SEO Eazy

All of the main files for your website will be stored on your web hosts servers, which run 24/7 and have various levels of onsite security measures in place. It is important to back up your files as hard drive failures in servers are common, and this could mean that some or all of the updates you make to your website, or even your entire website filing itself could be lost if the worst happens.

When you sign up to a web host it is important to check their server site security and technology policies very carefully, and ensure that they have a good reputation for quality service. Web hosts should back up their servers at least once a week to another hard drive, and preferably one off site just in case the main server site is affect by environmental problems such as fire or flood, or is breached by hackers intent on stealing and corrupting the data the server contains (including customer Internet files).

Back up Your Own Data
It is also important to back up your own copies of your website files including your SQL/database, and you should do this not only to your own computer but also to a remote hard drive as well. This is important just in case something happens to your main system, such as it is stolen, damaged or infected by a virus which renders it non-operational.

If you have backed up your files then you will keep any disruptions to your website to a minimum. You can back up files easily to your computer and remote hard drive through FTP programs, or if you have shell access you can copy the entire HTML directory and download it to your system for saving.

If you are having problems with your website back up files you should contact your web host as soon as possible to ensure they have the latest up to date version in their back up records.

Website owners may find they need to change web hosts at some point in the future, either to take advantage of cheaper deals or simply because their website has grown too large for their current hosting package. This is where the importance of registering your own domain name comes in, as if you have allowed your web host to register your domain name on your behalf then it may not actually be in your name and so you will have no legal right to take it with you when you change web hosts.

This can be a huge problem if you have already built up a successful website, especially if you are running an online business and want to ensure continuity when you move to a new web host.

Registering Domain Names
It is very easy to register your own domain name, and you simply go to one of the specialist websites that deal with domain name registration such as GoDaddy , then check your domain name is not already in use and register it. You will need to pay a small charge to register a domain name, and you can register from 1 year (around $5) to 10 years (around $80) at a time, and this is one of the reasons why it can be tempting to let your web host do this for you as they normally offer to do it for free.

However in the long run it is makes much better business sense to ensure you own your own domain name legally and outright. This means that when you want to move hosts you can do take your domain name with you without any hassle, and also if someone offers to buy your domain name in the future you will be legally entitled to sell it and keep the proceeds.

If you want to run your own website you will need a domain name, and this is the URL address of your website so should be relevant to the content of your site. For example if you are offering any free software download services then this should be indicated by your domain name, so something like ‘freesoftwareforyou.com’ or ‘freedownloads.com’ would be ideal.

There are literally millions of websites on the Internet these days so finding a domain name that has not already been used can be tricky and you may have to add hyphens and additional words such as ‘free-software-downloads.com’. You can also try buying a domain name if it already exists, and you can do this through domain name reselling websites, or by contacting a website owner directly and asking if they would be willing to sell to you.

Most web hosts offer domain name searching facilities, and you can use these to check and see if your choice of name has already been taken or not. Once you have decided on a name you just need to register it with one of the official online domain name registration websites such as godaddy or dotster.

How much are Domain Names Worth?
There is no set guide to working out the cost of an existing domain name, but as a general rule those that end ‘.com’ or ‘.co.uk’ are worth more than those will less common prefixes such as ‘.org’ or ‘.biz’. Also the shorter and snappier the domain name the more sought after it is and therefore the more expensive, so those with just a couple of words and no hyphens will fetch the best prices. For example ‘searchme.com’ recently exchange hands for $15,000, but ‘search-me.org’ would probably only be worth a fraction of this cost.

Shared web hosting is a popular choice for many website owners, as it provides you with a very quick, easy and affordable way to build and publish your website. Shared web hosting is basically when a company rents out space on its servers to other users so that they can store all of their Internet files, and most web hosts also provide basic web design software so that clients can design, build, publish and run their websites all from the same account.

Benefits of Web Hosting
The main benefit of signing up to a shared web hosting service is that it gives you an affordable and easy way in which to run single or multiple websites, and you will not have to worry about the costs of running and maintaining your own dedicated server. Shared web hosting also provides an easy way for you to get access to basic web design software, so that you can create and build your own professional looking websites, even if you do not have any experience using computer scripting and programming. Another key benefit to shared web hosting is the amount of technical support that is available. This is essential for beginners as you will most likely need quite a bit of help to design, build and publish your website to start with, and shared web hosting accounts offer a good mix of both online support through informative websites that provide FAQs and searchable knowledge bases, and also direct 24 hr telephone support.

Costs of Shared Web hosting
Shared web hosting is the cheapest way in which you can run your own website, and basic shared packages are available from as little as $4.99 per month. Some companies even offer completely free shared web hosting services, but these will be very limiting in terms of design, features and bandwidth so are not suitable if you intend to run a business online or create a successful blog.