Smart business owner are aware that they need a rock-solid website to engage with prospects and customers. While the majorities see the great value that lies in crafting top-notch content, very few understand why choosing the right web hosting service is equally important. Entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners often make wrong choices because they only care about saving money. In the long term, the amount you think you saved by opting for free hosting can cost you a lot.

The downsides of making wrong decisions when buying web hosting

As an entrepreneur, your aim is to maximize profits after opening your business. Since most of today’s companies are also active online, having a website and making sure it is linked to social media channels becomes crucial. Choose the wrong type of web hosting can affect your revenue.

Free hosting is a popular option among newbie entrepreneur with little knowledge on how a website should function online. You miss out on a lot of opportunities because you can’t monetize your website. You have limited bandwidth, limited storage space, and you are forced to run random ads on all your website’s pages. In layman’s terms, you giving up control and you allow a third party to control your business.

Web hosting is directly linked to SEO ranking

Web hosting affects your SEO ranking, meaning that choosing the right package becomes of the utmost importance. With free hosting, the limitations negatively impact your ability to monitor the people accessing your website. WordPress, for example, doesn’t allow you to install SEO plugins like Yoast, to make sure your content is optimized. If you want to do that you’ll have to upgrade from free to pay hosting.

With paid web hosting, you’ll notice the benefits provided you have some knowledge of SEO. Both shared and managed hosting are viable options you might want to explore more in-depth.

What type of web hosting should I choose for my business?

While there’s no one-fits-all package that makes sure your website is 100% secure, you should know that a paid package has more perfect than the free option. Collaborating with a trusted company that prides with excellent customer service keeps you safe. You data is backed up if things go south, and in case of a glitch or anomaly, someone will always be there to help fix the issue.

Paid hosting options feature added benefits such as maintenance, technical support, and the ability to monetize your website with plugins. Website customization is paramount in a digital world packed with millions of websites that look the same. Your goal should be to stand above the crowd with excellent content and unique design.

What to look for in a web hosting company before making your pick

To make sure your website stays safe, it is important to choose a trusted web hosting company. Before making your pick, analyze reviews or better yet, call the provider to get assistance directly from a specialist. It’s always better to talk to someone who know what they’re doing. This way, you can ask questions and get clearance on why a certain web hosting package is better than another.

There are 4 core types of web hosting packages you should know more about: VPS (virtual private server), shared, managed and dedicated web hosting. Don’t just assess prices and make a decision based on the most affordable plan. Figure out what your business needs are, and only make a final decision after you’ve discussed with an experienced provider.

As your online business grows, so will your needs. Traffic will increase, which means the demand for quality content increases as well. With cpanel shared hosting, you can meet those needs. Scalability is just as important because it allows you to upgrade to a better package in case you need extra storage space or bandwidth.

Switching providers or relocating your website to a different host can be painful. Keep in mind that the internet never goes to sleep. What happens if your website becomes unavailable in the middle of the night? By making an informed decision and opting for a package that molds your business needs, you are sure your website is up and running 24/7.