Finding the Right the Web Host for Artists

As an artist your vision is clear, your life is color, design, and bringing mundane objects to life. You have a special place in the world with your point of view; your art needs to be seen. But the world of web hosting is daunting, you would much rather paint, draw, sculpt rather than pursue details of web hosting. This short article will begin the process so that your artistic vision will color the world.

Types of Web Hosting:

• Shared Hosting is the most popular choice to host your artist website. Share hosting is many websites on one server connected to the internet. For an artist, this is the best option; the cost is inexpensive, and there is a variety of web hosting sites.
• Free Hosting- Free to a starving artist seems like a gold mine, but these sites are notorious for their lack of technical and customer support. They also have a tendency to shut down your website at a moment’s notice. All the intense labor you designed for your website will disappear.

Artists Expectations for a Web Hosting Site:

For Web Hosting these are the features to look for:

• Compare Email options and Email services - having an email with your professional business name, auto-responders, and email forwarding.
• Site Manager and management tools
• Marketing Features
• Security Features
• Multimedia options
• 24/7 365 days of the year free customer support and technical support. Test them by calling and see if you talk to a live person and how fast they answer your questions.
• Shopping Cart Software – if you are planning on selling your artwork on this site
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Space-at least 20 MB for your expanding art business
• Inquire about what kind of backup systems they have in place.
• Domain Registration

Domain Name Guidelines for the Artist:

Your domain name (e.g. www.yourname.com) is your signature to the world, your brand. Here are some guidelines in choosing a domain name:

• Your domain name should be easily remembered
• Avoid abbreviations
• Keywords are vital in your domain name
• Keep your domain name simple and short

Cost Expectations for Artists:

You can expect to pay anywhere from $5.00 to $50.00 a month depending on the package that fits your needs. Some web hosting sites offer low, middle, and high end packages depending on the services you need. You will need to evaluate your art business and costs to determine the best package. You should shop and compare prices. Look for what kind of commitments they are asking from you. Some sites offer low monthly cost for a long term commitment. Are you looking to have your site running for the long run? If so, then having a year commitment might not be a bad option. But remember to look for hidden fees and read the fine print.

Your website will look spectacular with some research into design. Many web hosting companies have design services or templates for the budget conscious. The design should feature your art, less text, and be easy to navigate. Avoid gimmicks, complex visuals, and special effects that will make the viewer confused. These guidelines and your clear vision will help you find the best web hosting service that will fit your needs as an artist.