<img src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Beginner-Web-Hosting-300x140.png" alt="Beginner Web Hosting" width="300" height="140" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-10768" />Beginners to web hosting often need plenty of help with choosing the right web hosting plan and company. It's not just about which company has the best price or offers the best discount right now. You must look deeper or you could end up with a fly-by-night company, one with beliefs you cannot get behind or one simply not capable of offering you good web hosting.

Whether you’re choosing hosting based on your small business needs or because you want to start a blog, you need to consider certain things within your search. Here's a look at some of the things to consider when you start searching for webs hosting.

<h2>One Domain or Multiple Domains</h2>

It's obvious that you will need at least one domain as using a free platform giving you a subdomain isn't going to get you very far. Domains are less than $15 per year and you can usually score a great deal on the first year with one included in a hosting package or for just a few dollars. Regardless, $15 per year isn't going to break the bank.

You may want to consider multiple domains if you have multiple projects. This will make a difference for your web hosting plan as you will need hosting to support multiple domains. If you only get one domain with your hosting plan, it won't leave you much room to grow. 

<h2>ecommerce or Not</h2>

<img src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Ecommerce-300x200.jpg" alt="Ecommerce" width="300" height="200" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-10769" />Will you run an ecommerce store on your website? If so, you need to make sure you have the right type of hosting to support this type of website. Even if you plan to use a platform, such as WordPress and use a plugin to integrate ecommerce functionality, you need a hosting plan capable of supporting this type of website.

If you don't plan on starting a website with an ecommerce store right now, but you may in the future, keep this in mind when you choose your web hosting plan. It's not a fun task to move from one hosting company to another just because you didn't get all the functionality and features you needed the first time.

<h2>Customer Support</h2>

One of two very big differentiating factors with hosting companies is customer support. Sometimes, support isn't very good from some hosting companies and this is important. Even if you're very good at web design and don't expect to contact your hosting support team much, you need to know they will be there if you need them.

If the hosting company doesn't offer 24/7 support, you can do better. This is standard for the industry now and you should be able to get help very quickly, as well. Don't be afraid to test the support of any hosting company you consider.

<h2>Hosting Company's Mission and Beliefs</h2>

While this may not seem that important to everybody, making any decision to use a company for your website or blog means choosing a company with a mission and beliefs similar to yours. If you're a woman, you wouldn't want to choose hosting from a company with a CEO well-known for not hiring women. 

It's important to look at the mission and beliefs of the hosting company before you make your final choice. Some support eco-friendly missions stronger than other, just like some hosting company support ministry stronger than others.

If you're the type of person that likes to support local businesses, it may be necessary to look for hosting in your city or state. Choosing a hosting company aligning with your beliefs and mission gives you peace of mind in knowing you're not supporting something you cannot get behind.

<h2>The Cost</h2>

The cost of hosting should be considered when choosing a hosting plan. However, it should never be the deciding factor. Sometimes, a company charging a couple dollars more per month will provide far better support or has a mission you can get behind. Other times, the more expensive option isn't as good as the cheaper option.

Pricing in the hosting industry isn't all that different from one company to another. With shared hosting, it ranges from $1 to $15 per month, depending on the features, and most companies are only a dollar or two different per month compared to the competition. 

There may be a bit more price separation with VPS or dedicated server hosting, but it's still not enough to break the bank, in most cases. Sometimes, cheaper hosting isn't going to give you what you need and if a company is willing to sell hosting for super cheap, they probably don't provide great support.

<h2>Platform/CMS</h2>

<img src="https://itxdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/WordPress-300x78.jpg" alt="WordPress" width="300" height="78" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-10770" />How do you plan to build your new website? Will you use Joomla, WordPress, Drupal or some other CMS? What about a website builder? Would you be more comfortable with a drag and drop option?

Nearly 25% of websites live on the internet right now were built using WordPress. It's certainly a popular CMS option and allows you to create a website with a blog integrated into the design. However, it may not be the right choice for you.

If you plan to hire someone to build your website, you may need to use the platform they use. This will make a difference as your designer should be very familiar with your platform or CMS. Make sure the hosting plan you choose support the CMS or platform you plan to use.

Before making your final hosting decision, make sure you've looking into the best options for your needs. There are several things to consider before you finalize your decision. It's not as easy as just searching on Google, finding an affordable price and signing up for a web hosting plan.

