Web hosting is more affordable and easier to get started with than ever before. This is partially thanks to the hundreds of web companies that now compete for the business of the average consumer and currently offer low cost web hosting that is simple enough for anyone to use. Now, small businesses, organizations, or even individuals who want a website can take advantage of affordable hosting packages that don’t require any computer experience to set up and have rates as low as five dollars per month. In fact, many web hosting companies offer low cost web hosting packages that regular customers can have up and running in an afternoon. However, if you aren’t familiar with how web hosting works, it’s probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with some web hosting terms before you sign up for a package, in order to get the web hosting package that is right for you.
If you want to sign up for an all-inclusive service with a web hosting company, the first two things you need to know about are disk space and bandwidth (sometime referred to as monthly data transfer). Simply put, disc space is the amount of storage space that a web hosting company will let you have on their server. The server is the web hosting company’s computer where they store all of your files for your web site. Disk storage generally comes in gigabytes, so in order to determine how much disk space you need, add up the total amount of bytes in the files you wish to store on the server’s hard drive. This figure will let you know how much disk space to purchase. If you don’t know how to do this, all web hosting companies have live customer service reps that can help you. The bandwidth (data transfer) refers to the amount of data that viewers can download per month from your site. If you buy a cheap web hosting package, the amount of bandwidth you receive per month usually corresponds to the amount of disk space you are purchasing.
The next thing to think about is your domain name. The domain name of your website is the unique address that your website will have so that anyone can find it on the Internet. Web hosting companies now usually offer free domain names even with their cheap web hosting packages. They usually retain the rights to the name, but you can use the name as long as you stay with the same web hosting company. After that, most web hosting companies let you purchase it for yourself. Remember, the ownership of your domain name expires every year, so you always have to repurchase it in order to retain the right to use it.
You’ll also notice the word ‘site builder’ used in a lot of advertising. This simply refers to the software that you will use to load and edit text, graphics, flash, audio, and video onto your site. Web sites used to have to be built from the ground up. This meant learning a lot of computer code and understanding how to apply it. Gradually, site building programs like FrontPage and Dreamweaver were introduced and made site building easier for the average person. Now, most low cost web hosting packages come with a free point-and-click site builder, along with professional graphics like those from software like Coppermine. So absolutely anyone can build a professional looking website with no computer skills whatsoever.
Other terms to become familiar with are some of the scripting and software that comes with cheap web hosting packages these days. This includes PHP, MySQL, FTP, Apache, Fantastico, Python, Java, Joomla, Cron, ASP, CGI, and Ruby on Rails. These scripting programs are only mentioned here because if you see these features mentioned and don’t know what they mean, don’t worry. Most cheap web hosting packages also come with tutorials and online help if you have questions about these scripts and how you can use them. Besides, if you are a newbie and just put up a simple site, you will have plenty of time to learn about these advanced scripting programs later on.
All in all, web hosting is now accessible and affordable for everyone who wants a website. All you need to get started is a basic knowledge and understanding of web hosting terms. This is because most cheap web hosting companies provide free point-and-click site builders, software wizards, and 24/7 customer service. Whether you own a small business or just want to set up a personal site, it is easier and cheaper than ever to get a presence on the Internet.
