Starting an online business can be a risky venture but with the right strategy and planning you can succeed to become the net Amazon. With literally thousands of new start-ups around the globe each and every day, the competition is stiff, there’s no two ways about it! Web hosting service plays a crucial role in determining the success of the online start-up. So what do you need from a web hosting service if you are starting a new online business? Here are some important elements you should always consider.
1. The Choice between Dedicated and Virtual Private Servers
Most of the time a dedicated server will offer a more powerful and much faster hosting service but it isn’t always the case. High end VPS is giving dedicated servers a run for their money so it is up to the customer which they prefer. While a dedicated server guarantees your hosted spaced will be shared with no one, keeping the cost higher, a VPS (virtual private server) shares disk space among several websites. Is cost an issue for your startup? Then a VPS would probably benefit your more.
2. Unlimited Data Transfers
Sometimes a startup company is building a huge website so there will be tons of data transferred to the server as the site is being built. However, some sites upload a lot of data each and every month because products are continually changing. Graphics and videos eat a lot of bandwidth so if your startup is going to require huge amounts of data being transferred, you will want to know that this option is open to you.
3. The Choice between Linux and Windows Servers
You have probably heard the great debate as to which type of server is better, Windows or Linux. One thing you should be aware of is that it really doesn’t matter on the front end which operating system the server uses because you will never need to work with Linux if you aren’t familiar with it. You will still develop and upload your website in a windows based setting but the server will operate using Linux. Is it better? Although it is a personal preference here, it should be stated that at least 95% of the supercomputers out there on the Web use Linux. Does that answer your question?
4. Customer Support 24/7
Finally, never run with a hosting service that doesn’t provide 24/7 customer service and support. Your customers expect your site to be up and running twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days a year, and rightly so. If there is a problem in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, that customer doesn’t want to hear it is Christmas, they expect your site to be functional. Can your hosting company guarantee 99.999% uptime?
You are starting a business to make money and if your customers are put off because your site is continually down or lacks the speed necessary for pages to load, this means they will simply go elsewhere. That is definitely not what you want! So if you want to start a successful online business, these are the minimum requirements of a hosting company you should look for. If they offer anything less, continue looking.
