Whether you own an e-commerce business or have a company to run, an online presence is a must. It allows exposure of your business to potential customers in new ways and expands your customer base. For all this to happen, a website is essential.
That brings us to the next important bit: how good your website is. Think about it, your site is the forum where most of your customers will interact with your brand for the first time. It means you can’t have anything less than a great site to represent you.
So, understanding the need for a high-quality website, you have one built by experts. What comes next? Publishing your website online and for that, you are going to need a web host. Google web hosts in your area, and you will see many seem to offer similar services. Even so, some of them charge customers much more. Why the dichotomy?
That’s because not all hosting is created the same! Although the differences in the services of web hosts might seem insignificant to you, they can have a significant impact on your business. Take a look at the figures below:
- You could be losing as many as 7% conversions because of just one-second delay in the time your web page takes in loading
- With only 4 seconds delay, you stand to lose at least 10% of your site traffic
- Almost 90% of websites are vulnerable due to at least one serious security issue
As evident, it is critical that you choose the right web host both for the betterment of the revenue and the scalability of your business. Our guide below can help you make an informed decision in this matter.
Cost
For a business, the cost of any services for hire is a critical consideration. However, if you want the web host company you hire to fulfill all your needs, you can’t just pick the cheapest! Make the right choice by first evaluating your budget, and then look at the options available to you.
Budget hosting is a low-cost solution that might appeal to many organizations. However, keep in mind that a budget hoster will be targeting thousands of sites on a single server. When one site on such server malfunctions, your website will feel the repercussions! Such servers are usually a part of data centers with lax security standards.
Say, you go with a moderately priced or higher-end hosting. These enterprise-level hosters may offer web hosting data centers as a specialized service. Alternatively, you can choose between single and multiple servers. Finally, you may decide to go with cloud hosting instead.
Before you hire a web host, review what their services will really cost you. That means factoring in the cost of custom solutions, depending on your company’s needs. You should also be looking at the charges for any additional features you order and overage. Once you have made your decision, sit down with the hosters, and specify what you need from them. Be as clear as you can.
Staff
The next thing of importance to consider while hiring a web host is the kind of staff operating its data center. Ask the firm about the efforts they make towards constant monitoring and the kind of alert system they have in case of system failures. If there is no alert system, then there wouldn’t be away for an on-call technician to show up and resolve the problem.
Besides those components, data centers also have a server and network admin each. Their jobs are to stay in touch with the system 24/7. For a larger data center, a manager is usually present to coordinate the activities of multiple technicians.
The takeaway, in this case, is that your business would be best served by a collocated data center. If you can’t achieve that, then consider a cloud-based solution. Talk to your web host and find out the extent of customization they can offer for your company’s data center.
A state of the art data center won’t be of much use to your business if it isn’t secure. While you might be thinking of vulnerability in terms of the digital world, you need to consider physical security as well. After all, the data center would be sensitive housing data, which is why it must have restricted access for a start. Another way of preventing unwanted entry is by the installation of physical barriers, such as concrete walls, within the building. Ideally, the building acting as a data center shouldn’t have any windows and one point of entry that can be guarded with vigilance and relative ease.
A data center that takes its security seriously would be located in a concealed area that is more or less safe from natural disasters. In the event of a natural disaster, there should be an emergency protocol in place that saves your stored information from being lost. Backups and backups for those backups are essential. Make sure the data center of your choice is one that keeps its location a closely guarded secret, and thus safe from prying eyes.
The modern society considers online branding imperative for success. This is a new truth that both organizations and individuals must accept. If your business is to make its mark on society, it needs a constant online presence. For that, it will need a high-quality website hosted by a server protected in an impenetrable data center, like the Seattle Data Center. Start making strides in maintaining your online presence immediately with our help!
