Yes, it is really that simple!  Here is what I want you to do right now.

1. Visit the new “Submit a Question” page
2. Give me your name (first name is fine), web site address (if you have one), and question about web hosting, marketing, search engine optimization or anything else web site related
3. Hit the “Submit” button

That is it.  Simple right?  Oh, it gets even better!

Once you have done so, I will get your question, mention you on a future Web Hosting Show podcast, and answer the question along with giving you a plug for your web site on the web hosting industry’s number one web hosting podcast.  How can you beat a deal like that?

With podcasts #199 and #200 coming up pretty quickly (both will be delivered this month!) I hope to be able to answer a lot of questions, and help you get your web site “out there” by mentioning it on the show, and linking to it off the site here. Web hosts, web hosting clients or people who don’t even have a web site are welcome.  This new feature to show is something I want to open up to everybody out there.

Help me help you, and get your questions of any shape, size of form submitted today!

Web Hosting Questions for You

Before you go shopping for your first, next or any type of web hosting plan, you should be ready to answer these questions:

• What type of web site do you want to host?
• Are you going to need any special server side technology?
• Have you ever gotten in trouble for using too many “server resources” (usually RAM or CPU)

Web Hosting Questions for Your Future Web Host

As far as questions that you should ask, I would make sure that you at least ask them these questions.

• What is the price/time period ratio? (sometimes you can get a better deal if you sign up for a longer time)
• Do you have any example web sites or server speed tests?
• Can you handle my needs (be sure to give a full list of what you would want to install or need)
• How can I reach and how responsive is the support team?
• How long is your money back guarantee? (if they have one)

Now, your own list of questions might vary depending on what type of web site you want to host and how complex it will be.

Time to open that proverbial mailbag to see what type of questions you have been sending me. Now I do my best to answer any and all questions sent my way but here today I have picked some of the frequently asked ones to help one and all, any and everybody who might also find themself stuck at a brick wall. The Web Hosting Show is on the air.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 151!
Running Time: 15 minutes | File Size: 6.73 MB

Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode of the Web Hosting Show.

• Are There Social Networks in the Hosting World?
• What Are My Thoughts About Those “Green” Web Hosts?
• Do I Know of Any Blogging Alternatives to WordPress?
• What is Domain Name Kiting and Will it Hurt Me?

Here we are again. You, me and this make-pretend bag of mail I have. Ok, technically I don’t have a real physical mail or real letters, but I do have e-mails from a lot of you and as you know I do my best to tackle each and every question you send my way. That is one reason I got into the web hosting business. Getting to help others with their problems is something I just really enjoy to do.

Just don’t think I would have gotten the same thrill out of being a circus clown, a fireman or that guy who tosses midgets at the fair.

Some people do it because they heard a friend to tell a friend that advice. Others do it to sell ten page eBooks on the topic that cost the end user $65 a pop. I am going to help you get something done though by sharing the answers to some of these frequently asked (and answered wrong) questions.

Will having a dedicated IP address help you with search engine optimization?

The simple answer is no. It is a myth that Google or any other search engine will penalize you for hosting on a server that shares an IP address or for not having a dedicated IP address.

Is having static addresses better than having dynamic ones?

To explain, a dynamic address would be one used by a service like WordPress does by default, giving you something like article.php?post=543 after your domain in the addresses bar or something to that effect. When you see a static address, it looks much more like the one you see at WebHostingShow.com when you click on a story to read where it has in the address something like /archive/story-about-hosting.php.

In most cases, search engines would search either one but I would tend to go with the static addresses if you can, because it is more user friendly to the visitor and for keyword reasons. Now having good related keywords in the address, this is a search engine optimization tip that is slowly fading away but is still relevant right now.

For search engine optimization, what is the best way to change a domain name address?

You want to use what is referred to in the business as a 301 redirect. There are a number of ways to get this done so by searching Google for 301 redirect you are bound to find a lot of methods. Easiest would be to put this in your .htaccess file:

redirect 301 /old/oldpage.htm http://www.yourdomain.com/newpage.htm

A 301 redirect is telling the world that your page has moved permanently, that is what the 301 code stands for.

You should get away from your previous hosting company as quickly as you can?

This is not always the case. You may want to wait till you see your search engine spiders and bots crawling over your new content before you go back to your old web host and cancel your web site’s old hosting account. Not doing so could lead the search engine spiders to a dead end a few times (during domain name propagation) and it might cause your web site to get dropped from the search engine rankings. This is because from the spider’s point of view, you no longer exist.

Have any other SEO myths that need to be de-bunked? Drop me a line or a comment.

Every time I get an e-mail with a hosting question in it, I do my best to get it answered for the folks that ask me stuff. I don’t get paid for it – but hey, I’m a guy who likes to help out where I can. Here are some of the best random questions on and about web hosting that I’ve been asked about this week.

Question – You’ve talked about a lot of file backup web hosting solutions here lately. I have been doing all of my off site backup storage with Carbonite. Do you like them as a choice?

Answer – Yes, the folks at Carbonite do a really good job and the whole online backup solution. Now the reason you might want to go with a solution like this instead of just backing it up to DVD or external hard drive is simple. What if you house explodes, or an army of un-dead midget warriors attack? Your computer would more than likely bite the dust. With your files backup somewhere else though – at least your files will make it out alive.

Question – I want to get into the web site business. Is it better to host a web site with a lot of topics on one domain name or setup different domain names for each topic?

Answer – I would say try to find a niche domain name for each type of web site you wish to host. The “all in one” web sites are really hard to manage and make popular. People want to learn about or deal with places that are based around one topic of discussion.

Question – Why does my server web statistics not match up with my online web statistics when tracking my visitors?

Answer – When using something like Webalizer compared with Google Analytics, the server side solution is going to be looking at everything, robot crawls, people and more as all one thing – traffic. With a off-site web stats solution like Google Analytics, it can’t see (or gain access to) that information, so it’s tracking numbers are based more off of real people.

Do you have a question? Feel free to send it my way and I’ll do my best to help you out too! Who knows, your question might even make it to the podcast too.

The first one comes from Jim.

To Copy Protect or Not To Copy Protect?

I want to sell my music Online, but I want to put up samples of the songs that people can’t download without paying for, what should I do?

Jim, I say stay away from any type of script or service that promises you copy protection. As soon as you put those tunes Online in any way, shape or form – chances are they will be stolen.

What I would do is just release them all for free (might get better results this way – popularity wise). If you really want to earn a few bucks though you could always upload 30 second samples of the songs to play for folks when they want to hear what it sounds like.

This next question comes from JulieG.

Free FTP Program Suggestions

Hi Mitch, I am tried of my current FTP program, is there a super program out there or anything better that what I am using? I’m just looking for a few quality suggestions. Thanks!

Well, I was in the same boat recently and I had a few programs suggested for me to try out. Give Filezilla and xplorer2 lite a shot.

Our last question comes from Mark.

Podcast for a Podcast Guide

Any chance of you creating a “how to podcast” audio guide, like you have done with ecommerce and blogging? Thanks for putting on a great podcast too. I listen every week!

Never say never, and I’d say that sounds like a pretty good idea. I’ve written a few ghetto guides to podcasting, but I’ll see what I can come up with and if I can get something recorded on the topic, you can bet it will find its way here.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 109!

I have been in that situation myself, and I know it is a pain the butt to tackle. It is the duty of a hosting guru to explain these things though, and that is what I continue to do today.

Which one is better – Windows hosting or Linux hosting?

Both have their advantages and disadvantages. If you are new to Web sites and Web hosting (or if you just like it better) I would say go with Linux. Windows still can not compete with Linux as far as the number of services out there for you to use and the support for things you would want to do with your hosting account. Maybe someday – but not yet.

Should I backup my Web site or does my Web host do that for me?

Well, chances are your Web host will do that for you – but you can never be too safe. I would say at least backup one a month to make sure you do not loose any important files or pages on your Web site. Some of the data we are uploading is very valuable and it is too much of a pain to have to try to recreate it all again.

If I am a Web host, should I go out of my way to take PayPal payments for Web hosting?

Yes! PayPal is something that nearly everybody has and most people feel safer using it to pay for good than putting in their credit card information.

How long is the average wait time for a new Web hosting account to be setup?

Well it will change from Web host to Web host – but I would say a fair estimate would be within 24 hours of you signing up with them.

My hosting costs a month are pretty low. Is that a bad thing?

Not at all. Every Web host out there is trying to “lowball” the next by offering a bigger and better deal for even less money. Try to do your best to research the company before signing on the dotted line and you should be ok in most cases.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 104!

What can I do if I want to host my Web site on a server that has no adult material on it? I don’t want to share a server with some pervert.

The first thing you can do is get over it. There is hardly any way you are going to know who your neighbors are on a server, and neither will the outside world. Your safe!

Do all Web hosts support Ruby on Rails (RoR)?

A lot do, but I don’t think it is an industry standard just yet. PHP and MySQL are easy to find, but you might have to ask if Ruby on Rails is available on the plan or as an upgrade to the hosting plan.

Are there any Web hosts out there that will deliver me a custom Web hosting plan?

I am sure there might be, but I do not know of any right off hand. Most Web hosts will allow for a few upgrades here or there, but for the most part you will be locked into the plan you have or the plan that is packaged over or under the one you have – depending on if you want to upgrade or downgrade.

What is the best forum software out there today?

I like Vanilla and SMF. Two good options and I am pretty sure both are totally free.

I plan on hosting videos on my Web site. Should I go with hosting the files myself or putting them up some place like YouTube?

The best way to go would be to go with the “YouTube” option. There are a lot of video hosting solutions out there to go with – and it will give you more exposure outside of your own little empire of Web sites. Also you don’t have to worry about the huge disk space and bandwidth limitations either.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 103!

Remember if you have any questions of your own that you would like to ask you can always drop me an E-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com.

What is an addon domain name?

This would be an additional domain name that you could host on your Web hosting account.

More control panels these days are coming with this feature and Web hosts are taking advantage of it.

I want to start up a Web hosting company, what is the most important thing to remember?

No matter if you have been in business one day or one thousands days you should always remember to respect your customers. Give them what they want and answer their every need and you should have no problems at all.

What is a good way to advertise my hosting business?

I would say your best bet would be to join some of the hosting forums out there like Web Hosting Talk and Web Hosting Chat. You might spend some cash on some advertising as well.

Where is a good place to comparison shop for Web hosting?

I have always liked FindMyHosting.com.

I want to start up an adult Web site, but I don’t know if the Web host I am interested in will allow it. How can I find out?

Well in most cases, as long as what you are producing is legal then you should have no problems. The best way to find out if they allow it or not is to ask their sales team. Most Web hosts are more than happy to let you know one way or the other.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 102!

Why will my host not let me backup my personal backup files to my Web hosting account?

Some Web hosts might but most will not let you store personal backups of your photos or documents. This is because they just are not in that sort of business. There are plenty of places that are though and I would recommend going with them.

What are some Online hosting backup solutions?

My favorite from all the ones I have personally reviewed would be Box.net. Another popular choice out there is Carbonite.

I am a Web host and I keep getting bad press and reviews. What should I do?

I say turn that negative press into inspiration to make yourself better. Peoples’ opinions count and you should listen to as many as you can – then do your best with the most popular requests and thoughts you get.

I would like to find somebody to back my Online project. How do I find a Web host who would do that for free?

Find somebody out there (or maybe a few) and just ask them if they can help. You might get a few Web hosts laugh at you and your idea – but eventually you’ll run into that Web hosting business that will want to help you out.

When was the date of your very first Web hosting podcast and where can I find it?

The very first Web Hosting Show podcast as recorded February 14th, 2005. You can find it by searching WebHostingShow.com or by clicking the “All Archives” link on any of the Web Hosting Show’s Web pages.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 101!

Who is the best Web host out there today?

Can’t say that I have a favorite, because I am trying to do my best to stay fair and balanced here. I would say shop for what you need and find the host that matches your budget.

Where is the best place to buy new domain names?

Well with this one I will be willing to say that GoDaddy.com has been pretty reliable for me in this department. I don’t know if I would buy anything else from them – but as far as domain names go you should be in good hands.

Why do some Web hosts offer unlimited services?

It is a gimmick to sell more Web hosting accounts. I have said it before and I will say it again. There is no such thing as unlimited in Web hosting. Every server has its limits.

Why would I want to get a dedicated or semi-dedicated Web hosting plan?

Well if you find yourself needing more of the server’s resources, such as RAM or CPU usage then a dedicated plan would be a good way to go. This way you have a little more room to stretch your legs and you can work the server a little harder as well.

Why do all Web hosts seem to like to put pictures of servers on their home page?

Maybe they think there are some sick freaks out there that get turned on by all the metal and hard working server action? For the most part I think they just want everybody to know they do hosting and hey, thats what a server looks like.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 100!

Here is what he had to say.

I love your netcast show and hope I might be able to ask you a question to help resolve a problem I have been hitting lately. I make a small website for my nursing class and have been getting really frustrated trying to get passwords on folders to work with my host, GoDaddy.

He goes on a describes what he has done thus far, and after looking through his E-mail I can not really see where he might be messing the process up. Now for those of you who might want to manually check up on how to do this, I have found a good link giving you the basics here:

+ How To Create a Password Protected Directory

Now since GoDaddy kind of has a heavy hand with these types of services on the hosting accounts, it might try some trial and tribulation to figure things out. Another thing you might check is to see if there is a way to go this via the control panel they provide to you. Since they use their own “GoDaddy” flavored control panel it has been a while since I checked it out, so I am not that familiar with it.

I also ran across this note from GoDaddy themselves – although not sure if it will deliver you what you need.

Last but not least, you could always go with a more “password protected folder” friendly hosting provider. I am surprised the support team wouldn’t at least point you in the right direction on how to do this – that is pretty crummy indeed.

I know I didn’t give you an exact answer but I really do hope this helps!

Related Podcast Link: Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 97!

The problem? While going through my inbox – I lost his E-mail so I did not get the chance to reply. I am sorry for that – deeply sorry. I will let you know my thoughts though on this matter.

Now, as it is with any Web host shopping that you do, you need to find a Web host that delivers what you want and what you need. With podcasts, you are going to be dealing with a lot of large audio files, so disk space and bandwidth are a big “must have”.

You will also need a place that will support the posting back end that you wish to use. Now I would suggest WordPress myself – but there are a lot of CMS and blogging software suits to choose from out there.

The folks at libsyn.com have been a big force since day one and I would suggest you give them a shot as well. They specialize in podcast hosting and they have been doing it well almost since the whole podcasting revolution started out.

One thing I like that they do is the price model is based on what you need. If you aren’t very popular yet – you don’t pay much. The more you grow in popularity though – the bigger your bills will get.

This gives folks who are not sure about the whole podcasting experience a chance to get their feet wet without putting down too much for a Web hosting account.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 96!

What if the phrase Web hosting was replaced by another term? What would that term be? Now I am not exactly the best forecaster of the future, but what if we started to refer to Web hosting as “Online storage”? Would it mean the same thing to you and me?

I think no matter what you call it, Web hosting is still going to confuse people. When I walk up to a guy or gal on the street and tell them I am in the Web hosting business, I usually get them scratching their heads and saying, “hu?” at me. No new words or candy coating is going to help that.

It is even worse if you tell people that you work “Online”. When that term comes out of your mouth it seems like folks automatically assume that you either spam people or work in the adult industry. Sometimes your lucky and you get that confused aunt or uncle that think you do both.

People just want to know how to get a Web site and us folks inside of the hosting industry are going to have to live with that. We might not be celebrities or high-class socialites, but we will continue to keep the Web running.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 95!

Hey Mitch, I want to start an Online store but I am not sure which route I should go down. I only have a few products to be sold and I think going for a shopping cart might be too much too soon. Is there an easier alternative than installing a shopping cart script? Thanks! Love the podcast!

Yes, after getting your first E-mail and we talked back and forth a few times, I think I have a good idea of what you are looking to do. I think you would be alright with just using Paypal buttons for now. Just list your products via a regular old Web page and put the Paypal payment buttons under each product. This is the quickest and easiest way to turn yourself into an ecommerce Web site.

Later on down the road you might want to invest the time and money into getting a shopping cart – but no reason to do that right now, especially if you aren’t sure how the business will pan out in the long run.

Now Gene wants to know about easier ecommerce solutions.

Mitch I really enjoyed your podcast special last week. My problem is I don’t want to be bothered with doing all of this. I would just like a few branded items and an easy way to produce them. Any thoughts?

Sure, I mean honestly you don’t have to do any of the stuff I suggested last week if you want somebody else to do all of the virtual heavy lifting.

Check out CafePress.com and get yourself a store setup there. From there you can upload your own images to be placed on mugs, shirts, mouse pads and more. I have used it before and I can vouch for their professionalism. Everything I have ordered through there has made it here and is made of quality goods.

Have any other ecommerce, Web development or Web hosting questions to ask? Get them sent to me with your name and URL and you might get yourself featured on the Web Hosting Show podcast.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 94!

Mitch, love the show but I have a question. I have a Web hosting company, UnidoxHosting.com, and I have bought a few seo programs but still my Web site isn’t in the top hundred for the Google keyword “hosting”. Is AdWords the only resort I have left? Thanks!

So the question really is, should you pay to get your search engine optimization done? No matter if it is a program or a person, a lot of these things are nothing but false promises. Now don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of SEO folks that really know what they are doing – but I would say around eighty percent of them are snake oil salesmen.

So what is a Webmaster to do? Learn how to optimize your Web site on your own. There are dozens of good resources out there on learning more about search engine optimization. One of the “good guys” in SEO and a good place to learn more about it would be SEOmoz.org. You could also just do a search on Google for “SEO Help” or “SEO Tutorial” and you will find a lot of good content to learn from as well.

My quick tips on better search engine optimization would be:

1. Write Better “Keyword Rich” Headlines
2. Have Good Keyword Filled and Relative Content
3. Get Links Back from Other Web sites Like Yours

Is Google AdWords a good alternative as well? I would say yes, but I have never had much experience with using it so I could not tell you how well it works. I would trust it though (if you have the cash) over some of the other rank building strategies that stay on the darker side of the Web.

So as you can see already there is no “one stop spot” or quick and easy fix to get to the top of any search engine. It will take some tweaking, some learning and some time.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 90!

Now I bet you are asking yourself, “Mitch, why are you being so depressing?”. Now I am not trying to ruin the mood for your holiday season, I am trying to talk straight with you. Every Web host out there needs to realize they have one or more places where they could stand to do some improving.

Since we are at the end of the year now is as good of time as any to look at several areas of your business to see what is working and what might not be working. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself if you are a Web host.

• Are your sign up numbers going up?
• Does Your customer support answer questions quickly enough?
• Is there any public anger towards your company?
• What could you do to make your business even better?

Now, of course, that is only the beginning of things. What you need to do is find aspects of your business that are not “up to snuff” and fix them. If you are not sure which areas of your business need work, do not be afraid to ask your clients. They will be more than willing to tell you about any problems if they have them.

Dear Web host, you are not perfect – so lets get to work and get things fixed before the new year comes rolling in.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Podcast 88!

Download the Web Hosting Show, Podcast 75!
Running Time: 18 minutes | File Size: 8.17 MB

I am the media rock star of the Web Hosting industry, Mitch Keeler and I want to welcome you to the number one Web hosting podcast out there today, the Web Hosting Show. This show is supported by the fine folks over at WebHostingChat.com. Go give them a visit, and let them know what you think of this podcast.

We all have questions every once in a while. One of the things I wanted to create when I started this podcast was a place where some (if not all) of those questions could be answered. When I first started out in the Web hosting world a few years ago, there weren’t many spots to learn about how the business works. Now with the Web Hosting Show, you at least have a resource to start with.

Now lets go ahead and skip the rest of the hoopla and get right into your questions and my answers. I have a stack of E-mails next to me here, and I’ll be going through as many as I can.

Free Domain Name!

This first E-mail is not so much a question as it is a statement towards every single one of you who might be listening out there. JD wants to give you a free domain name!

Mitch, We will give anyone that listens to your show a FREE domain name when they sign up for a hosting plan. Send listeners to www.argosycomputing.com to sign-up.

Well, you heard it. Go check them out and take them up on their offer!

Buy a Web Site Design or Create One?

This next E-mail comes from Mary. She seems to be torn about how to go about her Web site redesign.

Hey Mitch, great show. I want to redesign my Web site but I don’t know how to do it. Should I hire somebody to do it for me, do it on my own or buy one? Thanks for your help!

Well, you have three very different options there. Personally, I would probably just design it myself if I were in your shoes. If you don’t think you have the skill or the time to give away to it though, purchasing a design or hiring a designer are both good ways to go.

When getting a design from an outside resource like this, make sure that you are getting a one of a kind. There is nothing worse than having your competitor’s Web site look exactly like your own. Talk with either the designer or the place you are purchasing the design from and make sure you are the only one getting this layout to use. See if you can get a promise or guarantee written down somewhere as well.

No Support Number from Web Host

Now should every Web host have a phone number to call for support? That is what Mark would like to know.

Hey Mitch, I was looking at a new Web host but they don’t have a support phone number listed on the Web site. They do other support, why not phone?

Well, not having phone support isn’t exactly the end of the world in my opinion. As long as they have a help desk and E-mail support, I say go for it. Some smaller Web hosts just do not have the budget to have a phone line put in taking your calls 24/7. With all the touch tone options you get with some support numbers, I would rather E-mail somebody and have them fix my problem that way. There is nothing worse than having to sit, wait and push a button on the phone over and over to get a response.

So as long as they have other reliable forms of support, I wouldn’t worry about the lack of phone support.

Support for Third Party Applications

This is a question I had for a really long time. I finally figured out the answer, and now I am going to share it with you. Bob asks…

I wanted to get my Web host to help me install WordPress, but they told me they couldn’t do that and told me to look at their support forum. Why is this? They are my Web host, shouldn’t they help me with the account?

Now I hate to burst and bubbles here, but your Web host is right in doing what they did. Web hosts (for the most part) don’t like to give support to scripts and services they didn’t create or own. Think of it as taking your broken toaster to the guy who built your house. You wouldn’t expect the guy who built your house to fix your toaster, would you?

If Web hosts did start support for every script somebody could install out there, they wouldn’t have time to do anything else. Your best bet for support would be to go to WordPress’s homepage and search for your problems there. If you had a problem, I can bet at least a dozen other people have had the same problem.

Another Question About WHIR TV

I knew some of my comments about WHIR TV might get somebody mad. Matthew has this to ask me.

Here is a question for you. Why are you so mean to Anastasia Tubanos of WHIR TV?

Well, lets make one thing clear. I don’t hate Anastasia or anybody at WHIR TV. Maybe saying that her doing the show in a bikini to get more downloads was a little pig headed of me. I would consider myself more frustrated with the WHIR TV product than anything else. They have the vehicle, the money and the popularity to do something grand and spectacular. What they have now though is nothing much more than Web hosting’s version of CNN.

I doubt Anastasia or anybody associated with WHIR TV is listening to this though, so my complaints fall on def ears.

Web Hosting Battle Royal?

This question from Jen is a little strange, but hey… I like the strange ones the most!

Who do you think would win in a fight between Bob Parsons of GoDaddy.com or George Roberts of HostingCon?

Well, speaking of people that will probably never be on or listen to this show, I think Bob Parsons would get totally mauled by George Roberts. If anything, I’d have to sneak George a steel chair (while the ref wasn’t looking), cause he is a good friend of the broadcast here.

Find a Web Host Wizards

There are a lot of “find my host” wizards out there. George wants to know which one is the best!

I keep seeing these wizards on Web pages that help you find a Web host. Which one is the best or are they all the same?

Well, a lot of them are the same. Others have more choices, some have better listings. If I had to pick two that pretty much sum up the best of the best, I would point you towards FindMyHosting.com and the wizard that TopHosts.com provides.

These (or any others like them) offer folks a quick and easy way to find a Web host that matches up with what they need. So if you want to create a Web site and know what you are looking for, this is a great tool for comparison shopping in the hosting industry.

Windows Web Hosting vs Linux Web Hosting

John wants to know which platform is better in the Web hosting world? Is Windows-based hosting king here too?

I think I have most of the hosting lingo down the only thing I don’t get is the different choices like Linux and Windows hosting. You have a great podcast, and I would really like to hear you talk about this.

Both of these solutions are good at what they do. Right now I would say that Linux-based hosting is more popular than Windows-based hosting. When you toss out all the stupid arguments for not using one or the other, you are left with two pretty stable options.

It really comes down to what you want or would want to do with your Web hosting space. If you have your eye on some script that only works on Windows-based servers, your choice is already made for you. Some server scripts have versions for both flavors. When that happens, I would investigate where the better version is.

Search Engine Optimization – Is it Bunk?

Sherman wants to know about Search Engine Optimization. Is it a real science or just something that spammers use to get to the top of Google?

I am interested in getting my Web site to the top of Google for a few keywords. Should I hire an SEO specialist or just do my best at doing it myself? Thanks for everything, I have learned so much from listening to your shows!

Once upon a time I wasn’t a big fan of Search Engine Optimization. This was mainly because the guy in charge of it at the old Web host I used to work for was a total jerk. Now that I have done some SEO work myself, I can say there is a science to it.

Should you go to somebody else to do it for you? I would say that would only be OK as long as they could show you results and you could talk to past clients. A lot of the work an SEO does will not give you instant results. Because of this, they could not be doing anything at all and still earning your cold hard cash.

My best suggestion would be to read up about it some, and try to tackle it yourself. If you do it for a few months and start feeling the pressure, then you might bring somebody in to lighten the load on you.

How Do You Generate Free Press?

For our last question this week, Jesus wants to know how you can get folks to talk about you or your business.

I noticed your interview on HostSearch.com about the Web Hosting Show. How did you get them to talk with you, and how could I get interviews other places?

Well Jesus, I am a big believer in the idea that you have to be your own number one fan. When I was interviewed by HostSearch.com, I pitched the idea to them. I told them what I had to offer, and they were more than happy to interview me. You can’t just sit by and wonder why nobody talks about you. If you don’t think your getting the attention you deserve, then demand it. Go out and make news instead of waiting for the news to catch up with you.

Final Web Hosting Thoughts

Well that is it for this week’s edition of the Web Hosting Show. If you want to interact with this podcast, it is easy to do.

+ Send me your audio questions or comments!
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I am Mitch Keeler, and you have been listening to the Web Hosting Show, the number one Web hosting podcast across the nation and the one and only voice of the Web hosting world.

For more Web Hosting Show fun through the week, make sure you check me out on CoolCast Radio!

You can drop me an E-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com and leave me your questions there or you can send me an audio voice message via Odeo. No matter which one you pick, I’ll put it and you on the show and give you an answer. Also, don’t be scared to send me your Web site link as well. I would love to check it out and put a cheap plug in the podcast for it.

Download the Web Hosting Show, Podcast 60!

Running Time: 16 minutes | File Size: 7.21 MB

Hello I am the Web hosting industry’s media rock star, Mitch Keeler, and welcome to the Web Hosting Show, the one and only voice of the Web hosting world. This show is supported each and every week by the fine folks over at Web Hosting Chat. Web Hosting Chat is your number one place for Web hosting discussions.

It has been a while since I answered some of the questions I have received from my listening audience out there, so I think that is what we will do today. I’ve gone through the E-mails, and I have picked out some of the “most asked” questions I have received since this podcast’s first episode.

I always love to hear questions, comments and feedback from every single Web Hosting Show fan out there. From the good, to the bad, to the kind of goofy, I have answered it all.

Have something you want to tell me one on one? Just send me an E-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com with all your feedback, thoughts, suggestions and comments and I’ll be sure to get back with you as soon as possible.

13 Web Hosting Questions

1. Why can’t I host my Web site from my house?

Well, actually you can, but I wouldn’t recommend it for just anybody. The best way to go would be to just purchase some Web hosting space and a domain name. It is a lot simpler than trying to run a server from your bedroom any day.

2. What is the best domain name extension?

There are dozens of domain name extensions out there today. For those of you who might want to be brave, you even have the .eu domain name extension to choose from. In my opinion, you want to stick with what everybody knows. That would be the .com names. Get a guy off the street that has never set up a Web site and he’ll be able to tell you something.com is a Web site. Give him .biz or .eu and he might get a little confused.

3. How long can a domain name be?

I could be wrong (and I am sure somebody will E-mail me if I am) but I think a domain name can only be 63 characters long. Now why you would want a domain name that is that long is beyond me. When it comes to picking a domain name the shorter, the better.

4. How do I find the best Web host out there?

This is probably the most asked question I have gotten since starting the Web Hosting Show. Who is the best Web host and how do I find them. There are a lot of great Web hosts out there, you just have to find the one that best suits your needs. You might even have to try a few before you find the perfect one.

There are many different hosting directories that will help you in your search. Go visit the Web Hosting Show’s Resources section for a few of those links.

5. Are you single?

I don’t see how this has to do with Web hosting, but yes, I am.

6. My current Web host sucks, what can I do about it?

If you feel like your Web host is giving you a hard time, then tell other people about it. You can visit some of the Web hosting forums out there and spread the news. If you do this, you might make sure you have facts to backup your story. Hosting industry folks really hate when people get badmouthed with no facts to backup the claims.

If all else fails, then go visit YourHostSucks.com. There are many folks sharing hosting horror stories over there.

7. What is the difference between shared hosting and virtual hosting?

There is no difference between virtual and shared hosting. They are just two hosting jargon words to describe the same type of Web hosting account. This type of account is your most basic, and it is what most people use out there. The other two types of accounts are reseller and dedicated.

8. How can I make the money I spend on Web hosting and a domain name back?

How can you make your money back or pay for your hosting expenses? Well you could go down the route of advertising and set up a few Google AdSense ads on the Web site. That is what I do, and I’ve been pretty happy with the outcome. If your Web host has a referral service, you might be able to earn some free Web hosting that way as well.

9. I’m interested in a Web host. How can I learn more about them?

To play the role of the “private eye” and investigate your Web host I would turn to Google. Type in the name of the Web host and see what type of response you get. If that doesn’t turn up anything interesting, try typing in the name of the Web host, and then put the word “sucks” after it. Take any opinions you find on the Web with a grain of salt though. There are a lot of dishonest people out there.

10. What is the most downloaded episode of the Web Hosting Show podcast?

Of all time might be a little hard to track down right now. The most downloaded episode of the Web Hosting Show last month however was Podcast 55. That was the show where I covered the frequently asked questions I get from both Web hosts and Web hosting clients.

11. What is the best Web hosting forum out there today?

My money would be on Web Hosting Chat, and it isn’t just because they are the biggest sponsor of this show. Web Hosting Talk might be the most popular, but Web Hosting Chat I think has the best community. At Web Hosting Talk I always feel like I am about to be called out or insulted in one way or another. I just don’t have those fears at Web Hosting Chat.

12. My Web host says they have Fantastico, what is it and why do I care?

The Fantastico deal is a package of several scripts that are usually installed as part of your control panel. Once installed, you can have easy “one-click” installs of all the scripts they support. On the good side, this makes it really simple to get an advanced Web site up and running. On the down side though, some of the scripts you install from the Fantastico page might not be the latest version.

13. What is your favorite Web hosting Web site?

Well if I had to pick one (that I didn’t run myself) it would have to be HostSearch.com. They have a little ‘bit of everything and none of it is more than a click away. Too many Web hosting related Web sites try to pack everything in as tightly as they can onto the Web pages. This creates a lot of content, but nobody is going to read half of it if you can’t navigate through it well. HostSearch.com has great content and you can actually navigate through the Web site without getting lost.

Final Web Hosting Thoughts

That is it for this edition of the Web Hosting Show. Did I forget something? Do you have something to say?

Visit our Web Hosting Show Fan Forums

Next week we will be doing more of the same! I am Mitch Keeler and you have been listening to the number one Web hosting podcast across the nation and the one and only voice of the Web hosting world, the Web Hosting Show.

For more technology podcasts, be sure to check out TechPodcasts.com! To hear more of the Web Hosting Show through the week, check me on Cool Cast Radio.

1. What type of features and segments would you like to see on the Web Hosting Show?

2. Is there anything I can do more of or less of?

3. Is the Web Hosting Show length too long? too short? just right?

Feel free to leave me whatever comments or feedback you might have. Good or bad, I want to hear it all.

Web hosting is a difficult and confusing business to get yourself into, but sooner or later just about everybody thinks about starting a Web site for themselves. No mater if you are starting up a Web site for your child’s baseball team or for your own corporate business, the things you need to look for to succeed are them same for all.

Download the Web Hosting Show!

Running Time: 6 minutes | File Size: 1.42 MB

Here are a few things to consider asking any Web hosting company you feel is worthy of having you as a client.

What is the Web hosting support like?

Depending on the force behind the company, your support could be anything from great to horrible. Get a good feeling for how quickly they can get to you by sending them a few pre-sales questions. How in depth are they with the answers they give you? A good support team will give you enough information so that you know what the answer is and give it to you in a way that even the dullest could understand. How quickly did you get answered?

Most Web hosting companies will get you answered within twenty-four hours. If you have to wait longer than that, then it is time to worry.

What services do they promise to provide?

Receiving a boat load of services, promises and gimmicks are not a rare thing in the world of Web hosting. Often you will receive several pre-installed scripts, control panels, and other things that could be helpful to your Web hosting experience. The two things you want to pay the most attention to though would be bandwidth and space. If your Web site does not have enough bandwidth then you might loose your Web site till the limits are reset the next month.

You also need to make sure you have enough space. If you don’t have enough space, then you will not have the option of expanding your Web site or growing it any larger. It is always good to buy a little more than you think you might need in both areas, just to stay on the safe side.

How many customers are they serving per server?

Depending on the Web hosting plan or the Web hosting company the server that your hosted on might be a little more packed than you might think. A responsible Web hosting company will not overstuff the servers they own or collocate.

Most of the time, sharing a server with several different companies is not a bad thing though. However, you do need to ask your Web hosting company about the numbers. If you are shopping around for Web hosting, you need to ask each company about the client per server ratio. Go with the company that fits your other needs, and has the least amount of clients per Web hosting server.

How are the servers systems run?

What type of operating system is your Web hosting company using? Depending if they are using a Linux or Windows based server, you could or could not be able to install some scripts. Not all scripts have versions for both server types. Have a good idea what type of scripts you might need for the server you are on.

What other questions should I ask?

There are obviously more questions you can and you should ask a Web hosting company before you sign on with them. The thing to remember is to not be intimidated, and that if they do not answer your questions, they do not deserve your business.

Download the Web Hosting Show!

Running Time: 7 minutes | File Size: 1.64 MB

Our first question comes from Dominick via Hotmail:

Great show! I was wondering what you thought about ads on Web sites. I want to start up my own site but don’t know if I should put ads or not. Please, let me know your thoughts.

Well Dominick, even though this isn’t really a Web hosting question, I’ll be happy to share my thoughts on it.

Now if you are talking about the ads that have my punch a monkey for a free Playstation Portable, I hate those. I hate flash ads, I hate ads with sound, I hate annoying ads. However, in the last few months I have become a big fan of Google’s AdSense ads.

Why? Well because unlike the “punch a monkey” ads, they are usually relevant to the content on the Web site and they usually lead to real Web sites. Not Web sites that ask me for $20 and a referral to five friends before I can see the Web site in question.

So in my opinion, if you want to play with ads, give Google’s AdSence a try.

Our next question comes from Bobby via Hotmail as well:

Mitch, my web host has an affiliate program, should I sign up for it? I’m not sure what it is for, but I do like my host so I would like to get more people to sign up there. Thanks.

Well Bobby, first let me give a little description about what an affiliate program is.

When a Web host or any company has an affiliate program, that usually means that they are looking for their clients to refer folks (using ads) back to the Web host itself. In return, you might get paid money or some other reward for doing so. I think from both the Web host’s point of view and the Web hosting client’s point of view, this is a great idea.

If you like your Web host, you want to tell others to use them. So you are getting rewarded in one way or another just for spreading the word. I would say make sure you read all the legal stipulations first, and then if it still sounds good, then give it a shot. If an affiliate program still kind of seems scary to you, then you might just put a link on your Web site back to your Web host yourself. Maybe a small text link at the bottom of the Web page. Either way your Web host should be happy.

Our last E-mail question comes from Hunter via GMail:

Dude, you need a cohost or something man. You can’t talk right by yourself and the sound of your voice gets annoying after a while. Get somebody else to host the show and I will listen again.

Well Hunter, thank you for your opinion…

Every so often I get an E-mail like this, and I have to answer it. I make a promise to answer all the mail I get, so this one.. just like the other two, deserves an answer as well.

When I first start this podcast, I heard a lot of comments like this. Not everybody, but a good amount of folks thought I should bring somebody else in to co-host or host the show. Now I’ll give my answer one more time.

Unless somebody offers me millions of dollars to buy out my show, or I am unable to do a show because of one reason or another, you will never hear anybody else hosting this show. Jimmy down the block isn’t the voice of the Web hosting world. Bob down the street isn’t the voice of the Web hosting world. That title falls on my shoulders and my shoulders alone.

As long as there are people out there with questions about the way the Web hosting world works, I’ll be here. As long as there are folks who want to know what I think about Web hosting. I’ll be here. As long as at least one person is listening to this show each and every week, I will be here. I make it my promise to each and every one of you listening to this right now that I will always be here to help you with the way the Web hosting world works.

Well that’s it for this special E-mail edition of the Web Hosting Show. Have a question or a comment you’d like to make? Make sure you send it to me at mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll be more than happy to answer it for you right here on the show. I am Mitch Keeler, and you have been listening to a special edition of the Web Hosting Show, the voice of the Web hosting world.

On Thursday, September 1st, I’ll be doing a special E-mail Questions and Answers Web Hosting Show. So if you have any questions, comments, feedback or suggestions you’ve been holding in all the time, get them to me at mitch@mitchkeeler.com.

This special “all E-mail” edition of The Web Hosting Show is brought to you by Web Hosting Chat. Web Hosting Chat is your number one place for Web hosting discussions. Who am I? Why I am the capped Web hosting crusader himself, Mitch Keeler.

+ Download The Web Hosting Show!

Today I have for you six questions I have been asked over the past week about the Web hosting world. I promise they are not ranked in any way, just randomly shuffled into a podcast. Why should we start worrying about being professionals here?

We are all close friends right? So take off your pants, get comfortable and who know? Maybe I’ll be answering a question you had!

Can You Buy Web Hosting Customers on EBay?

The first E-mail comes from Sam. Sam writes:

“Hi Mitch, love the show! I am constantly seeing sellers on ebay market their so-called “ability” to sell existing web hosting customers or to acquire new customers in large volume. Is this a scam or not? If not, what are they doing right that we are not?”

Unfortunately it looks like Ebay isn’t doing much to stop this type of selling of customers from one company to another. In my opinion, I wouldn’t trust anybody who was trying to sell the company they built themselves on Ebay. If there are any Web hosts who think they might go after one of these, let me give you a little advice. Stay away. With all the legal jargon and other issues that might get in the way of this, I think it deserves a little more professional setting than an Online auction Web site. A lot of these types of deal are really shady at best as well.

If you do go forward with something like this, make sure you have a lawyer ready to go at all times. This isn’t like just getting rid of some junk in your garage. These are folks who have signed a contract with a company to get Web hosting. In all honesty, I just would not and could not feel comfortable doing this myself.

How Do I Shop for a Dedicated Server?

The second E-mail comes from Glen.

Glen, one of my fellow writers over at Lockergnome has been E-mailing me back and forth this week wanting to know how to shop for a dedicated server. Shopping for a dedicated server is a little harder than shopping for regular Web hosting. Think of it as shopping for an apartment in comparison to shopping for a house. A house is a much larger and long term purchase than an apartment. It also take a lot more work and is not for everybody. Now with that said, I can share some of what I told Glen this week.

The first place I directed him to was a few different Web hosting forums. Once you have a Web hosting company in mind that you want to buy the dedicated server from, you need to learn a little more about the history of the company. Doing a search on any of the Web hosting forums out there should give you a good idea of how many issues they have. Now you will have to weed out the folks that are just there to complain or make the company look bad. What you want to see are good or bad reasons for signing up with them, and then the reasons why. Also make sure in the threads you are checking out, they give good proof of what they are saying.

What if you do not know which Web hosting company to go with? That is when places like Find My Hosting and BrowseHosts come in. After doing a little searching at either of these Web sites, you should be able to narrow down your search to just a few companies. After that, find the ones that have what you are looking for then just follow the regular Web hosting shopping rules. Contact the support team to see how responsive they are. Take a look around and make sure you ask them plenty of questions about the service.

Is Google’s New Web Accelerator a Hosting Security Threat?

Tom writes:

“Hi Mitch, I just seen that Google has a new accelerator out there for download. Should I turn it off when I am logged into my Web hosting account or just keep it running. Thanks.”

Well Tom, since this is a new service out there from Google it is really hard to say. I have seen folk who have said it is the best thing since sliced bread and others who say to stay far away from it. There have been some security issues raised about it. It seems like a few forums out there will bring up somebody else’s cached version of the Web site. You see how it runs, you are pretty much working from “Google’s version” of the Internet. So yes, if they wanted to they could track every single thing you are doing.

As for my personal relationship with Google Web Accelerator? I had it for around an hour, didn’t notice much of a change so I got rid of it. The best rule of thumb here is that if you don’t feel comfortable running it, then get rid of it. Since there aren’t any cases out there of it allowing folks to view cached versions of your control panel or anything like that, I can’t kick Google while they are down. The best thing I can tell you to do right now is read up on the issue and make a decision on your own. I’ll link to an article I recently wrote on the topic so you have a good place to start your research from.

Mitchelaneous article on Google Web Accelerator

Why Shouldn’t I Buy a Domain Name and Web Hosting from the Same Place?

Salley writes:

“You are always so hard on people who are buying domain names and hosting from the same place. What is the big deal really? What if they are happy with having every thing at one spot.”

Salley, I could not agree with you more. I seem to ride on this topic a lot because I have been burned by keeping all my eggs in one basket. I really went in depth on this issue last week as for the reasons I am against the idea of getting your domain names and Web hosting from the some provider. Some people out there are happy with doing so. I know Matt Hartley, from Lockergnome, was talking the other day about having his Web hosting and domain names registered with Go Daddy.

Web hosting is like a pair of personally made shoes. One pair of shoes doesn’t exactly fit everybody. You have to shop around and find the right provider and the right plan for you. Not every Web site is the same and not every Web hosting plan is the same either. So as long as you are happy, I have no beef for you.

On the other hand if there is anybody shopping for Web hosting or domain names out there, I would still suggest not to get all your eggs in one basket. In the show notes for this episode of The Web Hosting Show I’ll be sure to include a link to my segment last week so folks can see both sides of the issue.

Last Week’s Edition of The Web Hosting Show

Who Owns My Domain Name?

Bob writes:

“How come when I do I search on my domain name it shows that my web hosting company is the owner and admin contact for it? Help!”

Bob, I am afraid to say there might be little you can do to resolve this issue. This is just one more reason I say to shop for your Web hosting and domain name at two separate companies. I am guessing that with your account they said they would, “Give you a free domain name with purchase”. Well, the problem with that is that they take the liberty of registering your domain name for you and they do it in their name. This is another good reason why you should read the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy as well. I would bet, if the company is smart they make mention of this somewhere in paragraph five in the smallest print you could find.

What can you do to resolve the issue? Well some Web hosts might be nice and give you the right to your domain name back. Others might be jerks. If the domain name is apart of any trademark that you own, then you might be able to take them to court. It all really depends on how much of a fight you are ready for. I wish you the best of luck Bob, and I hope you let me know how this all gets resolved for you.

How Can I Get into The Web Hosting Support Business?

Carly writes:

How can I break into the web hosting business? I’d like to do support or answer questions but I don’t know where to start in.”

Carly, you could ask one hundred people this question and I could promise you they’d give one hundred different answers. Everybody that is in the Web hosting business right now probably broke into it a different way. Here are a few ideas though from how I got into the wild and wacky world of Web hosting.

• Does your current Web host have any forums? If so, you could try to impress a few folks by answering questions from there that people might have. Make sure all your answers are complete but to the point.
• Contact one of the support folks and just ask them what you’d have to do to become a member of the team. If they are hiring folks that are not at the location of the Web hosting business, they should be able to point you in the right direction.
• Read all you can about the Web hosting world. Go visit Web hosting news Web sites. Visit Web hosting forums and get to know a few folks inside the Web hosting world that way. You never know when you might meet the right friend who is looking for somebody to work hard for them.

If there is anybody else out there who’d like to share how they got into the Web hosting world, just send me an e-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com and I’ll share your tips as well. There are just so many different ways you could go with this one. It is hard to say follow steps a,b,c, and d then you are in. It just doesn’t work that way.

Final Web Hosting Thoughts

That is it for this week’s show! Make sure you send me your feedback, thoughts, suggestions and ideas to mitch@mitchkeeler.com or stop by The Web Hosting Show Fan Forums. Next week we will be back to the normal layout of the show. I am Mitch Keeler and you have been listening to The Web Hosting Show, the voice of the Web hosting world.

The reason I am doing this is that I was always a big fan of the “All Call Friday” episodes they used to do on the old TechTV show, the Screensavers. It seemed like the easiest way to get a lot of work done while having fun doing it. I like to answer people’s questions because I believe that Web hosting should not be as complicated as it is.

Right now a lot of things inside the world of Web hosting are very confusing. Then throw in the sales terms, marketing and other jargon and you have a real mess. Well, I am here to sort through all the junk to get you what you need to know.

For the Web hosts out there, this show is still for you as well. Give me your questions too because I’d love to answer them as well. There is more than one way to skin a cat and there is more than one way to run a successful Web hosting buisness. If there is anything I know, it is knowing what folks are really looking for in Web hosting these days. So send me your questions, comments suggestions and feedback as well.

Hopefully this will make for one heck of a good show. If I get enough postive reaction from doing it, I might have to do it again in a few weeks. I’ll see you next Monday on The Web Hosting Show, the voice of the Web hosting world. Send me your questions, mitch@mitchkeeler.com.