Vendirex.com

Website Hosting for Your Business

by VENDIREX on 10/28/2015 - 12:06 pm |

Tags: Internet Marketing, Maintenance Management

The next choice to make after buying your domain name is to figure out where it will be hosted. The domain registrars (of course) are going to vie for that business from you, as website hosting commands a continuing monthly fee. In fact they count on it, which is why domain names are so cheap to purchase. However, you’ll first want to check with the person building your site, so you don’t end up duplicating efforts and then just having to have the records moved anyway.


Whether you are going with a freelance web designer, or a full blown business host that offers site management, they will all have a favorite host they prefer you use. They may even have their own server. Costs will be substantially higher for private hosting, so make sure to ask why they think it is necessary to host your site themselves.


Also, as a precaution, be sure you have access any logins, and have the name registered in your name (not the designer’s). Sometimes you will want to move your site, change your host or site manager, and if you don’t want a cumbersome process (or even issues with who owns what) down the road, insist that everything’s in your name from the onset.


If you use a database or development platform, your hosting will be more complex and priced higher as well. E-commerce is another add-on cost, but you should thoroughly research this avenue. If you have the time and a bit of computer savvy, some of the simpler sites can be handled on your own.


That said, when you need an expert, find one. Don’t try to delve into coding and Java scripts and attempt to sell online with a lesser known service just because they are cheaper. Good people and good products cost money, and if you try to circumvent and get into too much DIY, you could lose a lot more than a few prospective clients.


What’s Important for a Business Host to Offer?


Reliability - consisting of percentage of available time people can reach your site, minus your host’s scheduled maintenance downtimes (which are normal and necessary). Uptime is the second element here to look for, and is the total amount of time your host is online, outside of potential network outages.


Site Security - will you need Extranet (for customers and suppliers to pay and receive money on your site), or Intranet (security only needed within your own company)?


Colocation hosting - this is where you own your server, but it is housed and maintained at the host’s physical site. They may offer updates, but it’s more common for your own IT professional to handle this on your behalf.


Cloud hosting - a very scalable option, it is based upon the power used to run your site. Because your data is not centralized (it is virtually shared with other computers, which gives it less chance of downtime), it might be a privacy concern - depending on the type of field you are in.




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