Aspire to own an online-successful business?
Believe it or not. Every small business owner will eventually confront this decision.
The digital infrastructure choices you make at the start can either propel your business forward or trip you up for years to come. But what is the single most important decision?
Your web hosting services.
Listen closely…
Hosting services power every website on the internet. Choose incorrectly and you’ll stress over slow speeds, security vulnerabilities and expensive downtime. Choose wisely and life becomes simpler.
Why Digital Infrastructure Is Important
When building a business online, digital infrastructure is everything.
Without it, literally nothing would work. Imagine building a house without laying a foundation first. Digital infrastructure is the servers, networks and security you set up to keep things operational. For startups and small businesses, this starts with web hosting services and extends into every marketing channel you use.
Here are some things to consider:
Poor web hosting can cost a business over $20,000 annually in downtime and lost revenue.
But that is just money flying out the window. Customer trust can take a permanent hit as well.
In fact, 75% of consumers judge a business’s credibility based on their website alone.
Having a slow website with downtime will drive customers straight to your competition.
That is why proper digital infrastructure is important.
What Are Web Hosting Services?
Web hosting services provide the space and technology to house your website files.
They make your site accessible to browsers all around the world. When a visitor wants to see your page, the server hosting your website serves it up to them. Hosting doesn’t sound too complicated. But choosing the best web hosting Singapore for small business owners requires understanding the different types available.
Let’s dive into the types of web hosting available:
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Shared- Several websites share server resources. Inexpensive, but limited and slower.
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Virtual Private Server- Access to a virtual server that splits resources with other sites. Better performance than shared hosting.
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Dedicated- All of the server’s resources are allocated for a single website. Highest level of performance.
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Cloud- Website data is stored across multiple servers. Provides great redundancy and uptime.
As your business grows, your web hosting needs will evolve. A startup company can likely get away with shared hosting in the beginning. Once you begin selling online, you will want to consider VPS web hosting or Cloud hosting.
Important Things To Consider When Choosing Hosting
Like anything in life, you get what you pay for.
With web hosting companies, some provide amazing uptime. Others skimp on customer service representatives. When it comes down to it, knowing what factors to consider will help you make the best decision for your business.
Here are the important things to consider when choosing hosting:
Uptime. This is probably the most important factor to look at when choosing a host. You want a web host that promises 99.9% uptime or better. Every minute your site is down is money lost. Make sure your host has a proven track record and offers service credits if they do not live up to their promise.
Speed. If your website doesn’t load in seconds, you’re losing business. Plain and simple. Did you know that many studies show the average consumer will wait less than 3 seconds for a page to load? Any longer and they will leave. Make sure your host provides a fast server and content delivery network.
Security. Cyber criminals are targeting every small business they can. Make sure your host offers SSL certificates, firewalls, malware scanning, and regular off-site backups. Don’t skimp when it comes to security.
Customer Support. Things happen at the worst time. Will your hosting company have 24/7 customer support? Can you contact them via live chat, phone, or a ticket system? Choose a host that can help you through sticky situations.
Ability to Scale. Every small business hopes to grow. When your website traffic increases, you don’t want to be stuck paying for hefty migration fees to move your site to a more powerful server. Look for a host that allows you to upgrade as your business expands.
Hosting Services – Common Mistakes To Avoid
We learn from others mistakes. Right? So why not learn from some of the mistakes we’ve made along the way?
Selecting a host by price. Just because a hosting company is cheap doesn’t mean they are the best. In fact, it’s typically the opposite when you dig deeper. Look for limited bandwidth, poor support teams, and shaky securities.
Not questioning server location. If your hosting server is in China and you want to target the US market, you’re in for a world of hurt. Your website will load slowly which equals less productivity and higher bounce rates. Make sure your host has servers located near your target market.
Not asking about backups. Ask yourself this question, “What happens if my website crashes?” before you select your hosting company. Do they provide automatic daily backups? Will you lose every bit of data you’ve worked hard on?
Not checking email services. Many business owners forget to confirm if their web hosting includes email hosting. Will you be forced to use @gmail.com as your professional email address? Check to see if your hosting includes email as well.
Neglecting the fine print. Signup today for a low-cost, only to find out your rates jump when it comes time to renew. Don’t fall into this web hosting trap. Know the renewal cost before you get locked into a 24 month contract.
Setting Yourself Up For Success
The right infrastructure decisions now will save you from headaches later.
Build around the website. Everything comes back to the website. Social media, email marketing, SEO, pay per click ads… they all connect back to the website. Make sure you host provides incredible uptime and fast load times.
Prioritize website security. Adding security features later down the road is difficult and expensive. Have your host provider help you implement security from day one. Strong passwords, reliable backups, firewalls, the list continues.
Mobile is everywhere. Did you know over 50% of web traffic comes from mobile devices? If your hosting provider doesn’t offer lightning-fast mobile performance, find another host provider.
Document everything. Store usernames, passwords, hosting information, and domain registrar contacts in a secure place. What happens if the key person in your company suddenly leaves? Documentation will save you from disaster.
Review your setup yearly. Things change. Just like how your web hosting needs will grow, your business will change as well. Make sure to sit down once a year to review your web hosting performance.
Wrapping It Up
Your small business digital infrastructure lays the ground work for how your business operates online.
Website hosting is the foundation of your online success. Choose a web hosting provider that gives you speed, security, and reliability. Neglect any one of these areas and you’re inviting risk into your business.
Remember:
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Uptime equals money in the bank
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Speed equals happy customers
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Security minded hosting providers = less chance of getting hacked
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Scalability allows you to grow
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Customer support is there when you need it
You should not have to be a tech guru to understand web hosting. But reading articles like this can help you ask the right questions.
And by asking the right questions, you’ll be able to separate yourself from the mistakes others have made and ultimately choose a web host you’ll enjoy working with in the long run.
Build a strong foundation. Then go conquer that online business!