Choosing the right hosting option
There are lots of hosting options out there – here’s our simple guide to choosing the right one for your small business.
If you’re interested in setting-up and managing your small business website yourself, take the time to have a look around and compare your options. Time spent at the start will save you time and money!
Should you DIY?
Start by being realistic about your own skills. If you’re completely new to websites – keep it simple! Go for a company that makes it simple to register your domain (the website address for your business), and run your site from the same place. Most of the well-known companies do this.
Ask around. What do other small business owners around you use? How did they choose the right hosting options?
Choosing a hosting solution for your small business that’s also being used by someone close by could be very helpful. Here’s why.
Sharing is not just for social media
One of the things that can be really stressful for small business owners is taking time off, and worrying about what happens if they’re not well. Small businesses should stick together! Find yourself a business buddy.
Sharing is a great way to cut costs for small business owners looking at hosting options. You can learn how to use your hosting solution from a business buddy. Or maybe, you’ve found it really easy to set-up your website, and can help your business buddy out.
Or maybe you can learn online together! Avoid any hosting options for small business that don’t have a good selection of easy to follow instructional videos.
Once you’ve got things set-up, you’ve also got yourself someone who can keep an eye on your site when you’re away and you can do the same for them!
Features
What features should you look for?
As a small business, you want your site to be easy to maintain. So look for companies that update your site automatically. You also want a hosting solution that talks about small business! That way, you know they’ll be making it as easy as possible for use to get your website online and keep it going.
Location
There are hosting companies everywhere. You may want a hosting company closer to home if your market is local. If you went for a hosted option it might help if you run into problems.
Price
Hosting platform company pricing is fairly competitive. You should be able to find a solution for under $20 a month. We haven’t found a hosting company yet that doesn’t offer a discount for annual payments. (If you know of one, let us know!)
For a small business, the price of a hosting solution, could be a deal breaker. But, it’s a business expense you need to factor in. It should be in your marketing plan, with a budget you can afford to keep up.
Choosing the right hosting options shouldn’t just be about the money. You need the best solution you can find for you.
Hot tip!
The Capterra website has hundreds of reviews for all kinds of business-related software and online solutions. You can choose up to four different companies at a time to compare services.
Monthly or annually
Saving money by paying annually makes financial sense. If your business is well-established it doesn’t make sense not to pay annually.
An exception might be some start-ups looking to keep costs at a minimum just in case plans change. If that’s you, paying monthly for say, six months, might just be a better choice.
If you’ve an existing website you’d like to keep, we’ll need login details if you have opted for a managed service.