTML. PHP applications are normally found on Linux servers along with MySQL databases. This provides Linux hosting the same abilities as Windows.


Read more about PHP Hosting


Python - A computer language that is portable, open source, and can be re-sold, despite the fact that it is copyrighted material.


XML- Short for Extensible Markup Language. It is designed for web documents, allowing web designers to customize for maximum efficiency.




What about Linux operating system itself? Simply put, is easy to get. You can download off the internet, cheap CD, or purchase it with full manuals and support less than $150.


The significant difference between Windows and Linux is that the source code is included. The source code is a program written in programming language, which translates automatically into a machine code that a computer understands. The plus on this is that since you have it, you can alter it to do whatever it is that you need your Linux web hosting company to accomplish. Programmers are constantly working to improve Linux. As a result, problems are found and corrected immediately. There are also more reliable uptimes and fewer crashes for your Linux hosting provider, which is great for your business. Upgrades, security, and software issues are all handled with minimal or no disruption to your service.


While most software made for Windows will not run efficiently on Linux, many Linux vendors make versions of the programs that you are accustomed to using with Windows. The systems also have tools and web browsers that are similar to those used on Windows. Linux runs on a wide range of computers, hard disk space, and processors. 

All about WordPress Hosting

Build Better Blogs with a WordPress Web Host

WordPress hosting - or, at least WordPress itself - first came on the scene in 2003, when blogging wasn't nearly the communications phenomenon it is today. WordPress is a primarily a blog publishing application. In other words, you write the blog and WordPress will help you get it up online and looking the way you want it to. To make the publishing as smooth as can be, you'll want to make sure you're on with a WordPress web host.

Many of the top overall hosts do support WordPress, but not all. If you've been blogging for a while, you no doubt know the value WordPress can add to your words. If you're new to the blogging business, well

Let your creativity run wild: It's not just about the words. With WordPress hosting, you can customize your blog. There are thousands of templates and themes available, both through your WordPress web host and the whole wide internet.

Get down to business: Blogging is a great tool for marketing, promotion and building an avid customer base. If you plan well, WordPress can work smoothly with your business web hosting needs to properly position your organization.

Get functional: WordPress hosting allows you access to a huge range of plug-ins, opening even more opportunities to add components and function to your web blog. Want widgets? Prefer polls? Crave comments? There are literally tens of thousands of plugs to add almost anything you can come up with to your blog. WordPress also functions as a content management system, for those who code to take advantage of its capabilities. And with the right WordPress hosting, it'll look great and run smoothly.

For more on blog hosting in general, check out our blog hosting article. 

Apache Web Hosting

How an Apache host can help you

Although Apache web hosting may sound unfamiliar, you've likely visited hundreds of websites powered by an Apache host - and perhaps even used one to launch your own site. Apache is actually at the base of most of the websites online today!

What is Apache?

Apache is an open-source web server platform. A web server platform offers a way to publish content from your computer system onto the Internet.

And what that means is this: Apache is what most web sites (more than 100 million of them, anyway) use to deliver content to you and all the other Internet users out there. When you type in a web address such as Hosting-Review.com, the web server responds, serving up the information to you. Apache has become probably the most widely used web server operating today.

Apache and Apache web hosting have been around since 1995. Back then, it was one of the keys to the initial expansion of the world wide web - by now, the platform is definitely regarded as stable, reliable and practically indispensable.

What is Apache web hosting?

Apache web hosting is a feature of many of today's top web hosts, for the reasons listed above. If you're going to use the Apache web server to help run your website, you want a web hosting company that's going to be able to support you. Find a good Apache host and you'll have a solid foundation on which to build and promote your web site.

Why is Apache web hosting so popular?

Apache has remained solidly in favor among web developers over the years for a number of reasons:

    It's easy to use

    It's not attached to a single operating system: it can be used on both Windows and Linux platforms, for example

    It's secure

    It's an open source program

If it's open source, why do I need an Apache host?

Open source programs are free and available to be used by anyone. Developers and programmers have worked on Apache for years, tweaking and improving it constantly. In order to take full advantage of Apache, though, you will want to make sure your hosting provider offers Apache web hosting. Doing so will ensure simple installation, smooth integration, and any support you may need.

How do I choose an Apache host?

We suggest you start by examining one or more of the Top 10 lists of web hosts that may meet your needs: Business Hosting, E-commerce Hosting, Affordable Hosting or any of the range of others. Check out some of the top hosts listed and see if they also offer Apache web hosting.

Before you choose a web host, you may also want to read one of our resource articles. Have a look at Choose a Web Host, for example, or Top Web Host Companies: Qualities to look for in a web host company. 

Are unlimited hosting services for real

How to evaluate an unlimited web host

Unlimited hosting? Is that even possible?

We're certainly not used to living without limits. Speed limits, transmission limits, bandwidth, storage space, transfer limits, traffic restrictions

Since we're speaking about features, take a close look at the features list. Are you getting unlimited disk space - which you may or may not need - at the expense of a feature or tool you might later need? Are there extra costs for certain add-ons? Unlimited hosting doesn't always apply to every aspect of the hosting business.

Read the Terms of Service to find out what "Unlimited hosting" really means. Is there a limit tucked in there somewhere? A penalty for taking up more than a certain amount of disk space? As we all know, data centers actually do have limits on space and servers, so there has to be a top amount somewhere. Just make sure you know where the penalties are, if there are any.

Face it, most websites actually consume very little by way of bandwidth or disk space, so all the "unlimited" promises in the world don't mean a whole lot. But if you are unsure of upcoming growth and crave easy flexibility, an unlimited web host may be the perfect answer to your worries. As long as you recognize any limits that exist and do your best to avoid them, unlimited hosting may hold unlimited benefits for you. 

Audio Website Hosting

Audio website hosting is becoming more popular, as it is becoming ever easier to record and share music and other recordings over the Internet. An audio web host is not just the domain (excuse the pun) of basement musicians looking to upload their latest experiments - nor is it solely for file-sharing among those with bootlegged copies of concerts or songs.

Audio website hosting can be used effectively by individuals, businesses and organizations, for a wide variety of purposes. A church group may turn to an audio web host to share the weekly sermon for those who couldn't make the service on Sunday. An advocacy group may have a speech to share. How about a seminar or workshop? A podcast of your favorite radio program? What about a little background music on your site? And, of course, to musicians, concert promoters and fans, audio streaming is one of the best online tools to emerge in a long time.

When looking for audio website hosting, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Look for streaming audio. A streaming audio web host will allow your music or other audio file to play almost immediately upon page access. Your site will open with a song, if you like! As well, streaming audio allows site visitors to hear the audio file without having to download it first. In most cases, there is no need for a separate audio player. Streaming audio makes your sound files easier to play, listen and access.

What about streaming video? You may have audio website hosting on your mind, but what about the future? Your band may eventually want to put a video on your site; you may want video with your webinar. Any presentation may benefit from the use of video. Fortunately, most audio web hosts also have video hosting capabilities. It might be worth checking just to be sure, before you sign on.

Disk space. Audio (and video) files are quite large; this is exactly why audio website hosting providers usually offer unlimited or at least significant disk space. As always with the word "unlimited," make sure to read the small print that goes along with it. There are always limits of some kind; make sure you know what they are so you don't get hit with extra fees by your audio web host. Check out Hosting-Reviews Top 10 Unlimited Web Hosting Companies.

Bandwidth/transfer space/traffic. Bandwidth is also an important consideration when choosing an audio website hosting service - this is the feature that ensures your audio file will play smoothly and without interruption. There's nothing more annoying than long pauses in a song or speech you're trying to listen to! Even if your site is quite busy, you want to ensure you have the capacity to deal with demand.

Know the rules. No web developer can take songs or audio files from elsewhere and post them on an audio website hosting site without permission. Copyright rules are important to the people who make their living off these files - and to the community as a whole. In many cases, it's as easy as asking for permission first - this is much better than being hit with a fine or being caught later. Many audio web hosts will, rightly, suspend or cancel your hosting service if copyright laws are blatantly ignored. Stay above board with your audio website hosting and your site will be around for a long time to come. 

b2evolution's Blogging Evolution

b2evolution website hosting truly is the next step in blog web hosting! If you're looking for advanced blogging software - especially if you're looking to run more than one blog on your site - b2evolution website hosting is the way to go.

b2evolution has set itself apart from other blogging tools in a number of ways, including its ease of installation and many features.

Why look for blog web hosting at all?

As outlined in our article on blog web hosting basics, a blog is, quite simply, one of the most effective methods of communicating with your website visitors. It can be interactive through the comments section, be an effective way to add new content, and will keep your visitors and clients coming back. Effective blog publishing can give your website a real personality your readers can relate to.

Why b2evolution website hosting?

A web host offering b2evolution website hosting is important if you want to manage your blog using b2evolution. A b2evolution friendly web host will ensure easy installation of the software (many offer one-click installation) and support Apache, PHP scripts and MySQL databases - all of which provide the foundation of b2evolution.

Why b2evolution?

Broad reach

b2evolution is multi-lingual. Not only is the software actually available in many languages, but it supports blogging in more than one language - even on one site. Unlike some blogging software, it also permits multiple bloggers and allows you to set up and operate more than one blog per site.

Spam filters

b2evolution hosting also offers the advantage of community-wide spam filters. Because b2evolution is open-source software (meaning it's not owned by any one person or business), its users and developers speak freely to one another. They work together to advance the product - and share information on spammers, blacklisting certain IP addresses across the board.

Features

b2evolution website hosting includes file and photo management, private/protected posts, trackback and feedback, multiple blog themes and skins, comments and more. A large number of plug-ins are also available, including some which facilitate full integration with popular multi-media tools such as Gallery2, YouTube and digg.

If you're looking for blog web hosting, consider checking for b2evolution website hosting and get in on the b2evolution blogging evolution!

For top blog web hosting services, visit our Top 10 Blog Hosting Companies list.

For another blog web hosting option, read our article about WordPress blog hosting and check out the Top 10 WordPress hosting list. 

Back up your site with website hosting

Many website hosting companies include website backups as part of their features package. You many notice this benefit - and it is a benefit! - as you read web hosting reviews. But while your website hosting provider may do courtesy backups for free, or specific backups for a small additional fee, it's important you complete your own backups as well.

Why backup?

You probably know the answer to this question, but it bears repeating: you just never know. Your website hosting provider could experience a server crash or a technical difficulty that could wipe out information temporarily or permanently. This is rare, but it does happen. (When you read web hosting reviews, do make note of the information provided about the host's data center and power sources. You want to see redundant power and backup generators. Read our article What's in your data center? for more.)

Of course, it's not just the website hosting service that can mess up. Your own computer may be stolen, crash or suffer damage. No matter how good your website hosting provider, hackers may be able to break in and wreak havoc on your site. If you don't have your precious content saved elsewhere, you may lose huge amounts of data and work.

When to back up

Web hosting reviews may let you know your website hosting provider will do regular backups of your site content, but make sure you know the details. Is this a scheduled event? Are the backups done daily, weekly, monthly or simply whenever the company makes time?

If you've got a busy or frequently changing site, it's a good idea to do complete backups every day. Perhaps you could schedule the backup to run at night or when your site is less busy - whenever you're not working on it.

No doubt, we all have the best intentions when it comes to backing up a site. But those intentions often fall by the wayside when business gets busy. The key is to make backups a routine! If your site is scheduled to back up every day, it's more likely to actually happen.

How to back up

Check web hosting reviews and see if your website hosting service offers advice or backing up support. Check your website hosting company's knowledgebase and support centre as well (if the knowledgebase is searchable, search for "backup" and "back up"). You'll find that many basic features, especially top-quality site builders, offer a backup feature. Using these, you can perform a backup copy of all your data files and then download this onto your computer. Web hosting reviews should give you some extra insight into the site builders available through your chosen host.

cPanel hosting will also have features that allow you to back up MySQL databases. You may also use an FTP client to download copies of all your files from the host server. This is also important in case you ever decide to switch website hosting companies.

You can back up the data on your computer or, better, on an external hard drive, DVD or tape. There are also backup services you may subscribe to, if you're looking for more options.

As always, start with web hosting reviews and see what your website hosting service offers. You might be surprised! Most top website hosting providers do their best to ensure your data is always secure. 

Basic design tools and website hosting

You've done some research into website hosting services and you may have already chosen the best web hosting service for you. For first-time website developers and owners, another big hurdle is getting a website vision onto the web page.

Fortunately, there are a number of design tools that can make the job easier for you. Some may even be included in your web hosting package. The best web hosting companies will present you with access to features and tools to get your site ready to launch as quickly as possible!

FrontPage

Spurred on by the popularity of Microsoft FrontPage, some website hosting companies now include FrontPage as part of their best web hosting packages. FrontPage is considered both easy-to-use (there's no need to know any HTML coding if you use the basic level "what you see is what you get" design tools) but flexible enough for more advanced designers. For those who are already familiar with Microsoft's interface, this may be a good choice for you. Check out our reviews of the Top 10 FrontPage Hosting Companies. Read more in our article on FrontPage hosting.

Dreamweaver

Adobe's Dreamweaver has been on the market since 1997 and it's been a leader in easy-to-use web design pretty much since the get-go. Dreamweaver makes website design point-and-click doable (great for beginners). It also provides great website management tools and basic page layout template options. If you want to use Dreamweaver, the best web hosting company for you will fully support this option. For more, read Easy Web Design With Dreamweaver Hosting.

Soholaunch

Billed as a website builder for business, Soholaunch can be equally useful for personal sites. This well-reviewed package makes it easy to add shopping carts, forms, photo albums and more. The actual building of your website with Soholaunch is an easy step-by-step process. With hundreds of customizable templates, Soholaunch is perfect for website creation and updating.

Site Builder

This is another easy-to-use tool, included with many website hosting packages. You can use SiteBuilder with no coding or HTML knowledge, and there is a simple step-by-step process laid out before you. Again, there are customizable templates for you to use for your personal orbusiness site.

If you'd like to read more about some popular programming scripts - they can be used to help build you website - please take a few additional minutes to read our articles and consult our reviews for the best website host for :

    Java and JSP hosting

    PHP script and PHP Hosting

    ASP scripting and ASP website hosting

A little research into the various web design packages will help you select the best web hosting service for you! Take a look at our Top 10 Overall Website Hosting companies are get started!

Basic web page elements

Many of the top web hosting companies will provide you with one or more tools to help you design your website simply and quickly.

For a refresher, have a look at our article on Basic design tools for details on Dreamweaver hosting, FrontPage hosting and others.

There are a few basic design elements and terms you should know as you plan your web page. You will likely come across these as you research the various domain hosting and design options.

Page Title: This displays at the top of your web browser. You'll want to choose words that effectively describe your site/business and include keywords you will want to rank for. This is very important! Some of the top web hosting providers also will provide learning resources about keywords and search engine optimization (SEO).

Fonts: These are the typefaces you will use for the text on your website. Choose one or two for regular text and another for your headlines. You want them to be consistent! Many fonts makes for a messy page.

Bookmarks and links: Used for internal jumps within a page, or to help visitors navigate between pages in your site. Check out the domain hosting provider's website for examples of how this can work. Links are used in three ways:

?    to link between different places on one long page

?    to link between pages on your site

?    to link between a page on your site and another site

 HTML or Hypertext Markup Language: This is the code that you use to make your regular text file show up as a dynamic web site. It's the language read by all web browsers and involves "tagging" certain words to indicate paragraph breaks, font styles, where graphics should be inserted and so on. A knowledge of HTML is a plus when you're trying to design a website, but beginners can take comfort in knowing that top web hosting companies will offer you a site building tool such as FrontPage or Dreamweaver, which will allow you to design web pages without knowing HTML.

Text: You don't need to know anything about domain hosting to know what text is! But remember, visitors to your website probably don't want to be overwhelmed with words and text. Think carefully about what you post on-line and use words effectively. Keep it to the point!

Graphics: Similarly, plan your graphics carefully. All top web hosting providers will likely give you enough disk space and bandwidth to display as many graphics as you want, as long as you're smart about it! Graphic elements may also include photo galleries and Flash animation. The only limit to the way your webpage will look is your imagination.

Blog Website Hosting

Blog website hosting has changed considerably over the few years it's really been on the scene. What seemed to start as a diary for opinionated web surfers with too much time on their hands has become a valuable marketing and communication tool.

Even e-tailers, e-commerce web hosts and other businesses can benefit from the addition of a blog. Here are five good reasons to get a blog up and running on your business site:

1. Get to know your customers. And let them get to know you. By putting a personality up on your page, you become more than a product or service. Blog website hosting can allow you to interact with your clients - talk about what's important to you at the moment, invite comments and respond to these comments. One of the problems with Internet business in general is the lack of human or face-to-face contact. By talking directly to and with your clients, you overcome some of the cold and impersonal nature of the web.

2. Become an expert. By launching a blog and speaking as a professional, you immediately gain credibility. As people get to know you, they'll start to trust you, your recommendations and your thoughts. This can only boost your business potential and power.

3. Promotion. Use your blog to promote new products you're offering, especially if you're using an e-commerce web host. Talk about the good, bad and ugly on the marketplace. Use your blog website hosting capabilities to increase excitement about upcoming events, services, in-store promotions, sales or just about anything at all. Your blog website hosting service may also allow you to send out regular newsletters or email alerts - use these, in turn, to draw attention to your own blog.

You can also invite guest bloggers to contribute - in exchange for a position on other websites. By cross-promoting yourself this way, you are definitely using blog website hosting to the max.

4. Customer service. Whether it's e-commerce web hosting or not, customers do love to see that they're being listened to. What better way to prove you're responsive than by addressing customer concerns or comments directly in your blog? The important thing about blog website hosting to remember: if you encourage customer interaction and request questions, ensure you are able to respond in a timely manner. Otherwise, you've just lost as much as you could have gained

Build an e-commerce site

E-commerce hosting packages will offer you a number of tools that could prove vital to the success of your e-business. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you plan your e-commerce site and search for a web hosting  provider.

Domain name

The very first thing you need is a name! You need a business name, of course, but you'll also need to search out a domain name that fits your product or service. Most web hosting providers provide a domain name search service; use it to test out various names. Your first choice may not be available, so be creative and be flexible. When looking for e-commerce hosting, you want a name that is easy to remember (and spell!) and gives clients an accurate picture of what you are selling.

Pick an available and creative domain name and you're off and running!

Choose a web host

Selecting an e-commerce hosting service can be an overwhelming process. Take your time and do some research. To start, check out the reviews of our top 10 e-commerce hosting companies for suggestions.

When you're looking at various web hosting providers, it is important to keep your level of experience in mind. If this is your first e-commerce hosting experience and the first time you've designed a website, you'll want to ensure your web hosting provider offers a site builder (such as Dreamweaver or FrontPage) that is easy-to-use and comes with customizable templates.

You also want to make sure the e-commerce hosting features the host offers are sufficient to meet your business plan - and make sure that you are aware of any extra fees that may come along as you grow.

Shopping cart

As your customers peruse your site, they'll want a shopping cart to keep track of their purchases. OpenCart, ZenCart, ShopSite and osCommerce are just a few of the options. Read our article on the most popular shopping carts offered by web hosting providers for more information.

Security

Your customers deserve the best in secure shopping. You can provide this through SSL (secure socket layer) security. This should be offered by most e-commerce hosting companies. While purchasing a SSL may involve a yearly subscription fee, it is essential to effectively encrypting a customer's personal and credit card data.

These are just a few of the basic tools you'll want to consider when choosing an ecommerce hosting service.

For more important points to keep in mind, read our article on choosing an e-commerce website hosting provider.

Building your e-commerce business

The work behind business hosting doesn't stop on launch day. All websites require constant maintenance to stay sharp and relevant. But if you're running an e-commerce site, the job is even more important. You'll need extra skills and specific web hosting tools to take your site to the next level.

Analytics

Many business hosting packages come complete with web site analytics software. Learn to use it! This can help you track the traffic coming to your site - where it comes from, when people leave and which pages they visit. The analytics can also help you find out which keywords customers are using to find you.

All of this information can help you develop your future web hosting plans. Which website pages need to be fixed up? Which ones are working well? Which links are people following? This is all great information you'll need for successful business hosting.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a major skill unto itself. Some business hosting packages will include SEO services, but no matter which web hosting provider you select, SEO is important for you to know about, and use to your advantage. SEO can help you rank higher in search engines naturally. This means more traffic and potential customers for you.

It will pay to do quality SEO research. Think carefully about which keywords you are choosing to rank for, write good copy, and use keywords well.

Marketing

Your business hosting package may come with other tools you can use to help market your site and your products. Your web hosting service may submit your website to search engines - if it does not, you must do this in order to be recognized.

Another great marketing tool offered by most business hosting services is the capability to manage a newsletter. Getting people to sign up for a regular newsletter is a great way to build a database of customer contacts, as well as communicating all the latest news with your audience.

Other packages may offer you credits towards different search engine marketing programs, such as Google Adwords or Yahoo. These could prove valuable - but if you're not careful, you'll blast through your credits in no time. Do some research and contact your web hosting service for full details.

Fresh content

Although we've spoken about this before, it can't be repeated enough. If you want repeat visitors, you must keep your business site fresh! Add new products (or at least feature different ones on the front page regularly) and information to encourage client loyalty.

Just like any business, creating and growing a great e-commerce site requires constant work and vigilance. But with a quality business hosting service and a little e-commerce and web hosting know-how, you'll be off and running.

Business Web Hosting

Important Features in Business Web Site Hosting

Your business web hosting plan needs to offer specific features to help you gain a competitive edge. After all, to be competitive, your business website should do more than simply provide visitors with information. If your business will do any direct selling, marketing, or offer free downloads to visitors, here are some specific features that you'll want to have included in your business website hosting package:

    Mailing list management programs (list server) - A mailing list program maintains a subscriber database for a mailing list that distributes messages to those listed in the database. It is a feature that offers the creation and management of automated mailing lists, and as part of your business web hosting plan, it can be a valuable marketing and revenue producing element in your online activity.

    Statistical data on visitors - Make sure that your business website hosting plan provides you with the information you need on your visitors. This goes far beyond a simple counter. You want reports that come in a variety of formats (charts, graphs, listings) to help you understand your website activity.

    Autoresponders - An email utility that automatically replies to an email message with a "form letter" response. Also called mailbots, emailbots, or email-on-demand, autoresponders can capture the contact information of inquiring visitors. This information is then automatically entered into your prospect database. Having this feature available through your business web hosting plan allows you to easily distribute newsletters, survey customers, make company announcements, or deliver training materials.

     

    Security - To accept payment online, you'll need to have a protocol that encrypts data transfers in your business web hosting package. You'll want to ask potential business website hosting providers about the availability of SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Security. It will protect data transfers and confirm identities, saving you and your visitors from the destruction of hackers.

    Anonymous FTP - Most business website hosting plans offer File Transfer Protocol (FTP), which is the ability to download files from your server. If you want your visitors to have access to free downloads without a password or other identification, you want Anonymous FTP. This will create fewer steps for your visitors, maximizing the "user friendly" capabilities of your site.

Your business web hosting plan is one of the major ingredients of your business plan. Make a list of your business needs. Don't take for granted that your business web hosting company can offer the features you need to conduct your planned activities, and ensure you choose the right business website hosting package for your needs. 

Business Web Hosting on a Budget

Finding a business web host to meet your needs

It's pretty clear that in today's day and age, it's vital for any business to have a web presence. Business website hosting is a small investment for the rewards you and your company stand to gain on the other side.

Not convinced? Read our article on Why your business needs a website for more information.

But what exactly is the investment? If you're a business owner, you know the demands that are already on your time and budget...and you probably don't have much of either to spare. With a good business web host by your side, launching and maintaining a business website doesn't have to break the bank or keep you up all night.

Here's what to expect:

Business website hosting:

This doesn't need to cost a bundle, but you do need to sign on with a good business web host in order to publish your site. Read web hosting reviews and compare the options: you need a business web host that is reliable, secure and won't crash out on you.

At the very least, you need enough disk space for your site and enough bandwidth to enable you to manage your web traffic. Check out our list of Top 10 Business Hosting Companies and compare. You'll find a solid business web host for under $8 a month (maybe even under $4). If you're just starting out, shared web hosting will likely do; if you have a major site or hefty traffic demands, you may want to look at VPS or dedicated server hosting.

Of course you don't want to skimp either. Ensure you know what to look for in a business web host before you commit to anything.

Website design:

You're a business owner and we don't have to tell you that time is money! If you have basic web design skills, it may save you a bundle to put together your site on your own. If you don't know what you're doing (and don't have time to learn), it may be faster and even cheaper in the end to hire a designer to get you up and running.

A complex site by a professional designer could cost thousands; you can probably get away with much less than that for a good-looking, functional site. Just make sure the end product does look good - no site is better than a site that doesn't work or looks cheap.

Website maintenance:

How much this costs will again depend entirely on your site. When you are designing your site, though, try to ensure that there are features you can update regularly in-house. You want to keep your site fresh and interesting to encourage repeat visitors, but you don't want to rack up daily bills.

Most business website hosting providers will support blogs and community forums. Learn how to use these. Writing a blog can put you in direct contact with your customers, and once you're in the habit of doing it, it won't take you much time at all. A professional web designer's work will cost you by the hour, so the more you can take care of yourself, the better. Make this clear when you are planning the design of your site.

E-commerce

As you select your business web host, examine their e-commerce support. Is there enough available with the included e-commerce package? Or are there going to be further expenses along the road? This is important information to have; using e-commerce hosting reviews can certainly help. Read our article on e-commerce hosting for more information about what to look for in an e-commerce host.

Disk space and bandwidth

Not sure how much you need? Many business website hosting services offer unlimited bandwidth and disk space.  Make sure to read the fine print but, in general, this option will provide you with more than enough of both for your site.

Businesss Website Hosting

Business website hosting is big business in itself these days. It's enough to make you wonder what is high-pressure advertising and what could be a distinct advantage to you and your shop or service offering. Is business web hosting really necessary?

The short answer is yes.

No matter what type of business you own or operate, a website will serve you well. These days, most people would rather head to an online search engine and find a business listing than look in a phonebook. They don't want to call and ask about business hours, location or what kind of services you offer. Savvy consumers also tend to research online before heading out to a store or office - if you're not on the web, you may miss out on many opportunities.

Picking the best web hosting service will ensure you give current and potential customers and clients a good snapshot of who you are and what you do. Like it or not, the Internet is today's leading communication tool and you would be doing yourself and your business operations a disservice by not taking advantage of it

Business website hosting can:

    Offer customers, clients and partners background on your businesses

    Make a good first impression

    Clearly offer information such as contact, location, hours and products/services offered

    Answer basic customer questions

    Project a professional, trustworthy image

    Allow you the potential to do business online, even if that is not currently your priority

    Get your brand out there

    Expand your market - going global is easy online

    Let you communicate with your customers or the public. Even when your store is not open, customers can contact you over email. You can post news events, promote items or encourage feedback. The best web hosting will offer you a lot of options, from blogs to podcasts to forums.

For more on business website hosting, read our article on Important Features in Business Website Hosting.

When looking for the best web hosting option for your business, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

Your site should look professional

If you don't have the skills to design a solid website or the time to learn how, invest a little money in someone who does. Many of the best web hosting companies have in-house design staff that is quite reasonably priced.

Your website doesn't have to be huge or complex, but it should give visitors a sense of your business - who you are and what you do. Use business website hosting to project a professional image. This means ensuring all the links work, the design reflects your vision - and it doesn't look like it was thrown together in a rush or on the cheap. Business website hosting should be classy, reliable and accessible.

Your site should answer all the basic questions

If nothing else, a customer should be able to count on your website to give the basic info about your store or office: where is it located (ideally include a map)? What are the hours? Exactly what do you offer? And so on.

E-commerce capability

Even if you are not officially selling anything online (yet), it's a good idea to have ecommerce support. You never know when you may want to advertise online or sell a service. The key when selecting business website hosting is to think ahead and keep your options open.