Maybe you’re a new web hosting customer. Maybe you just need a brush up on your facts. Regardless of the reason, these five commonly asked questions are ones you should certainly know the answers to before taking the plunge and picking your hosting option. With so many alternatives out there, you don’t have to settle… it’s worth your time to do your research and find the company that meets every “want” you have. Without further ado…

1. How much should I be paying for my hosting?

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a definitive answer to this question? While there isn’t one, per say, there’s a ballpark you should aim for, and that’s between $5-10 per month for a basic shared hosting plan. Generally you’ll save in the 20% range for signing a longer contract which I recommend doing, for example one or two years. If you pay monthly with no contract you’ll end up paying that extra 20% (again, give or take) each month.

2. What kind of bonuses should I look out for from my hosting company?

I love freebies. Whether you knew it or not, hosting companies offer plenty of them for you to sign up under one of their plans. These goodie bags include security and SEO suites, Google AdWords and Microsoft AdCenter credits, website templates and more. Generally the larger of a plan you sign up for the more you make out with.

3. Is customer support as important as they say it is?

Holy guacamole yes! Customer support is the spine to all of your hosting efforts. You will run into questions, and you will need answers for those questions… fast. Email and live chat are sometimes helpful, but personally I prefer phone support. Especially when the company offers a full day, Monday through Friday, such as 9am-9pm. Some hosting companies close their phone support around 5pm and that’s no good… especially with a full work schedule!

4. What if I eventually need more than shared hosting, for example a virtual private server or dedicated hosting?

Well first off I’d recommend picking a hosting company that offers more than just shared hosting. Perhaps it’s the kind of hosting you need now, but say you need a dedicated server some months from now due to viral traffic hitting your site daily. It’d be much more complicated having to change hosting companies opposed to just changing your hosting option with the same hosting company. If your host only offers one basic form of hosting you’re essentially trapped. Tip: don’t get trapped.

5. Do I really need the ability to host unlimited domains – and speaking of unlimited, do I really need unlimited bandwidth and disk space too?

You never know where your online ventures are going to take you. Assume the best of the best is going to happen – as in, your websites explode (in a good way) and you become a billionaire – but don’t quite expect that to happen. Regardless, if you have the ability to host unlimited everything, you’re golden for the future no matter what it brings. Otherwise you may end up backing yourself into a corner and having to switch hosts down the road.

Now tell me, what other questions do you have? Post below and receive an answer from yours truly!