5 Things To Consider When Determining the Best Web Host For Your Business
1. Determine The Purpose Of Your Website
The best web host for your business will be determined by the purpose of your website. It sounds elementary doesn’t it? You would be surprised at the number of serious business people who still think that a website is a website is a website! Will your site be an online brochure to compliment your brick and mortar business? If so, a small simple site of 3 – 10 pages will probably satisfy your needs.
Will your site contain a large number of photographs or videos? In this case you will need a website host who can supply a large amount of storage and fast transfer rates.
Are you planning to use your website primarily as a sales tool? If you plan to have a site that can support a catalog of your products and shopping cart capabilities, you will need to find a host that can handle ecommerce processes.
Some business owners think that websites are only for national and global businessess. They believe that their local business won't benefit from having a website. Click here to see how a website can benefit your local business.
2. Customer Support
Technical support will be a given at some point in the building or operation of your website. When you have a problem, you do not want a web host who will simply give you an online manual that basically says you are on your own! You want a host with “user-friendly” customer support. Your support should be one that responds immediately to your requests and questions by telephone or email.
Either way, the response times should be within industry standards. Wait times by phone should be no more than 5 minutes. You should receive email replies in no more than 24 hours at the most. Several hours should really be all the time needed for an email reply.
You want a company like Site Build It! with excellent response times if there is a problem with your website.
3. Hosting Costs
At this point of the Internet evolution, you can find a wide range hosting cost, ranging from free to around $50/month. Free website hosting usually pay for the costs by placing advertising on your site. You more than likely will not have your own domain name. Nothing says “amateur” like a free website plastered with banners and pop-ups and a mile-long domain name! If you have tried this approach already, don’t feel alone. We have all fallen for free website hosting offers at one time or another. Free websites are fine for hobbies or your child’s school page. You don’t want a free site for your business. Especially now that you can get a best web host for about $30.00/month with your own domain name!
4. Uptime and Load Time
You may have the built the most professional looking, easy to navigate website on the Internet. If your customers cannot access it, you are alone in cyberspace! Uptime and load time are the two factors that will determine accessibility to your site. Uptime is the percentage of time your web host’s server, containing your website is online. The best web hosts have uptimes in the 99 –100% range. In other words, your website’s server is almost always online with the absolute minimum of downtime.
Load time is the time it takes for a users to download your web pages. Load time is measured in seconds. Factors such as the number of photographs and videos on your page and the user’s Internet connection will affect load time also. However, if your web host’s servers do not provide competitive load times, your users will leave your website and probably not return.
5. Best Web Hosts Will Offer Online Security
Online security precautions are paramount for your business and your customers. Your choice of a best web host should take into account the security measures offered by that host. Even if a web host gets high ratings for the first 4 points listed here, but fall short on number 5 – online security, look for another host. You want state-of-the-art protection from Spam, viruses, worms and someone hacking into site. You also want to make sure that your visitors and customers’ personal information is protected and that they know their information is protected.
There are many other factors to consider when looking for the best web host for your business website. The five listed on this page will get your started in the right direction.
Get the free report "Six Common Mistakes Made By People When Applying For A Business Loan" when you subscribe to the free BM$ Success Newsletter and keep up with the latest funding opportunities for your business!
Get Starting Building Your Business Website Today!
Reach Millions of Business Buyers – $50
Return to Build Web Pages.
Click to leave Best Web Host and return to Business-Money-Source.com homepage.
