Shared Hosting is the most common form of website hosting offering a cost effective and convenient solution for small to medium sized websites. In shared hosting, the web hosting provider is responsible for the maintenance, management and security of a server which will house many websites. As the server is shared, the server management/maintenance fees to the web hosting provider are also shared making it an extremely cost effective option.
Things to look for in shared hosting plans
Disk Space and Bandwidth size will not be big considerations as most web hosting providers provide adequate amounts for small and medium content oriented sites. Price will also not be crucial as the difference between the best web hosting providers on their most basic plans over a year is no more US $50.
The number of domains offered by each provider is noteworthy – most webmasters, new or experienced, tend to create a number of different websites, especially when they unlock the earning capabilities of their sites. In this case, disk space and bandwidth become important as do scripts, e-commerce features and web design software. If growth is a priority or becomes a priority due to online success, it may be worth looking for web hosting providers that offer a number plans rather than just one. Transferring to a different web hosting provider rather than upgrading to a bigger plan with your current provider can be a difficult and complicated task.
For all website owners and especially those with little or no experience, technical support is crucial. For most people, especially those that operate sites in addition to their 9 to 5 job, 24/7 toll free telephone support is important as is prompt email support.
