Web hosting tips for graphic designers

Top tips for web hosting and domain name registration

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should give some pointers for designers when looking for a web hosting company to host their sites.

Bandwidth & disk space

How many visitors will you be getting? It's always worth comparing a number of web hosts for a good deal and checking that they also offer a reasonable upgrade path should you require more disk space or bandwidth later on. On the other hand a webhost that advertises unlimited bandwidth is possibly overstretching itself.

Reliability and customer support

It is always difficult to check a web host's reliability beforehand. Of course, personal recommendations are always a good starting point. At the very least, check that the hosting firm will allow monthly payments, and not demand a yearly subscription.

It is also worth sending a couple of pre-sales emails beforehand and seeing how quick and open the responses are from the hosting company. Another tip is to see if the web host has a public and customer discussion forum. If so, it's worth monitoring that for a while to see if customer comments are positive and if negative comments are deleted, rather than responded to.

Public web hosting discussion boards, such as Web Hosting Talk, are always a rich source of information. Although, it is worth being aware that anyone can post a message on a public forum.

Once a shortlist of potential web hosting companies has been drawn up, it may be worth Googling for information about them. Many companies have disgruntled customers, but if there is a consistent theme it may be worth taking that on board.

Server hosting technology, scripts and bundled packages

Perhaps less important for designers simply wanting to host a portfolio site. But if you are used to providing certain services for clients using specific scripts, it will be worth checking that the web host is happy with those scripts and support your favorite technology, be it PHP, ASP, mySQL databases, or whatever. Some designers may also have a preference for Linux or Windows servers.

Additionally, many web hosting accounts come with a client control panel which allows you to add and change all sorts of settings on an account. The most common one is CPanel, but many companies will provide their own. Some also provide tools such as Fantastico which allows you to install a number of useful scripts, without having much technical knowledge. Reseller accounts will generally have either Web Host Manager (WHM) or Plesk.

The web hosting company should also provide the ability to back up your web site with ease. Cpanel has this ability built in, but if the host has their own control panel it's worth asking this question before parting with any money.

Domain names

Top of the list for domain name tips is never buy your domains from the same registrar that hosts your web site. If that company goes bust, or you have a falling out with them, you can always point your domains at a new web host and get your site up and running again quickly.

And before choosing a domain registrar, check what their policy is for moving domain names. Some companies will try and charge you to move a domain name away from them. For these reasons is is crucial to check that a domain registrar will give you full access to your domain registration details, including the owner details, administration and technical contact details.

We will be adding to these tips regularly.

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