Recently, .CO domains became available to the general public for domain web hosting. They had been shopped to select major companies during “sunrise” and “landrush” phases for the months prior to opening to everyone, and a lot of the shorter, and most desirable names were quickly snapped up. Also, around 70% of the Fortune 500 brands were bought by the companies, including Nike, eBay, Coca-Cola, Apple and Amazon. Nevertheless, a good number remain, and very likely some that would work well for many marketers and site owners. The question now is, why would one want or need a .CO and how could it benefit you.

The form of .CO domain name came into being in 1999, when it was assigned as a country specific domain of Columbia. Fast forward to 2009, when the owner of the TLD, .CO Internet S.A.S. won the right to sell the extension globally and to the public when it was determined that .CO has a particularly good association in people’s minds with business and commerce, and the country of Colombia decided it would be wise to cash in on that popularity.

A major part of the appeal lies in several factors. The pool of available .com domain names is constantly shrinking, and there are already calls for a larger supply, or perhaps a different system altogether. Before that happens, however, expect the alphabet to be exhausted and the market to tighten even further.

The possibility of getting a short, memorable domain name is what is driving this excitement, along with the obvious associations. It can be a breath of fresh air to companies seeking to brand on a global scale using a more relevant, shorter name.

There have already been some very large sales of the prime .CO domain names. Overstock, one of the leading online retailers, spent a whopping $350,000 for Overstock.CO and E.CO went for some $81,000.

They are not the only people shelling out money for these. A common garden variety .CO domain will run about $30, roughly three times what you would pay for a .COM.

There is already a domain name aftermarket for .CO domains, as well, with prices ranging from $250 to $1,521,200 for London-2012.CO. (What a steal!)

The question for a site owner or webmaster is: Would this domain extension, if I was able to secure it with a good turn of phrase, be any more beneficial than a straight .com, .net, or .org? It may well be best suited to companies that are already well-branded, and seeking to expand their borders, or highly targeted niche marketing sites where having the keywords in the domain might make a large difference. For the rest of us seeking the best domain web hosting we can find, we’ll just have to see how it plays out!

Is there a scenario in which managed web hosting could be a major component of your hosting plans? That is a question many would do well to ponder. This assumes several things that must be in place before the question even becomes a question: are the needs of the site or sites large enough to warrant the expense, are there dedicated servers involved, and would managing these servers be something you or your staff could not or would not want to handle? Let’s look at some of the reasons why a webmaster might get web hosting with a managed plan.

Server Administration – Being solely responsible for managing a dedicated server is enough to give many system admins pause, particularly if it is a large site with much at stake. Opting for managed web hosting in cases like this makes a great deal of sense. The hosting company provides expert technical assistance ensuring that the servers are running at optimum efficiency, and are able to handle nearly anything that comes down the virtual pike. While it may seem very enticing to have the freedom that complete control of your server may provide, ultimately there is a trade-off, and you simply have to determine if it’s worth it to your company.

Site Monitoring – With a managed dedicated hosting plan, you will have the advantage of having your sites monitored 24/7 by a group of very savvy network technicians. They are constantly looking at the server, hardware, network and other systems to ensure they are delivering the type of performance you expect, with no downtime. If problems arise, they are dealt with then and there, often with the owner not even knowing there was an issue!

Server Security and Customer Service – One of the paramount reasons webmasters choose managed web hosting in the first place is the better security that is necessarily in place. You are paying for a premium service, and not only is security a high priority but likewise customer support is significantly enhanced. You normally have a dedicated account manager, who ensures that everything is running smoothly both on your site and your account. Compare that to experiences you may have had with shared hosting, and you may be reaching for your credit card already!

Guarantees – At this level of web hosting, there are performance guarantees and service level agreements in place. They deliver what you have contracted for, with seldom a quibble. And usually, there is little need to even look at the guarantee!

Choosing a web host at this level really comes down to a basic question: are you both capable and willing to handle the day to day business of running your dedicated server, and do you have the absolute need to control your server yourself? If the answer is no, then your choice is obvious. Managed web hosting will make your life easier, and very likely save you money in the long run from the benefits of having onsite network professionals keeping an eye on your server. Something to consider!

Parking Domains – Let’s do this one first, as it is simpler and easier to understand. Parking domain names you own but haven’t yet built out into full-fledged sites is a thriving business all its own. Many people make livings buying domain names that have value, and then later reselling them for large profits. In the meantime, they do what is known as domain parking, where their domain resides on a page hosted by a domain parking service, usually with a For Sale sign on it, and a bunch of ads. The owner gets a share of these ad revenues, so their site is making money even before it is sold. A leading domain parking site is called Sedo.com.

Don’t Buy Domains and Hosting Together – No matter how much they try and bribe you! There is a very good reason not to do this, and it lies in the relationship you and the hosting company have together. If at some point down the road, your hosting needs may change, or the host is falling below expectations and failing to deliver, you will want to seek greener pastures. This can be problematic if your host is also your domain registrar. You may even not be able to move, as there is often something in your fine print that makes this impossible. Avoid problems like this: buy them separately!

Length Of Hosting Terms – If at all possible, and you intend to hang onto this domain for a while, buy several years of registration at once. Google and the other search engines look upon this as a sign of stability, and it can help you in your rankings.

Private or Not Private? – Opting for private domain registration is up to you. The case for it includes being able to mask your personal and business details from prying eyes. If your domain is not private, your name, address, phone numbers and other personal details are there for anyone to see. Something to think about in this day and age of identity theft.

Pricing – While the going rate for a domain name registration is around $10 a year, it’s not uncommon to find domain registrars that will try and get up to 3-5 times that much. It’s simply not necessary, and on top of that, it is a competitive market out there for domain names, and you can usually always find a sale or a coupon.

Manage Your Own DNS – DNS stands for domain name server, and it is the actual address your site is directed to. You manage this at your domain registrar, and point your DNS to the hosting company servers you’ve contracted with.

Web hosting domain registration is an integral part of doing business online, and making sure you are not only in control but are making the best of your domains is a part of doing that business. Don’t neglect the details!

While that may be true for your basic 10 page niche affiliate site, what of the webmaster that has a few hundred of them? That makes it an entirely different story! Let’s take a look at some of the more important ways that having a dedicated server web hosting plan can take your business to the next level.

Room to Grow! - If your site is outgrowing any of the shared plans or servers you may have been on previously, the amount of web space and bandwidth, as well as overall server efficiency you will experience with a dedicated server is beyond your comprehension. Whereas before a single space hog on the same server as yours could’ve brought things to a standstill, this is no longer the case! You will have all the elbow room you need, whether for large sites, or a herd of minisites!

Control – A small word for such a large concept, especially when it comes to your web hosting account. The freedom to install and run practically any script or software on your sites is a luxury many who opt for shared hosting will never know. Control also means being able to fashion the server loads, and keep your sites loading fast!

Would You Like Managed or Unmanaged? – If you haven’t the technical skill or staff, or even the time or desire, you can opt for fully managed dedicated server web hosting. Most clients take this option. However, if you really like to control and get your hands dirty, you can run the show completely from your end.

Hey Fella Wanna Buy Some Hosting? - You are also free to resell your web space to other, paying customers. This can help control costs, and allow you to get the most from your investment. You can take on as many or as few hosting customers as your space and desire dictate; just remember to protect your own sites.

An Enhanced Level Of Service – Becoming a dedicated server client affords you a whole new level of service. You will likely have an account manager of your own, and they will ensure that things are running as smoothly as possible. Your support calls will not go unanswered for days!

Security – Having your own dedicated server plan enhances your site security in several ways. First and foremost is the fact that you’ll no longer be sharing an IP address with hundreds of other cowboys, who can bring havoc to your ranch with surprisingly little effort! Also, there is a far smaller chance that any server exploits can come along when you are in control of who and what is running on your server space.

All in all having a dedicated server web hosting plan can take your business places it’s never been before, and is at the end of the day, a surprisingly cost-effective way to host your sites!

1.   Space and Bandwidth – How much room do you need? Do you need large capacity for databases and an ecommerce setup? Or other, more demanding requirements that will hog space and bandwidth? Better to have an idea of this up front, and have a plan for it. Don’t be seduced by promises of “unlimited” space and bandwidth, as there is always a limit.

2.   What Type of Web Hosting? – Are you comfortable on a shared server, hosting with dozens or hundreds of other sites, many of whom may be doing who knows what on their sites? Be aware that shared space is often responsible for many of the problems clients have with their web hosting companies. Complaints range from spam or malware attacks, to getting the IP address banned and ruining everyone’s day, usually through no fault of your own. Decide whether to reside on shared, virtual private servers, or your own dedicated server.

3.   Room for growth? – Is this a web hosting package you can grow with, in terms of domains and size? This will be important to you down the road. Consider it now.

4.   Software – Does this hosting company have the necessary goods to host your sites? Do you have specific needs, either now or shortly down the road, that will need to be accommodated? Better to ask the questions, and see that if they don’t have certain programs, they intend to, and that you are able to install programs you may want to, within reason, of course.

5.   Security – This is a big one. Knowing that your and your customer’s sensitive information and web hosting email is safe and secure is a major part of building trust and return customers. Having problems in this area will make your day go downhill fast!

6.   Support – Having a great web hosting support team is one of the most important items you can have in a hosting plan. When you have issues, (and sometimes you will; it happens) it’s comforting to know that there are people on your side, working hard to resolve the problem. Shoot for phone support if at all possible; it saves time, and is far more comforting than email.

7.   Pricing – The last of my considerations, as it is the least important. Suffice it to say that if the above aren’t taken care of, you will pay more in the long run anyhow. There is a lot of competition in the web hosting space; you won’t easily be taken advantage of in price.

Keep these 7 nuggets in mind when shopping for new web hosting packages, and you’ll soon be rewarded with a terrific new host you can live with for years!

Many times confusion arises when new webmasters are confronted with the question of whether they should choose Windows web hosting or Linux web hosting. First of all they do not know what each of these terms mean, and that makes it difficult to make a somewhat informed decision on which to choose. Let’s define both of them, and make it clear what each of them is best for, and what they are not.

First of all, you need to understand that the computer system you are running or are familiar with now has no bearing whatsoever on the type of web hosting plan you would choose. Simply because you use a Windows system, there is no real user correlation that you would recognize, so that is not a factor. You won’t find familiar menu to work from, for instance. Likewise, for Mac users, there is even less they would be familiar with, so again nothing to hang onto here. (More on Macs later.) A web hosting plan based on either Windows, or Linux runs on a completely different set of parameters, and has its own unique interface.

The basis for choosing which web hosting system, either Windows based or Linux, is based nearly entirely on the anticipated needs of your website. Let’s look more at what specifically is meant by this.

If your website will need to utilize specific Windows- based technologies and languages, like ASP, .NET, Access or MSSQL. These particular softwares would be more at home within a Windows-based environment, and that is why you would make that call. While Linux and other Unix-based systems can be configured to use these technologies, it’s just easier if they are run on a Windows system.

The flip side of the coin is that if your site is needing to run PHP, Perl, MYSQL, or any of a number of blogging platforms and shopping cart software, you will find that using a Linux system makes your life a great deal easier. Sometimes the actual code of some of the languages of these programs has to be altered to run on Windows hosting. It’s just easier all around to simply use a Linux hosting plan from the start.

Mac users can now find their own hosting for their OS Snow Leopard through the Mac OS X Server, powered by Apache. You will find that it meets all your needs in a way that neither of these PC versions would. That, however, is a subject for another day!

The bottom line for your choice needs to be based on your site needs, and nothing more. Make the correct determination, and you’ll be well hosted very soon!

Unlimited web hosting is a relatively recent arrival on the scene, as the capabilities of servers grew exponentially in the last few years. Back in the day, (just a few short years ago) you got a certain amount, which wasn’t much, and you had to live with it, or have a number of hosting accounts. Since the expansion of web space and the greater availability of bandwidth, competition among web hosts has become more intense, and offers of greater web storage space and data transfer (bandwidth) began to make their appearance. This didn’t cost them much, and it was a smart way to increase the bottom line without drastically affecting expenditures.

Also a nifty way to grab greater market share. It wasn’t long before most every web hosting company was doing it. So what exactly does this mean in real terms? Well, when you see an offer that advertises unlimited domains, this is very likely true, at least technically. You are constrained by the amount of web space you actually have (more on that in a minute) and most people will never come close to approaching the numbers it would take to raise any red flags here. In relation to web space, however, this is an entirely different plate of pasta.

Just remember: there is ALWAYS a limit. It just probably won’t be written down anywhere you can easily access. Hosting companies, who are in the business of selling just as many web hosting plans as they can, routinely oversell their servers, many employing this “unlimited” tactic to do so. They are betting (and usually winning these bets!) that the vast majority of clients will never come anywhere close to using a large amount of space, and thus it becomes a bridge they don’t normally have to cross. Occasionally a client will grow large, and then is usually found to be in violation of the terms of service (TOS) in one way or another. Many of these TOS docs are written in such a vague manner as to leave the definition of what constitutes “unlimited” entirely at the web hosts discretion, never mind Webster!

Then they are sold a “better” plan more suited to their needs. A similar scenario plays out when it comes to bandwidth. There is another aspect to this one though, and that is when you are on a shared server, and one of the sites has become a behemoth, and hogs most of the available bandwidth for that server. The others are left to scramble for the bits and pieces not allocated, and your site’s performance can suffer greatly. So the best you can really do is to look as closely as possible at the host’s terms of service, and try to decipher for yourself what they really mean. Failing to do so could leave you scrambling to keep your site visible and functional. Suffice it to say that the word “unlimited” as it relates to web hosting should be considered as a politician’s campaign promises: good as gold – as long as it serves their purposes!

Easy For Clients To Use – cPanel is extremely intuitive, and comes with many aids so your hosting clients can self-help themselves, using the various setup wizards and videos that guide them through the processes. This cuts down on support tickets and expense.

Secure – cPanel and WHM are both up to date on all the latest virus protection and security measures, including the ability to detect rootkit attacks as well as other, more sophisticated threats. WHM also allows to you configure hosting security on a server level.

Self Updating – Cpanel and WHM self-update, and can keep your servers up to date at the same time. Also, their EasyApache interface provides the platform for new and emerging technologies to be added to your server with a few simple clicks.

Self-Monitoring – When there is a problem within cPanel, the software discovers it, and goes about fixing the problem, many times without the administrators even knowing there was anything amiss! WHM also detects issues, and will contact you via IM, email or text message to help get things resolved.

You Have Ultimate Control – You get to decide what versions of Apache or PHP to employ, as well as having DNS control. You can also custom configure accounts to enable or disable certain features for specific users, and the ability to identify any IP addresses that may be causing problems, and to deal with those appropriately.

Brandable Reseller Accounts – If you want to sell reseller accounts off your servers, cPanel and WHM allow resellers to totally customize the look and feel of their accounts with logos, as well as their own payment system fully integrated into the account.

Terrific Support – cPanel web hosting offers world class, 24/7 support, including holidays, both via ticket and phone support. Their support is known to have issues resolved within minutes, rather than hours or days!

Employing cPanel web hosting in your servers for your web hosting clients has become the industry standard. More popular web hosts use cPanel than any other control panel, and that shows no signs of abating anytime soon!

Decide On Your Focus – Determining the direction of just where you hope your business will end up will go a long way toward making sure you succeed in this venture. Many new resellers try and compete in a very big pond with all the major hosting companies, and truth be told, few survive. Unless you have very deep pockets and a superior support staff your hopes are slim from the start. Better to find a hosting niche, and prove that you can deliver reliable web hosting to a number of clients before trying to wade into deep water. These days, with the emphasis on recruiting local offline businesses, a person could make a nice chunk of recurring monthly change selling web hosting to their local area. Don’t think globally just yet!

Customer Service and Support – If you are hosting clients on your own servers, you had better make sure that you have very good web hosting support systems in place long before you open your virtual doors. You need to be able to handle not only the technical aspects of clients’ requests, but also more mundane billing and account details. If you are selling hosting as a reseller through a major hosting company, then much of this is taken care of for you as part of your deal. Still, make sure you know what is and isn’t your responsibility so there won’t be any nasty surprises in the middle of the night!

Brand Yourself! - Make sure you have a great looking storefront site, branded with your company’s name, and perhaps a Facebook fan page and Twitter feed as well. You want to present as professional a presence as possible, and that alone will project an air of legitimacy. This is important when you are new, as no one has any reason to take a chance on you. Many times this will not matter to totally new-to-the-web clients, who are just happy to find someone who knows what they need and will help them get good web hosting. Other times, you will need to do some convincing.

Reseller web hosting can be a ticket to a nice monthly stipend, which can grow if nurtured correctly. Make sure you encourage loyal customers, and reward them if they bring you new business. Small price to pay to have someone else grow your business for you! You may even want to institute an affiliate program if it grows to a point where this makes sense.

Make sure you keep your hosting clients happy, and answer their needs promptly. If you do so, you may find an income stream that keeps enlarging year after year!

In the absence of a formal education in the business of internet marketing, forums have become a low-cost alternative to high priced membership sites and courses. Many people spend a lot of time in these forums, and a lot of the time, they find the help they are seeking. It’s not uncommon at all for internet marketing veterans to make appearances in the forums, even the “gurus”. Doing so only solidifies their position as the mavens of the industry. This allows relative newcomers to find great advice on a wide range of topics, web hosting being among them.

So what should you expect from the advice rendered on a forum? First of all, most aren’t trying to sell you there. They may have links to their offers or sites in their forum signature, but for the most part (and there ARE exceptions!) people are genuinely trying to be of help.

That said, take the opinions offered there on balance, and with a grain of salt. People do tend to carry their past hurts or bad experiences around for a while, and while these may be legitimate, it may well be an isolated incident, and not reflective of the web hosting company as a whole. On the other hand, if you see a pattern emerge of poor support, downtime, and general indifference on the part of the host, then it’s time to make a note on that one.

Remember, a forum should be the starting point for your investigation; also look at the company’s Facebook fan page (many top web hosting companies now have one) and possibly send out a tweet, or search Twitter on the subject. You will get a lot of material on which to base your decision. Popular web hosts get a lot of attention in these places.

Obviously, you also want to make sure the host actually offers the type of hosting you need, and this can be gleaned easily from their site.

Some of the more popular forums on which to take a peek would include The Warrior Forum, SitePoint, DigitalPoint, WebHostingGeeks and WebHostingTalk. The latter two deal exclusively with quality web hosting, while the first three cover a wide range of internet marketing topics, including hosting.

Take your time, gather opinions and recommendations, and then carefully make your decision. A web hosting relationship is very important for your site. Don’t make the mistake of neglecting to check them out!