Choosing Web Hosting for your Personal Training Business

Web hosting is basically a way for individuals and companies to store digital media (websites etc.) on the internet for others to access; allowing any type of web content, including websites, to be accessed by users. Hosting companies have servers, which they use to store these files, with each customer having their own section for storage; much like a drawer in a filing cabinet.

Hosting prices can range from zero to hundreds of dollars per month depending on the type of service, features, and amount of hosting space you need. Free hosting deals are great for those Fitness businesses that want to ‘dip their toes in the water' but the range of services available to them will be very limited. Hosting can get fairly expensive if you have a dedicated server but in most cases that will be unnecessary. Some of features and factors that a Training business may want to consider when considering web hosting services are:

* (U)Space(/U) With today’s technology and potentiality for storing and making large files available through your website, you should look for a service that offers at least several gigs of space. If you have a busy site with lots of visitors, downloads or video etc. then you need to have a hosting package with sufficient bandwidth (amount of data that can be transmitted).

* (U)Email/Webmail Service(/U)- A good hosting company will offer at least 25 email addresses based on your domain and a webmail service as well. This should be part of their standard hosting program. It is important to use an email that is based on your domain name in order to look more professional as well as to put your domain name in front of people as often as possible.

* (U)Content Management Systems (CMS)(/U) - Several web hosting services offer CMS that integrate with their hosting services. These will allow you to manage and update all of the content on your website on your own. This is important for just about every PT business since there are so many areas of a website that need to be updated or changed regularly – schedule, prices, bios, testimonials, articles, etc... Beware of the build-your-own website programs that do offer CMS but require you to build your own websites - and look for a CMS that is web-based versus software based - that will allow you to update your website anywhere you can access the Internet. A good CMS will save you significant time and money when it comes to keeping your website up to date.

* (U)Spam Filtering(/U) - Be sure that your web hosting service has some type of spam filtering feature.

* (U)Web Statistics/Analytics(/U) Many hosting services offer a web statistics program along with their standard hosting packages allowing you to monitor the traffic to your website. This is very important if you are doing any type of marketing and driving traffic to your website.

* (U)Live Customer Support(/U)- If your hosting service offers only email or no customer support you could be in trouble if your website or email goes down.

* Servers- Ask your hosting company where their servers are being stored and about the company that is managing their servers. Also ask about back-ups as well as information related to safety and the facility that is storing the servers. Many hosting companies don’t actually own their servers- which can be beneficial if they are stored in a quality facility designed specifically to protect and keep servers safe.

Choosing your web host can be as important as choosing your web designer. Mikel Bruce of WebFlexor PT Websites (www.websitesforpt.com) recommends looking for a company that can offer both hosting as well as design in order to keep everything under one roof. The final step is to have a professional and well designed PT website to reference in the article. If you are looking to develop a professional web presence and succeed on the Web, WebFlexor PT specializes in affordable and quality websites for Personal Trainers and Fitness Professionals. Customized PT Websites start at only $199!

source : http://www.articleorange.com/articles/1998/1/Choosing-Web-Hosting-for-your-Personal-Training-Business/Page1.html