Web Hosting Tips for Startup Owners

When a business owner brings a company online, they typically concentrate on site design and content with Web Hosting coming in a distant third. Many business owners don’t think about hosting until the site becomes overloaded or there’s a question about cost, but this approach can be disastrous. Before considering hiring a web designer or purchasing a WordPress plugin, a startup owner should think about the kind of hosting they’ll need to keep the business running smoothly. Below are several tips on what to look for when choosing a hosting provider for a business website.

Shared Hosting Packages

On the surface, the concept seems simple. In shared hosting, the business site shares a server with many other sites. While this idea is acceptable for personal websites and small blogs, it really won’t work for a startup’s site that’s growing and bringing in more traffic every day. When site owners want to create viral content and lead generation campaigns, shared hosting simply isn’t enough.

Dedicated Hosting

With dedicated hosting packages, the business owner doesn’t have to share a server with other sites. Therefore, if a spam website slows down all the other sites on shared servers, the startup site won’t be affected. When sites run smoothly on a dedicated host, the user experience is better, the site is less likely to crash, and there will be fewer serious issues.

Managed Dedicated Hosting

With a managed hosting plan, the business owner doesn’t have to worry whether something will happen to their site because the hosting company will take care of problems as they arise. When a business is in the startup phase, the owner is likely to be very busy—and choosing a managed, dedicated host will allow them to focus on getting the business off the ground.

Now that business owners know about their hosting options, it’s time to learn how to choose the right hosting company. Below are some tips for startup owners on finding a reliable web host.

Selecting a Web Host

Many companies go for the cheapest, the most popular, or the biggest web hosting company they can find. However, these strategies don’t always work, and there are other options available. The web hosting industry is full of companies offering a variety of packages and plans. Variety is a good thing as it means startups can find the right package regardless of their needs. With such a wide range of options, clients can find a host that shares similar values and offers the services they need without all the unnecessary extras. When selecting a hosting company or package, business owners should consider the following factors.

User reviews

Downtime

The host’s customer numbers

The host’s history

Whether the company is eco-friendly and uses sustainable practices (if that’s important to the business owner)

Which services and packages are offered

What the service contract is like

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By considering these factors, among others, startup business owners are more likely to find a host that suits the company’s needs and budget. Below are a few more tips for new business owners on finding quality web hosting.

Service Drill-Down

Now that the business owner knows what he or she should look for in a web host, they should learn which services they’ll need to run a business. Here, startup owners can learn what they need in a web hosting package.

Support for databases. If a client decides to run an e-commerce website, they should look for a web host that offers database support. This is important because the database is where all the company’s information is stored for future access.

Customer service. While there are plenty of cheap hosts available, users get what they pay for. Low-grade hosting plans often come with bare-bones customer service, which isn’t very helpful for a business owner. If a client runs a startup, they should look for a plan with free customer service included.

Good scalability. Most businesses start with an eye toward growth, and the owner should choose a hosting provider that can grow with the business. When choosing a host, find out if other customers were able to grow or if they had to change providers during the growth phase.

Transparent pricing. While most hosts are upfront about pricing, others try to hide behind gimmicks and promotions. Startup owners are typically budget-conscious, and they should look for a host with a transparent, easy-to-understand fee structure.

There are many considerations to make when choosing a web hosting company, but one thing is clear: customers should not pay for services they don’t need. Conversely, they should be willing to pay a little extra for beneficial services, especially during the startup phase. There are many web hosts that cater to owners of startup companies, and clients should practice due diligence in finding the host that fits their needs and the company’s budget.