If you've spent much time looking you've probably heard numerous times that there is no such thing as a "perfect" web host. They are, after all, just a combination of people and machines; both inherently fallible and both subject to the whims of fate and likely to fail us at a critical moment. But, if we accept the fact that web hosts are fallible just as people are, then I think many of the same criteria we use for finding the "perfect mate" can be used in our search of the "perfect web host".

First, start with yourself and your motivations. To really know what you're looking for you need to know why you're looking. What is it you really want out of a web host? Are you interested in creating your own blog? Forming a forum on the plight of escorts in New York? Creating your own brickless storefront?

The type of web site you intend to build can help to determine the type of host you need. An e-commerce site that will (hopefully) generate lots of traffic will likely need the power of dedicated servers, whereas a family web site will likely do quite well on a shared server.

Are you experienced? If this is your first foray into web hosting relationships, your tender sensibilities and delicate ego will require extra TLC. Look for a host that has highly rated customer service and, after choosing one, test it before you really need it. Be needy; call their support line, send them emails, and use the online chat before you really need it. Ask questions about site setup, email configuration, setting permissionsanything you can think of to see what kind of responses you get. If they aren't supportive now when you don't really need them, they aren't likely to be when you do either; move on.

Make sure the software you want to run is compatible with the host you select. Will you need MySQL or POP3 support? Do they support all the PHP modules your application requires? Do they have installers for the blogging software or the image management package you want to run? Whether you already know exactly what you want to run or you're not really sure and just want to know what's available, ask. It's better to find out early on in the relationship that the two of you aren't really compatible.

If you've experienced the hosting scene before, think about your prior affairs and what you liked and didn't like about them. It sounds obvious, but try to find hosts that offer the features and services you liked and avoid those you did not. So often we tend to repeat the same mistakes we made in the past both in choosing patners and in choosing web hosts. Just because they promise us a terabyte of bandwidth doesn't mean we'll really get it. Read the fine print.

A clear understanding of your needs along with careful research can net you a partnership that you can both be happy with. Remember to always read through the details and always be prepared to leave.

So, there's no such thing as a perfect web host. If you're careful in defining your objectives and do some conscientious research you can find one that you will be happy with for the long term.