Technical support is something that needs to be considered when the business owner is looking at web hosting companies. Companies lose money when something goes wrong on their website and this can be devastating to small businesses. It’s important to know that web hosts are available and will respond to any concerns quickly. A lot of web hosting companies have a twenty-four hour support line that can be reached if troubles arise. It’s also important to make sure that the technical support that is received is very helpful and useful.

Bundled software should also be considered when deciding on a web hosting company. Deciding on the type of specialized software the small business needs should be decided on before entering into a commitment with any web hosting company. These packages can include things such as a content management system or shopping cart software. Some web hosts provide control panel software and this software contains a component that is called Fantastico. This allows for the user to easily install many different types of software that can be used on the website.

Editing tool and script support can be very important for a small business’ website. Many web hosting companies offer easy to use design and editing tools. For companies that are using FrontPage for their website, it is important to make sure that the web hosting company they decide on supports FrontPage extensions. It’s also important to make sure that the web hosting company is also compatible with other script languages such as PHP, ASP, and Perl, to name just a few.

Small businesses should also consider uptime and speed when researching different web hosting companies. A good web hosting company should guarantee uptimes of ninety-nine percent. Small business owners should also check the information about their data centre. This is because it’s important to know that they have high-speed connections to the Internet backbone.

Due diligence is also important when the small business owner is searching for a web hosting company. The first thing that should be done by the small business owner is to check out the web host’s website. Some things that should be watched for are awards and seals of approval. These are sometimes given out by magazines. It’s also important to look for the Internet Better Business Bureau seal. One can also search the Internet to find reviews of the different web hosting companies. These reviews can often be found on web hosting forums, where other individuals will give a detailed version of their experience with a certain company. One or two bad reviews are okay but one should be wary of a company that only has bad reviews, and no good reviews to balance it out.

Related posts:

• March 10, 2009 – Hosting Your Site with FrontPage
• January 25, 2011 – 4 Crucial Aspects to Consider When Choosing a Web Hosting Plan
• December 11, 2009 – Are You Paying Too Much for Web Hosting?
• August 3, 2009 – Database-Driven Sites with FrontPage
• May 25, 2009 – Web Hosting Features – A Necessary Foundation
• March 24, 2009 – Introducing Cold Fusion Hosting
• February 24, 2009 – Introduction to ASP Hosting
• September 19, 2011 – Get Out of the PHP Memory Error Rut with WordPress
• September 14, 2011 – Linux Web Hosting – What Makes it Click?
• September 7, 2011 – An Overview of PHP-Based Content Management Systems Beyond WordPress

Reasons to Opt for Shared Hosting

Shared hosting offers numerous benefits and several of them extend into the e-commerce sector.  For one, it is very affordable as you can easily find a feature-loaded plan for under $10 per month.  In addition to that, you typically receive all the tools and services you need to get your online storefront up and running.  This includes shopping cart programs, web analytic tools and support for SSL certificates to secure your business transactions.  However, while shared hosting can provide you with a relatively secure platform, it can never assure the level of protection and reliability that can be obtained from a dedicated server.

The Dedicated Advantage

Though an advanced and often more complex hosting solution, a dedicated server is not exclusively geared towards larger companies.  In fact, it can deliver the same benefits to small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to establish and grow their presence on the web.  Leasing a dedicated server will cost you more than a shared hosting plan, but it can also guarantee you better overall security and reliability, both of which are vital for anyone who wants to be make sure there business is always available.  For many companies, their website serves as the revenue generator that keeps the business going.  If these are your plans, you need to make it a priority to invest in a solution that ensures your site can be accessed at all times and provides the secure environment your customers need to feel safe.

Capacity and Complexity

When leasing a dedicated server for your small business, you are assured a guaranteed allotment of essential resources such as disk space, RAM and bandwidth.  These features alone can give you a website that performs exceptionally better than it would in the shared hosting environment.  However, you should keep in mind that dedicated hosting is one of the most complex types of web hosting you can sign on for.  Unless you opt for a managed service, you will be responsible ensuring and monitoring security, performing configurations and backups, installing software and general maintenance of the server.

There are quite a few small businesses that can thrive with a shared hosting platform and several others that cannot.  Making a choice is difficult and the final decision will depend on various factors, including your budget, level of expertise and the requirements of your business.  Most importantly, it will boil down to the overall quality of the host providing you with service.

Related posts:

• March 18, 2009 – Hosting Considerations for E-commerce
• January 18, 2012 – InMotion Hosting In-Depth Analysis
• September 25, 2011 – What To Remember When Moving To A New Control Panel
• September 7, 2011 – Pros and Cons of Shared Hosting
• January 13, 2011 – Shared and Dedicated Web Hosting
• January 13, 2011 – Different Types of Web Hosting
• January 13, 2011 – Difference between Shared and Dedicated Servers
• January 13, 2011 – A Sundry of Options for Web Hosting
• August 12, 2010 – When is it Time to Graduate to a Dedicated Server?
• February 26, 2010 – PHP and Common Web Hosting Security Issues

Finding a Reliable Shared Host

In order to give yourself the best chance of succeeding with a small business, you need a shared hosting provider that takes hosting serious.  First and foremost, they should be dedicated to making sure your site is always up and running, ensuring that visitors enjoy a smooth performance.  If your site is frequently down due to technical difficulties or performs sluggishly, converting visitors into customers will be nearly impossible.  You can better assure accessibility and performance by looking for these technical specifics:

Uptime - This refers to the amount of time your site will be available on the web.  Right now, the industry standard is 99.9% so anything less than that can be considered unacceptable.  Don’t simply take the provider’s word on its advertised guarantee.  Do a little investigating and find out how the percentage is calculated and what is actually covered in the guarantee.

Disk Space – If you are planning to start an online business, a shared hosting plan must provide an adequate amount of disk space to store your content.  You probably won’t require a tremendous amount of storage space so look for something that suits your needs rather than falling for the glamorous “unlimited” offering.

Bandwidth – Equally important is bandwidth, often referred to as data transfer.  Bandwidth is another resource that is often advertised as an unlimited offering, but just as with disk space, that simply isn’t true.  We suggest selecting a shared host that offers an accurate amount of bandwidth to support your web traffic.  Without enough, your site will lag.  If you exceed the allotted amount, you could be taxed hefty overage fees despite the unlimited offering.

E-commerce Tools – Shared hosting is your ticket into online business and essentially the world of e-commerce.  Depending on the nature of your business, some of the e-commerce features you may want to look out for are shopping cart programs, multiple email accounts, SSL support, and database access among other features.   These tools will give you the ability to open up an online storefront, keep in touch with customers and facilitate secure transactions on your site.

Support - A small business hosting solution just wouldn’t be complete without solid support.  A reliable shared host should offer support 24/7 to step in and make the save when you have questions or concerns.  If they can’t provide quality customer support, the overall quality of their hosting service is questionable as well.

The most attractive benefit of shared hosting is cost efficiency.  By referring to this checklist, you should be able to find a small business solution that is both reliable and affordable.

Related posts:

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