Website Hosting Account - Selecting for Your Small Business Website

This is part one of a multi-part series exploring website hosting options for your Small Business website.

An Overview - What you'll need to consider

For any small business owner looking to start an online business one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is where to ‘host’ your website. There are countless hosting options and providers. While there are lots of options you’ll need to understand some basics about hosting before you make your decision.

Let’s start with a definition. A ‘host’ is a service that allows a domain owner, like you, to rent space on a ‘web server.’ The web server is where your website pages will reside. When a visitor types your domain (i.e. www.mysmallbusinessdomain.com) into a web browser the host accepts the request and displays your web pages. Hosting options come in many flavors ranging from free services, to shared services to dedicated solutions. The ‘right’ hosting solution for you will depend on the unique needs of your business website.

When looking for a hosting provider you’ll need to know a few things about your business needs and the services that you will need. The key things to consider are:

1. Website Design Tools. These tools allow you to create your website using online tools. These ‘wizards’ allow a novice to create a relatively sophisticated website with limited technical ability. Generally these online tools work best for small websites with limited complexity.
   
   
2. FTP Access. If you’ll be using a website designer to build or maintain your website or if you’re going to use desktop software like Front Page or Dream Weaver you’ll need the ability to add pages directly to your website. This is done through a process called, FTP.
   
   
3. Bandwidth. This is how much ‘stuff’ will you move from the web server to the visitor’s computer. Sites that are mainly text will likely have limited bandwidth needs, while very graphic sites may have larger needs. Also if you’re selling downloadable products online such as eBooks, software or hi-resolution graphics you may have very large bandwidth needs. Also, here you’ll need to consider how much traffic you anticipate having. A small niche website may have very few visitors, whereas a more general website might anticipate thousands of visitors a day.
   
   
4. Feature/Functionality. A website that simply provides information likely has very minimal functionality needs, whereas an ecommerce website may have extensive needs. For instance, you may need the ability to accept payments online, store information in a customized database or host interactive features like forums or feedback forms.
   
   
5. Branding Ability. If you’re building an online business you may have the need to build your ‘brand’ online. This may mean that you don’t want to have logos or information from other sites displayed on your website. Also, here you’ll need to consider your domain name. It may be important that your domain name is unique (i.e. www.mydomain.com) or you may be okay with a shared domain name. (i.e. mydomain.freehosting.com). Generally your internet marketing plan will determine your branding needs.
   
   
6. Budget. For most, if not all new small businesses, start-up resources are limited. You’ll need to understand how much you can spend on things like hosting fees, domain renewals and website design. Fortunately the internet offers a wide range of ‘free’ hosting options that may help you stretch out your limited budget.
   
   

While you may not know all the answers early in your business’ life, it is important that you at least take the time to understand your overall needs. Selecting the right hosting service the first time can save you time and money. In the upcoming sections of this series we’ll explore each topic in more detail and look at some of the specific hosting providers you may want to consider.

In the next part of this series we’ll look at each of the above considerations in more detail starting with website design tools. If you need help setting up your online business now, consider contacting Webs 4 Small Business. Whether you just need advice or you need help getting your online business running, we can provide services tailored to your needs. Visit us on the web at www.Webs4SMB.com or give us a call today for a free consultation at 1-877-468-6402.