Beginner`s Guide to Web Hosting

Not too long ago, I was a newcomer to the web hosting, and I can clearly recall the utter confusion and frustration I felt at how inaccessible the whole process seemed. For most beginners, and especially those getting a bit of a late start, the seemingly endless lists of specialized, technical terms and different options available are almost enough to make a person wash their hands of the whole thing. With all of the options available in the web hosting industry these days, it is understandable that hosting newcomers often find themselves feeling lost and confused. Before you decide to give up, however, it is important to understand that web hosting is not an inherantly difficult venture, but actually a quite easy one, and in the sections that follow, we at HostSearch will provide you with the information you need to get your site up and running in no time!

Step One: Choosing a Domain Name
The first step in getting your web site ready for the web is selecting and registering a domain name. This name will serve as your online identity, and help your visitors remember what your site is about. For more details on Domain name selection, please feel free to check our Domain Registration section.

Step Two: Creating Your Website
Once you have successfully registered your domain name, the next step is to create your website to give it the look and feel you want. When coming up with a design for your website, it is extremely important to do a good deal of research to see what works for a website like yours, and what doesn`t. If you are a true beginner, you may want to consider hiring a design company to help you create your web pages. For more information on the basics of site design, please feel free to check out our article Ten Tips to a Better Web Design.

Step Three: Choosing Your Host
After you have finished your site, the next step is to choose a server for your site that makes the most sense for both your site and your budget. Choosing a server is a relatively complicated process, and one which requires a great deal of research. The best way to start is by making a preliminary search for the type of host you want, and then reading reviews on the hosts that the search engine turned up. For more information, see our article " to make things easier, you can check out following HostSearch Showcases.

Low Cost Hosting
Unix Hosting
Windows NT/2000 Hosting
E-commerce Hosting
Dedicated Servers Hosting
Reseller Hosting

Step Four: Uploading Your Site
Once you have selected your host of choice, the next step to getting your site up on the web is uploading your page, text, and image files to your server. With most sites, you will need to use an FTP program, which these days are relatively simple. The role of an FTP program is to upload your created web pages, text, and image files to your server. Once you have uploaded your files, your page files will then be served to users who enter your site. Some of the more popular programs are Cute FTP and WSFTP. Once you have successfully uploaded your files and pages to the web, your site will be up and running!

Step Five: Promoting Your Site
Ok, so now your site is up on the web, you can sit back and relax, browsing your beautifully crafted web pages, right? Wrong. Simply having a functional web site on the Internet is only the first step down the long and winding road to web success. In order to make sure your site enjoys the best chances of success, it is essential that you do your fair share of promotion. Before you go out and start passing out flyers or putting up billboards, make sure you register you site with the major search engines.