This morning I needed to investigate and make suggestions for a family member on the best place for him to host his website. The website in development is going to be huge, and require extensive use of databases (mysql, etc.). Space is a factor and RAM (tons of it) a definite necessity.

So the solution was super easy! I took a look around the Geek’s web site hosting (where I always head), and I’m almost positive he’s made up his mind – or is narrowing down his focus at least.

The reason this was so simple to accomplish is that Web Hosting Geeks (you might remember I’ve raved about them before) provides reviews, ratings, and even awards – and they’ve been doing business since 2004.

While I was there, what caught my eye was their link to GREEN Web Hosting. Yep, a whole list of the top “eco-friendly web hosts” for all of you looking for not only quality hosting, but also want to feel good – and save the planet – at the same time. Alternative (renewable) energy sources run “green hosted” websites and blogs.

Web Hosting Geeks currently lists eight green hosting websites from 300% green hosting to solar/wind powered hosting to carbon neutral hosts. This is very cool!

But, of course, the Geeks have much more to offer you to help you narrow down your search for great hosting. They have an impressive web site filled with extensive lists of different kinds of web hosting, including budget-friendly hosting, your best UNIX hosting possibilities, which hosts provide the best php for your needs, and so much more.

Excellent information right at your fingertips as you look for hosting or go looking for a new host (I don’t know how many times I’ve changed hosts – I cannot even remember – but as I’ve said before, I sure wish I’d known about WebHostingGeeks.com before)!

This morning I ran across a website (scrub that “Qlog”) that has me not truly confused, but a tad at a loss for my typically gregarious posts.

First, I’d never heard the term “qlog” before now (I’ll explain in a minute), and when I arrived at amyafrica.com, and started reading a rather lengthy (and crazy) story about beaches, birkin bags, and gabby individuals, I figured it was just a “personal blog” filled with someone’s stories.

However, I was wrong. What you will find is a combination of what Amy is calling “99% queries and quintessentials, 1% quibblings.”

Which means when you arrive at the qlog (the one I read is called Puttin’ Spanx on a Sidewinder!”, you’ll first encounter a highly detailed account of the above mentioned story of Hermes Birkin Bags on the beach.

BUT… right when you get to wondering what this is all about, there at the bottom are “5 Things Customers Really Do Care About.” This is a solid section of seo and marketing information.

So above you get an entertaining story, below you get useful information to help you navigate the world of seo, consumer confidence, and essential tools for doing business online.

Amy’s entire qlog is filled with similar entries. Another interestingly strange mix is the post about Why Epiphanies Never Occur to Couch Potatoes,” accompanied below with more solid marketing advice on how to get your visitors to click.

Of course the whole premise of this new qlog is give and take. You can make use of her “Ask Amy A Question” link, interact yourself by commenting on her qlog, etc.

An entirely different perspective on the use of blogging and combining “social community participation” that I encourage you to experience for yourself

Click here to visit http://www.amyafrica.com

I don’t know about you, but in the past 10 years or so being online, I don’t know how many times I’ve changed hosting companies. It really has gotten so out of hand, that I cannot count on one hand the number of times I’ve moved websites.

I wish I’d known about the reviews you can find over at webhosting geeks.

Visiting their website today I was astounded at the number of hosting companies – not only out there – but listed in an easy-to-use directory. Yep, they’ve taken most of the work out of finding a decent one and posted it all there in black and white (and other cool colors) so you can select a hosting company just right for you.

A visit to just their front page immediately shows you:

o  The top 10 highest rated hosting companies

o  Features like how much space you get, how much traffic you can have without it impacting your bandwidth, and the price

o  Bonus features! Every hosting companies offers something extra (okay maybe not every one, but those listed in the top 10 certainly do) like a free domain forever, and marketing bonuses to get you headed on the right track for doing business online.

You also can easily click on any link for even more information.

But it doesn’t end there!

Down the left hand sidebar you’ll be astounded at even more ratings, the awards these “geeks” have won since 2004 (I love a website with longevity, that says a ton), along with links out to the Web Hosting Geeks’ Blog.

Loving blogs, of course I had to click.

Their most recent post (at the time of the writing of this post) is their April 14th, called Is Your Business Website Secure?.

Excellent advice to read, especially with the increase in attacks and hackers apparently with a ton of time on their hands. Why be sitting on hosting that does nothing to protect your hard-earned, hard worked asset – your online domain!

Here’s another post I found, that I think you’ll also find fascinating. It’s called Fantastico: cPanel’s Best Kept Secret.

Of course you’ll find even more information and stay up to date just by bookmarking the webhostinggeeks blog

If you’ve chosen the “lazy man’s (or woman’s) way” of creating a website, you might find your current hosting company short on this amazing feature. Fantastico is a wealth of ready-made, one click installations of a large variety of extra goodies for your website:

o  Forums
o  Shopping carts
o  Blog installations
o   Drupal (community building)
o  Wikis
o  and a whole lot more.

The great thing is you don’t have to know how to install a single thing, if your hosting includes Fantastico!

Frankly, I could spend hours looking around Webhosting Geeks at all the tools, resources, suggestions, and recommendation the folks over at webhosting geeks provide (and you should, too!)

Never, ever rush into choosing a hosting service. Always do your homework. And again, their website is the perfect stop to begin to make sure you choose the best hosting for your needs.

Enjoy!

Today doing some of my favorite type of marketing, stumbling at StumbleUpon, I came across an amazing website by a lovely woman by the name of Carol Olmstead.

Whether you want to believe it or not, your surroundings very well might be the thing holding you back from collecting “wealth,” no matter what you perceive wealth to be or mean. (more…)