An online business needs to have a website. This seems obvious. In order to have a website, the business must have a hosting account. This is not always as obvious. When starting an e-business people usually put a lot of effort into creating a business plan, designing a unique layout, and dreaming up a catchy name, but a hosting account isn’t usually of high priority. Even so, the web host is a crucial part of the website. The web host stores a website and makes it available to others, but all web hosts are not created equal. An unreliable host can cause irrevocable damage to a company. While this sounds scary, you are not alone. We have assembled a guide for what to look for in a hosting account to ensure that your company is safe.
Reliability– Of course, your host needs to be reliable, but how do you determine if it is? When looking for reliability it is best to look at the numbers. Companies like Go Daddy, Enom, Network Solutions, Yahoo, and Register.com all host over a million sites. This size gives you reassurance because many others have trusted this company and remained loyal.
Speed– Slow loading bore customers away from your site. Make sure you have the correct amount of RAM for your type of site to ensure quick loading times. For a simple site 256 to 512 MB will suffice, but for more complex e-commerce or social networking site, you will need 2 to 4 GB.
Bandwidth– A sudden spike in traffic is great for your business, but only if your hosting company can handle it. Look for a high bandwidth without capacity issues to make sure the host can handle your great success.
Shared or dedicated servers– Blogs, start-ups, and information sites can be comfortably handled by a shared server, but if you have a larger company with a large database it is best to choose a dedicated server. This allows you to decide exact capabilities such as bandwidth, RAM, and processor speed, making your site more efficient.
Security– One malicious virus can destroy your entire website and business, so security is not the place to skimp. Make sure there is quality security and also a capable team staying ahead of the curve to ensure your website’s safety.
Support– Problems inevitably arise, so you need the best support possible. Test the support out before purchasing to make sure it meets your requirements.
Pricing– You must consider your budget at the time of purchase, and re-evaluate your needs occasionally to make sure you are getting the most for your money.
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