In the digital world we’re living in today, creating and maintaining a business website is crucial. If you’re a business owner who doesn’t have a website yet, then you might be missing out on important opportunities such as utilizing effective digital marketing strategies. A good website will not only help strengthen your brand but it’ll also add credibility to your business.
How to create a credible business website
The first and most important step towards creating a website is working with reliable web hosting providers. Such companies can help stimulate the growth of your business. When choosing a web host, you need to pick your preference depending on whether you want a personal blog or an ecommerce website.
Finding a website hosting service generally narrows down to aspects that are important to you as a business owner. Ensure that your web host is able to provide the most critical features such as fast speeds, free SSL certificates and unmetered bandwidth. Other factors to consider include ease of use, responsive customer support, ample storage and excellent uptime. Remember, choosing the wrong hosting provider can kill your website and put you at risk of being hacked − this may even cause your business to collapse.
Why is choosing the best web host so crucial?
Web hosting is the most important decision you’ll ever need to make when creating your business website. The web host you choose will essentially accommodate your website. Without it, your site will suffer from numerous downtimes and become vulnerable to many hacking attempts.
With hundreds of web hosts available, it can be hard to choose one that perfectly suits your needs. Companies such as dreamhost, blue host and hostgator are among the few reputable web hosts you can go for. The question is: what makes such companies reliable and valuable to business owners?
Here is a definitive guide to choosing the best hosting providers:
- Enquire about the price
Pricing is one of the most critical factors people consider before choosing a web host company. Many people make the mistake of basing their final judgment on the price, which is not always the right way to go. Although price is vital, cheap is expensive in the long run. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re a startup or an established business person. It’s essential to invest your resources in the right web host that provides all the features you require. Take time to write down your business needs and compare them with what the hosting company is providing. If you don’t need a particular service at that time, avoid paying for it. This way, you spend on only what your business requires.
- Check customer support
Let’s face it; we’re not all perfect at everything. We sometimes need assistance from professionals when we get stuck. The same case applies for your website: you might need the help of customer support at any time. The value of your web host can be determined by how responsive its customer support team is. It should be highly responsive by answering to your every beck and call. The technical and customer support teams should be accessible 24/7 because issues can arise at any moment, especially cyber-attacks. Find out the different ways you can reach your web host for support such as emails, phone calls and chat. If nobody is there to respond to you, your website is bound to suffer in terms of reduced traffic, compromised security and more downtimes.
- Ensure that security is guaranteed
Access management is very important when it comes to security. According to information shared by Forbes, about 30,000 websites are hacked on a daily basis. On the same note, 80% of online shoppers are likely to abandon a shopping experience the moment they find themselves connected via an unsecure connection. Security is therefore a top concern when choosing a website host. Good security not only assures you the safety of your proprietary info but also safeguards customer data.
When comparing the security details of different web hosts, look for details such as:
- Data redundancy: the hosting provider should provide regular daily backups and also have the ability to back up your entire site at will. Data redundancy prevents loss of vital info and thwarts other vulnerabilities that can arise from outdated software.
- DDoS protection: is the host company able to offer specific protection from denial of service attacks that can take the server and site offline?
- Data encryption: all info should be kept safe so make sure to check the levels of encryption provided by the hosting company.
Extra security features: Check if they provide services such as network monitoring, firewalls and SSL certificates.