Web Site hosting - who's best?

[Drains]

Hey folks. Got a company we've set up, me and the missus. We need to develop it a bit, and a website is central to that. The domain names are bought, now it's time to put a site together and get someone to host it.
Who's best?

Any suggestions for putting the site together also gratefully recieved. Selling over the site is not something we expect to do - info, pics and contact details etc is more like it, plus domain emails. I've never put a website together, so don't know where to start (although I'm sure I can find out, with a bit of help )

Si

 

[shenion]

I use 1and1.com fro my sites. Inexpensive and great service.

Most have wizard programs that can create simple websites from templates. Just add your text and pics.

BTW, you should get the domain from the host. My package comes with 5 free domains. You could check with who you bought the domain from, they often have cheap hosting.

 

[Philly]

I run a server in the Blue House, London with spare space. Can sort you a package f.o.c

 

[chunkolini]

I use two Mrsite packages, easy to use and set up.
They have some down comments here in the past but I cant fault it, wifey has two of her own,
see www.reflexologyherefordshire.co.uk

It is easy to use, just like filing in a 'Word' document.
Recomended.
If you get the pro version you get more options for imag labelling and monitoring stats etc.

The hardest thing with any website is getting it up the search engines. There are loads of companies who can get you to No1 on google. If they can all do that it wont work.

But google CD rack or shelf and see where coolshelving comes. Get yourself a good domain name, I got both of mine using the cider method.

Chunko'.

 

[Paul.]

My site is with 1and1.co.uk, dead easy to use and I couldn't believe how cheap it is, you can use their tools too make a site, or upload your own they even give you an easy to use FTP program.

 

[graffian]

I used supanames foo ten years or so, never any problems, they were taken over by 123reg last year, so far no problems and it's still around 13 quid with name, I have had half a dozen sites with them.
I have some names from a free place and host them from another free place, I haven't had any problems with the free host in three years, except they automatically reset all passwords every three months. You could try
THE FREE host with your domain. it's pretty straight forward, I got the free domain names somewhere else and just followed the instructions to set the hosting up, if you don't like it it's simple enough to shut it down and move the domain some place else.

 

[mike os]

another 1and1 here.... excellent service & package, costs peanuts, included package makes everything easy... even eshop

 

[malcolm]

Just an aside - 1&1.co.uk servers are located in Germany (or at least were 2 years ago). With search engines being big on geolocation it's best to only host .co.uk with them. A .com will get a surprising number of German visitors...

The choice of domain name will depend on the audience you want to attract. .co.uk is best if you are only interested in the UK. Currently a .com hosted in the UK will do much the same and also bring in a bit more international traffic.

Can't add much to the choice of servers. Cheaper the server or the bigger the host the more over-stuffed the server will be. That can affect the time pages take to load, and can be more of an issue if you have a database.

I moved from 1&1 to United Hosting to DHosting where I have a whole server. Don't know what their other packages are like. Also don't know how the previous hosts perform these days.

 

[carlos 318is]

I use wwwhostinguk.co.uk never had a problem with them

 

[Drains]

I run a server in the Blue House, London with spare space. Can sort you a package f.o.c

Pm sent Philly!

 

[Chipper]

Take up Philly's offer - proper hosting, excellent offer. You get what you pay for with pile 'em high hosting. Ran a site on 1&1 and had so many problems with them we moved it, being a fairly busy forum it needed more support input than a smaller static site, and things weren't good on that front. Small site, more chance of being OK.
Had lots of hosts, ran web design co's for 10 yrs. If Philly sorts you out that'll be tops.

The geolocation thing btw, I don't believe that has an effect, the srch engines only really care about content. Domain names/locations is another thing - may find a .com appears better in google.com that .co.uk, as we've found with one site. I run a few sites mostly hosted in the US and have no problems with srch engines at all.

 

[Wedg1e]

My site (www.wedgeneering.co.uk ) is hosted by my son-in-law Matt at eeek.org.uk.

Not much use I'm sure, but I thought I;d get a gratuitous plug in...

 

[graffian]

www.wedgeneering.co.uk

I get a 'server not found';-)

 

[Wedg1e]

I get a 'server not found';-)

Feckit, so do I. Maybe he's got the server in bits...

 

[michael1703]

i use dataflame, they actually answer the phone when you ring them and everything

 

[candygt]

Do NOT I repeat NOT use Servage.

They are a budget german host who run clustered servers with their own operating system.

My website has been hacked twice since I have been them, was blocked from google for hosting adult material and spyware. Best of all it wasnt just me that got hacked, it was everyone on the cluster. Every time they deny they have a problem and about a month later it gets fixed very hush hush. Not even worth contacting support as they are a bunch of mindless cretins and 'translate' the support tickets into some weird language that resembles english but makes no sence.

/rant over