Unless you want to fill a closet with computer servers and high-speed data lines and pay a costly IT manager, you’ll need a hosting service for your Web site.

The options vary. Prices range dramatically. Our recommendation is to go inexpensively, but not cheaply. You get what you pay for.

Some Web companies will host your site for as little as $8 a month. But you’ll find that reliability, service and quality cost a bit more. Depending on your site’s size and number of enhancements, such as database integration and e-commerce capability, you can spend upwards of $300 a month or more.

Most likely, however, your small business can get what it needs for less than $100 a month, and in some cases considerably less.

Get ample storage. One hundred megabytes can accommodate about 1,500 pages. That’s plenty for most small business Web sites. And be sure your host can accommodate the traffic you expect. Eight to 10 gigabytes a month is a reasonable minimal benchmark.

Many quality hosts will provide extras as part of your basic charge. These include numerous e-mail accounts, a means to compile e-mail queries for mass mailings, a Web-based control center for managing the site, 24/7 technical support by e-mail, chat and telephone.

Make sure your host supports Microsoft’s popular FrontPage 2002 Web design software, including Microsoft extensions that enable various functions.

Other features that add cost, but also add attractive usability features, are instant messaging and chat rooms. These functions help create a sense of community among visitors, which of course keeps them on your site longer. And as every retailer attests, the longer you keep them in the store, the more likely they are to buy.

A substantial leap in costs and sophistication occurs if you add e-commerce capability to your site. This includes the ability to coordinate a catalog offering with a shopping cart and accept credit cards online. Some hosts will even assist you in applying for merchant credit card status.