To be successful in the long term, a business must choose the best web hosting service for their particular set of circumstances. There are many criteria to consider when choosing a web hosting service; some are obvious and measurable (e.g., cost and guaranteed uptime), while other criteria (e.g., customer support) are more subtle and subjective.
 This TechRepublic cheat sheet will explain what web hosting is, why it could benefit your business, and what features you should consider when choosing your web hosting service partner.

Advanced features like scripting support, shopping cart processing infrastructure, and guaranteed uptime will vary depending on the web hosting company. These additional and advanced features are what separate one web hosting service from another and will be the factors that determine which service is right for your business needs.

1. Always Keep a Backup Plan

Always have a backup plan for web hosting providers. If you experience significant and ongoing problems with your hosting service, you will want to have an alternate already researched. If you are without service for more than a day, start immediately putting your backup plan into action. This will save you the potential for even longer delays if your provider has serious problems.

2. Don’t Fall For Unlimited Hosting Options

Don’t purchase a web hosting plan just because it offers unlimited disk space or bandwidth. Compare these plans with plans that offer a reasonable amount of space and bandwidth to determine which is the best plan for your needs. Sometimes plans that offer a finite amount of space or bandwidth are better for your particular needs than plans that offer unlimited quantities of space or bandwidth.

3. Expensive Hosts Are Not Mandatory

To get the most profit possible from your website, take a close look at web hosting outfits that want your business. You can purchase web hosting from anywhere from $0.5-$60 monthly. Higher prices do not always translate into more reliable service, either. While some expensive hosts may provide more bandwidth, they may have just as much–or more–downtime than less expensive hosts.

Don’t Go For Cheapest Make sure that you factor in the price of a host when selecting one. If you’ve ever heard that something is just too good to be true, then it likely is. This applies to web hosting. You shouldn’t purchase a cheap web hosting plan. When a plan is extremely low in cost, then it likely won’t provide high-quality hosting. Therefore, purchase a service that provides a reasonable price for the quality that you expect.

4. Choose Different Companies For Domain and Hosting