A company or organization that says it “hosts” websites is simply letting you know that a number of websites are stored on their server, which is a large, central computer system. When your website is stored on a particular server, this is where your domain name will send all visitors. Internet surfers from any location can type in your domain name (such as www.greatcompany.com) and be routed to the server that hosts your site. The host server will then allow the surfer to open the information on your site and explore.

For a company’s server to host your website, you will usually need to own your own domain. While some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) will offer to give you free website on their server; these are not for commercial use. Read the fine print, and you will find that you can not use the free website “for profit or trade or to advertise goods or services.” If you are using a free website, it will usually make the money required to host your site by posting their own advertising somewhere on your website in the form of a frame or banner. These sites will also include their name somewhere in the domain address, such as www.internetprovider.com/greatcompany. While this may seem less expensive in the short term, it creates a less professional image than having your own domain name, and ensures that you retain complete control of what appears on your website.

When you pay for a company to host your website, you will get exceptional service because this is usually the only thing the company does. By focusing on hosting websites, they continually improve their service and generally have more powerful, more reliable servers. If there is a problem, they will help you immediately because you are why they exist – you are not just a tag-along to a site that has other issues to manage.

Security with a paid host site is the best in the business, with plenty of features to protect your privacy and your company’s information. Host companies will also help you set up and manage online stores and hidden administrative features that aren’t available with a free ISP website. If you will be conducting business on the Internet through your website, paying a monthly or yearly fee to a hosting company is the way to go. It will give you professional, reliable service and peace of mind along with expert help whenever needed.

  Why redesign your website? ... Read
  Web hosting basics. ... Read
  Why your website looks funny in some browsers. ... Read
  "CC" and Spam emails. ... Read
  Why use a website designer? ... Read
  What's a domain name? ... Read
  Clear your cache! ... Read