Owners of small businesses who are wanting to expand and grow are put in charge of deciding what type of hosting they will need for their websites. For those that are new to running an online presence, it can be difficult to know what to look for when choosing a web server for your online store. There are many types of hosting plans and companies to choose from. To help make the decision a little easier on how to choose the right type of hosting company, below are some great tips to take into consideration before settling on a hosting plan and company.
What Kind Of Hosting Do You Need?
The first thing you will need to consider is what type of hosting plan you will need. To figure this out, you will need to understand the needs of your specific business. Will you need a website that offers live-streaming, video blogs, shopping cart technology or more? Most smaller businesses can easily get away with using a shared hosting plan. Shared hosting involves sharing a server with multiple other websites. The downside is that you will also be sharing the server’s resources. If your site is expected to get a lot of traffic daily, it may need a larger web hosting plan such as with a VPS, dedicated server or cloud hosting.
Most smaller businesses will start with shared hosting to save money. However, the cheaper price tag can come with the risk of slower response times for your visitors on the site. Slow websites can be a big turn off for visitors and customers. While options such as a dedicated VPS or cloud server might cost a little more, it will offer you a faster and higher quality web performance and an overall better experience for your visitors and customers.
Read Reviews
Another great tip to take into consideration before choosing a web server to host your site through is to read reviews of different companies you are considering. Look for companies that have reviews from third parties, not just reviews from the company itself. Research information about the reputation and reliability of different popular web hosting companies. Be wary of any hosts that have multiple complaints or persistent issues from both current or past customers. These reviews can give you an idea of how well a company might respond to users that need help or are not happy with the services they are getting.
Choosing The Right Amount Of Bandwidth
Many new websites for small businesses won’t be using a lot of bandwidth to begin. However, it is important for a site owner to always leave room for growth. When you are looking to choose the right type of hosting company, make sure they don’t lock you into a specific amount of bandwidth and then charge you excessive fees each time you need to upgrade your plan later. A good company will easily help you to grow your site without it costing you an arm and a leg. It should be this way no matter if you choose a cloud server, dedicated server or a shared hosting plan.
Don’t Choose Based On Cost Alone
When you are a small business owner, it can be easy to find ways to save a little money here and there. However, don’t let your limited budget get in the way of choosing a web host that is good for your business and can give you room for growth. It may sound cliché, but it is true with hosting that you get what you pay for. Cheap hosting might save you a few bucks, but it could end up with you having poor customer service, slow servers, constant downtime and leave you with no room to grow.
Your website is the virtual storefront for your small business. This means that your decision on hosting should be made carefully. Thoroughly consider your needs, read their contracts and do your research before you make your final decision.
