Options for Hosting Multiple Websites
The first thing to consider when setting up multiple websites is whether or not to host them all with the same web hosting company. Many web hosts offer packages that let you set up multiple sites on a single account and almost all will let you set up multiple accounts, one for each site. The prices of domain name registration and web hosting have dropped to the point that it’s possible to own multiple websites without going broke. If you plan to operate multiple websites, here is some information on the different options available to you.
Another advantage of using a different host is that you’ll get a different IP address for each of your sites. If your sites are related to one another and you want to link them together, having different IP addresses can sometimes help your site rank higher in the search engines.
Separate accounts are self-explanatory, so let’s look at reseller accounts. As a reseller, you are basically acting as an agent for the hosting company - a middleman between them and the end user.If you do choose to host all your sites with one company, there are essentially 3 choices - separate accounts for each site, a reseller account where they are all hosted or a dedicated server, again where they are all hosted. If you are happy with the hosting company you’re using for your existing website(s), one advantage of using them for another site is the fact that you know they offer good service and support.They might also offer discounts for multiple sites, so your costs might be lower if you stay with them again.
Links from other sites are one of the most important factors in getting your site ranked highly. If those links come from sites on the same IP address, it is a signal to the search engines that they are quite likely all owned by the same person, and they may discount the value of those links.On the other hand, if you choose a different host you’ll be able to compare the quality of another company with whomever you’re currently using. If you ever run into problems with them, you’ll have an alternative. It’s wise not to “put all your eggs in one basket” as the saying goes. Hosting on a dedicated server gives you complete control of the computer that is the web server. You can install any software you want, any operating system you want and you can allocate resources like memory and hard disk space however you want to divide it up between your sites.A reseller account is nice because all your websites are “under one roof” and you have a single point of contact for any technical problems.
Disadvantages of a dedicated server: The disadvantage of a dedicated hosting is that you only are responsible for maintaining the server and sometimes even for the technical side of things. If you are unaware of technical side of running a web server then you are in trouble. The idea is that you can set up your own company offering web hosting that is ultimately hosted by the company.
Some Common Web Hosting Mistakes
A common error in creating a web site that isn’t search engine friendly. If the search engines can’t determine what your site is about, they aren’t going to be able to send you people who are searching for what you offer. Choose your target market and stick with it. Advertise in places they would see. A site that tries to do everything usually ends up achieving nothing.
Technical mistakes which are usually made because of not understanding the internet and how it actually works. One of the mistakes many people make when creating a website is to fill as much information, photographs, images, etc. on each page as possible.
This makes the site take longer to download, leading to many visitors just moving on and never actually looking at the site.It also makes it more difficult to find what they’re looking for if the page is unorganized.Technical mistakes usually come up because of a misunderstanding of the internet and how it actually works. The first mistake many people make when creating a website is to cram as much information, photographs, images, etc. on each page as possible.
Another common mistake made is following the competition’s lead. You’ll obviously want to keep an eye on your competitors to see what they’re up to, but if you copy everything what they do you’ll always be one step behind. Use your creativity and come up with unique ways to stand out from the rest of the websites in your market.
A mistake that many people make when starting out is to choose a host solely based on price. This is obviously an important factor, especially in the beginning, but if you choose the cheapest host you may be limited in your scalability as the website grows in popularity and traffic.




