Small Business Web Hosting

Small businesses come with a different set of rules than large enterprises and that is true for web hosting. Web hosting for small businesses requires special considerations. There usually isn't a large budget for a small business to buy an on-premise server. There may not even be a budget to lease a dedicated server. But there are several options for small businesses that still want to expand their client base and increase exposure on the World Wide Web.

Managed Hosting Service

With a managed hosting service, the small business would get its own server, but would not have full control of the server. By relinquishing control over the server, the small business ensures guaranteed quality of service. There are no chances the small business will accidentally interfere with the server's uptime because it doesn't have the authority to make any changes to the server.

Shared Hosting Service

In a shared hosting situation, clients share a server, even though each client's components remain separate. Clients pay less because all the server resources like RAM and the CPU are shared. Even though the whole service is shared, there are a lot of features available with this option.

Cloud Hosting Service

Cloud services are viable option for small businesses that need a website but don't have the software or computers necessary. With the cloud, everything is stored virtually on a server in another location, but it can all be accessed through a web browser from any location. This option is a boon for small businesses because it allows the business to project a strong, solid front without a large amount of capital.

Managed Hosting Service

Identify your needs and wants in a web hosting company and then search through the options to find one that matches your needs and wants while still being within your budget. After all, it isn't about the amount of features available; it's about the number of features you'll actually use. Keep searching for web hosting services and you're sure to find the best web hosting service for you.

Web Hosting Downtime

One way to measure a web hosting service's reliability is by calculating downtime. A promise of 90% availability may sound like great odds that the website will be up and running, it averages out to 16.8 hours of downtime allowed each week. That's a lot of hours to have a non-functioning website. Stick with hosting services that promise no less than 99% availability. This gives a measure of the web host's system and it confidence in that system.

Web Hosting Features

When shopping around for a web host, be sure to examine the features. It helps to identify the features that would be most useful to the business and then search potential web hosts accordingly. Popular features include shopping carts, Flash, and currency converters. These options vary by web host, so be sure and check that the price includes these services or if there are any extra charges.