What to look for in a Domain & Host?

[ZandraJoi]

As with anything out there, there are pros & cons. What would a new person look for when looking into domains & hosts? Are there any red flags that would go up? How much would we expect to pay for a good, quality service?
My forum is a free Proboards & even though I'd love to have a paid one, since I'm not into tech, I wouldn't want to get a bad deal.

 

[ClicketyKat]

I need to know if the host is legit! That's one of the important things for me. I'm lucky to have found a friend who does hosting, or I wouldn't know who to go with unless it was a really huge company. I also want to make sure they can handle any types of trouble and so far they've been good.

 

[Lewis.]

For domains, look in your niche and think about the target audience. If you're only interested in people of a certain nationality then buy within that domain. If it's global it's almost always worth going .com. Look at search volume for key words and base your domain around something with low competition but high search, if possible.

 

[Nomad]

I look SEO value on a domain. The domain has to have a keyword in it. As far as hosting is concerned, it should offer better uptime and good support.

 

[nana kwasi]

I want to know if the host is trustworthy. One of the things that is essential to me is that. I'm fortunate to have a buddy who is a host; otherwise, unless it was a really big firm, I wouldn't know who to go with. They've been good so far, and I also want to make sure they can manage any problems.