Besides the fact that it's frustrating to re-upload your site, when you change host, you lose traffic because you lose your Search Engine Ranking and the links that used to point to your site.

1.PREDICT WHETHER IT WILL DISAPPEAR OR NOT

It is very important that you go with a free host that is going to survive. When I went to get hosted with Idyl.net,I noticed some things but I didn't pay enough attention to them ,although I should have done so, because after two weeks the host disappeared. Here are some signs which indicate that the host you are thinking of signing up for won't be alive for much longer. You should have them in mind when choosing a webhost.

• The features sound too good to be true. Let's be realistic-there's no perfect web host.
• The host does not have an obvious way of making cash. Ad-free services are less likely to last. Of course there might be other ways of making profit, apart from the advertising, such as redirecting 404 traffic to sponsors. If they have a page titled "Why it's Free", then you can assume they have more possibilities to last.
• The host hasn't been there for long.
• There aren't many sites hosted there and so, therefore, they can't make enough money.
• The host offers "unlimited bandwidth" and "unlimited space". Nothing is unlimited. If some of the hostees consume a lot of bandwidth, chances are that the host will disappear.

2.SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT

When I decided to get hosted with Portland, I didn't bother to take a look at the forums. You should do that, assuming of course that the host has a forum. You should check the complaints section. Also, you should search for reviews on this host and find which is the catch-because there's always one, and see if you can put up with it.

3.SEE IF IT SUITS YOU

First, you need to predict whether your site will grow. If it's only a personal site that has few visitors, then you can go with one of the numerous free hosting providing, without having to worry about it too much. If you are planning to expand your site later on though, you should see if:

• There is enough space for you. You should, in fact you have, to keep a copy of your site on your hard disk. See what's the space of the folder and compare it with the disk space you are offered. you should always have one or two MBs free, just in case. If your host enables you to request more space, then it's fine.
• There's enough bandwidth for your visitors. I've found that even half GB isn't enough if your site is popular.
• The host gives you FTP Access.You need it if you want to upload your files easily. Don't put up with anything less than that.
• There are additional features such as SSI,PHP,CGI,MySQL e.t.c.It is obvious that if the host doesn't offer them and they are essential to you, you shouldn't have your site hosted there.
• The type of advertising -if any- suits your site. If a host imposes porn ads on your pages, then you might not want to go with them. Some hosts make small windows pop-up when the page is loaded, others place one or two banners in each page and some require a text link. There are also pop-under windows and advertising frames. My advice is to avoid pop-up windows because they confuse the average surfer. Frames produce problems when it comes to submitting your site to Search Engines. All methods have their disadvantages, so check you are comfortable with the method. It is vital that you type a random url in their server, to see were 404 traffic is redirected to. If it leads to a porn site-I've come across some webhosts that do that- then you might want to think about it twice. You should also check if they allow affiliate ads,which you may need.
• Your site complies with their Terms of Service(TOS).You don't want it to get deleted, do you? So read their TOS carefully.
• Your site downloads fast and doesn't have a lot of downtime.You should ask other people about that, as I mentioned in part 2.It is vitally important, because lots of downtime means loss of visitors.
• They have any file type or/and size limitations.Browse through their FAQ pages to discover if there are certain file types(.mp3 and other audio or video file types,.exe,.zip e.t.c) that are not permitted for use in their servers. You should also try to find out if there's a limit on the maximum size of a single file. If those don't meet your needs, you'll have to look elsewhere.

CONCLUSION

Choosing a webhost is a process that needs to be done with care. So, unless you have no problem changing hosts every month or so, you should do a research about the host before signing up for an account.