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Choosing the Right Web Hosting Service Do a little research into hosting your business website on the Internet and you'll find you don't have to dig deep to unearth the horror stories: website hosting companies have been known to disappear without a trace, clients' credit cards have been charged additional fees without their knowledge, and the security and integrity of business sites have been critically compromised by power failures, fire and data invasion. Deciding who you are going to hire to host your website may be one of the most important web development decisions you will make, since a reliable, secure, and user-friendly website can mean the difference between e-commerce profitability and loss. But how do you find a reliable, experienced hosting service that meets your business needs AND your budget? In the Internet world a little information can go a long way; if you know where to look and what kinds of questions to ask, it is possible to avoid getting caught in a web of hosting horrors. First, determine your needs. Ask yourself what you are going to use your website for, now and in the future. You need to be sure that your hosting provider will be able to accommodate not just your current needs, but also those you will have six months or two years from now. Here are some questions to get you thinking:
Your needs will determine whether you require shared or dedicated hosting services. Shared hosting essentially means that your website is hosted on a server that is 'shared' with a number of other websites. Everyone has the same type of security and access, meaning nothing is customized for the individual. Dedicated hosting means that you get a server 'dedicated' to your website alone. A dedicated server is customized to your requirements allowing you to run non-standard applications, intranets, private networks and tailor security to meet your business needs. Shared hosting is usually a less comprehensive -- and therefore less expensive -- solution for small businesses. It still allows you to conduct e-commerce or serve up streaming media, but it won't allow uncapped bandwidth for very high traffic sites. Dedicated hosting is designed for businesses requiring more powerful solutions. These would be very high traffic websites, database driven sites, sites with high file counts, sites that require high levels of security and so on. Once you've determined your needs, consider your provider options. These days, almost anyone involved in web development and Internet services can host your website, the question is: what can they offer you that will facilitate and benefit your online business effort? Ideally, you'll tell a prospective hosting provider what you expect your website to be able to do, and they'll tell you what you need and what you don't need in a hosting package. Unfortunately, if you are not talking to the right person and have specific needs, you may not get the right information. That's why choosing the right hosting partner is key. Web hosting through an ISP (Internet Service Provider) If you've got an Internet connection at your home or office, you probably already know that ISPs such as Shaw ( www.shawcable.com ) and Telus ( www.telus.com ) offer a small amount of complimentary web space with your Internet hook-up. Generally, this is designed for personal use only, and unless you are publishing a simple brochure website and expect a very low traffic volume, the space is not really sufficient for a business website. However, many ISPs now offer business web hosting which often bundles your Internet service with a business website hosting service. These packages include sufficient web space for business web sites and may offer additional features that serve security, statistical collection and e-commerce needs. For as low as $65 month for high-speed Internet and shared hosting, or just $29.99 for shared hosting alone, your current ISP is worth taking a look at. In addition, you may want to check out lesser known but very reputable ISPs such as Radiant Communications ( www.radiant.net ) which focus primarily on Internet connectivity and hosting. Radiant offers competitive business packages (entry level shared hosting starts at $14.95 per month) and value-added extras such as web development and Internet marketing. Further, their strong levels of customer service -- with support staff having a thorough understanding of Internet business needs -- set them apart from the Big Box ISPs. Web hosting through your web developer/designer Your web designer may be able to host your site on his/her server or facilitate your web hosting through a hosting company s/he already has a relationship with. The benefit here is that you will probably get a customer-focused approach, which is sometimes lacking with other kinds of service providers. In addition, you can rely on your designer's wealth of knowledge to choose the provider and the package that is right for you. The down-side is that hosting services may be more expensive and, by passing this task on to your designer to handle, you are relinquishing some measure of control over your web-based business processes. Web hosting through a web hosting company Since ISPs and web development firms have been ramping up their service packages to attract business users, and the costs of hosting a website are going down, companies that solely provide web hosting services are becoming less and less common. To compete in a highly competitive market, companies that at one time simply offered hosting services, now also offer a number of value-added services such as domain name registration and even web design and Internet connection services. This is good news for the consumer, as it is becoming easier to build a long-term partnership with a hosting provider that can support a business as it develops. If you are most comfortable going directly to the source, and are seeking a company that focuses primarily on hosting, take a look at NetNation ( www.netnation.com )NetNation's very knowledgeable support staff can explain in plain-language the different types of hosting packages they offer and suggest solutions based on your business needs. Shared hosting at NetNation runs approximately $30.00 - $40.00 per month while dedicated hosting averages somewhat higher at about $200.00 - $400.00. You can also try the following websites for more information: The List - Web Hosts TopHosts The WHIR's Find Web Hosts Other things to consider: Reliability and security. When your site is 'down' (not available to your clients) you are losing money. Your chosen company should guarantee a minimum number of 'up' hours. Ideally, they'll have multiple servers and will often do backups. Security is equally as important as you don't want your sensitive data to be compromised. Ask about firewall protection, SSL servers and so on. Technical support and customer service. It's inevitable -- you are going to need technical support at some point, and email can be a frustrating form of communication when troubleshooting. You may want to ensure the company you choose provides a contact phone number -- preferably toll-free -- in addition to email support. You will also want to consider the technical knowledge of support staff -- a cursory phone call to Telus revealed that their front-line customer service operators knew little about Telus' hosting services, which means Telus clients seeking support may be left waiting hours or days for a specialist to call them back. Price. Cheaper isn't necessarily better. Lower cost providers may not have a comprehensive range of services that you'll need as your online business grows. For those of us who consider ourselves technically challenged, looking for a web host can be frustrating, especially when you're being bounced from one customer service rep to another just to get an answer to what you thought was a simple question. But it is worth the effort. Because, I'd bet that most of those web hosting horror stories you hear have come from people who didn't do their research. © eBizPages 2005 |
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