Let's face it, the Internet is here for good. Today's Internet reminds me of the California gold rush. There is a ton of moeny and opportunities to be made by everyone whowishes to participate in this modern day gold rush. Most people have been drawn to the Internet, because of the ability to leverage their time and make money even while they are sleeping. Which makes it an even better opportunity than the gold rush!

Just like any offline business, an online business requires an address, or place on the Internet where your Web site is located. You can't have a Web site and just "stick it up" on the Internet. Unless you own your own server, you use a hosting company. A hosting company gives you an online address. This online address allows the search enginesand people seaching for your product or service the ability to locate your website.

So what is all the confusion about regarding hosting sites. Understanding a hosting provider's websites is equal to speaking a foreign language. They are full of numbers and letters and if you do not know what they are describing, it can be confusing and overwhelming. For example: there is50 mg space, and 2 gig data transfer, and front page extensions, secure servers. What's it all mean?

In my humble opinion you don't have to be a brainiac to have a great hosting service that serves your needs. You want to be the recognized expert in your particular field, and let the hosting company do their job, by providing excellent hosting and service. All you need to have is a general knowledge about what hosting is.

Let's start from the beginning. Think of a hosting company as the highway department that allows the traffic, search engines, and people access to your website. The reasonthat this is so important boils down to money in your pocket. You could have the greatest widget the world has ever seen, and if your site is down, and not operating, people will buy elsewhere and what good is that?

First things first. Set an expectation that you will find the "perfect" hosting company. If you search the expectation that your job will be difficult, then that's what will be your experience. The best way to find a good hosting company is to ask other site owners andwebmasters who they use. People love to share their knowledge and you can often pick up many helpful ideas.

Once you find a company that looks promising, see whatkind of customer service they offer. Having a "live" person to talk to is a HUGE bonus and well worth any additional cost. Talk to them on the phone, explain what you are doing and ask them if they can provide what you are looking for. Are they friendly, do they treat you like a human being, do they make recommendations without being pushy? Are they ableto grow with you, as your business grows? The answers tothese questions will give you a good idea of how they dobusiness. Now it's up to you to determine if it is a good fit.

The author has been able to demystify "hosting" and break itdown into easy to understand language. She has sharedher insights with many colleagues and groups and enablesthem to get clear around a normally complex subject.

Claudette Spedden is founder of Fast X Hosting anexcellent resource site dedicated to information on hosting