There are many competing webhosts on the Internet. Some are low cost, some are not.
When selecting a webhost, some requirements are universal. For instance, you should look
for webhosts that guarantee 99% uptime or better and perform regular backups, and that provide
the most features for the price.
You also need to determine the type of applications you need and whether the webhost offers
those applications and an operating system platform on which to run them. Apache servers
running on the Linux operating system platform may be unable to
run Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) or provide Microsoft Access database
capability. Normally, such capabilities require a Microsoft Windows-based server. There are
third-party software applications that can allow Linux-based servers to provide such features,
but many webhosts consider the additional cost unnecessary for their target market,
and so do not offer these services.
Support services are another issue. Whether sales support or technical support, this is your
lifeline when problems arise (and they will). Quality, knowledgeable support staff should
be readily available by chat, email, and telephone. Unfortunately, my experience has been that
too often support staff is difficult to reach. If chat is available, it may be staffed by
personnel whose sole function is to set up a service ticket for tech support response -- and
even when you receive the response, the Level 1 Tech may only know basic information and
fail to fully read or comprehend your problem (which results in numerous emails and wasted time
as you continue to explain until you are understood or until you are finally forwarded to
a Level 2 Tech).
For almost a year now, Arvixe has been my webhost. Unbelievably, I found that I only had to
pay one low fee for all my websites (I have several), along with unlimited email accounts,
unlimited bandwidth, unlimited ftp transfers, etc. (individual plans may vary and offers may be
subject to change). I recently moved from the monthly plan to the biannual plan in order
to get the deepest discount (prices vary depending on the hosting plan and services you choose).
I am saving a substantial amount versus plans with previous webhosts while getting more of
the features I need and the support service I believe should be expected.
[Full Disclosure: I am an Arvixe compensated affiliate.]
I also recently became an Arvixe compensated affiliate. I did not make this decision lightly.
I try to engage in such relationships only when I am comfortable with the quality of the
product or service that I am making available to visitors of my website.
During the time I have used Arvixe, I have found the quality to be
unparalleled in my experience.
Chat and phone support personnel are quite knowledgeable and can often fix your problem or
answer your question without resorting to email. In one case, a phone call to support resulted
in a request for me to leave a voice mail. I declined, opting to try again later. Arvixe support
actually called me back! When is the last time you had
that happen?
When email is necessary, the support team is fast to respond and easy to work with. On one
occasion, I was trying to do something I had never done before, and I couldn't figure
out why it wasn't working even though everything looked right. Level 2 Tech support personnel
were also at a loss. As a result, I was actually elevated to upper management level to solve my
problem! The solution was supplied quickly and professionally.
I really can't say enough good things about my experience with Arvixe. I plan to be with
them for a very long time.
2011.0324 Update
I am still an Arvixe user and an Arvixe affiliate. I continue to be impressed with the
price, level, and quality of service I have received.
A lot of individuals and small businesses use their ISP-provided email accounts or use free email
accounts (such as Gmail) for digital communications. There is certainly nothing wrong with that,
but I believe having your own domain gives your email address "that extra something." This is
particularly true if you are the owner of a micro to small business.
Let's face it, little guys have to look like big guys to compete in business, and the Internet
is the great equalizer that allows them to do just that. You need your own domain, and you need
a webhosting account. Here's a couple of reasons why.
First, you need to create a unified presence for all your business email accounts. If you have
employees, or want to have different email addresses for different departments
(HR, Purchasing, etc.), they should all end in
your domain name, not someone else's.
You also need to have control of all your business email accounts to ensure that you know
where communications with vendors, customers, etc. go when you have employee turnover. Having your
own domain and webhosting account allows you to disable ex-employee email accounts and forward
incoming
emails elsewhere. You can then delete these accounts after a smooth transition.
Second, you need a website. A website ending in "wordpress.com/[your business name]" is okay, but a website
ending in "[your business name].com" (.net, .org, etc.) is better -- and Arvixe hosts several blogging
software packages including WordPress, PostNuke, and b2evolution.
For website owners with more advanced needs, Arvixe has both Apache/Linux servers and
Microsoft IIS/ASP.Net servers. This means web design packages such as Microsoft Expression Suite,
Adobe Creative Suite, CoffeeCup, and others can be used to create feature-rich content in scripting
formats such as HTML, VBScript, PHP, ASP, and others. Arvixe also hosts various software packages
for forum hosting, shopping carts (including some with built-in PayPal support), and other needs.
Arvixe recently won
Host Review's 2011 Annual
Web Hosting Readers Choice Award and took third place for Best Affordable Hosting. They
also ranked second in the March awards for Fastest Growing Hosting Company. Based on my experience,
I highly recommend you take a look at Arvixe for your domain and webhosting needs.
