For any business to be truly successful in this technology driven age, an internet presence with a well-designed website is an absolute must. Whether the website for your small office or home office (SOHO) is purely informative, or allows customers to interact and directly purchase merchandise, it must be easy to find, easy to navigate, and always available. Here's how to choose the best web hosting company for your needs and help your business grow to its fullest potential.
Before you even start looking for a company to host your site, establish your needs. Depending on what kind of business you are marketing, you will need different elements available on your website. If you'll be selling merchandise directly to the end-user client, for example, you'll need to make sure there is a shopping cart available as part of one of your host's packages. How many pages would you like your site to have? Four or five pages are pretty standard, while more pages, for example if you are selling many different items, will generally be more costly. If you have a large quantity of photos, would like to have video or audio clips, or are implementing the use of any sort of other media, you will need to be sure that your web hosting service will accommodate these large files and elements.
Now that you have a clear idea of what elements your web hosting service must offer in order to fulfill the needs of your business, it's time to decide on a domain name. This is the internet address that people will put into their browsers and so should be closely connected with the name of your business. For example, an accounting firm might try to include the word "accounting" in their domain name in order to make it easier for customers to find and remember their site. If you've already gone through the process of domain registration, you can skip this step; otherwise, take some time to investigate what website names are still available. The hosting company you choose can usually take care of domain registration as well, so be prepared before you select your provider.
Now that you know exactly what you need and what you'll be requesting of your web hosting service, you can begin the process of reviewing specific companies and the services they offer. First search the internet to find the most highly rated hosting companies, which are often also reviewed by their actual clients. Many other satisfied customers mean your experience is likely to be a good one as well. Once you have a short list of highly rated companies, you can start analyzing their specific offerings. How reliable are they? A website is only good if it is up and running. Will the web hosting service offer a guaranteed uptime so your clients can always find you? If you do not already have a domain name reserved, is domain registration included?
Other important things to consider include the available technical support and the flexibility of their layout and design options. SOHO professionals don't always work traditional hours, so having the ability to speak with someone knowledgeable at any time of the night or day can be extremely important. Different web hosting services also offer different options with regard to layout and structure of the site. The more flexibility afforded the business owner, the more costly the service may be, but this increased cost may result in exponential returns if your site is more professional in appearance and easier to navigate.
With all this information in hand, you can start to compare prices. Determine how much the amount of storage space you require, the number of pages offered for your site, and the compatibility with other forms of media will cost for each web hosting service that you're considering will cost, along with the availability of 24-hour technical support and flexibility of layout. Don't forget to add in possible additional charges for domain name registration or potential discounts for paying for a year in advance. Once you organize the data in this manner, it should be easy to determine which site is most compatible with your business needs, and will allow you to grow your web presence with little effort, and no stress.
Web hosting is a tricky business, and many who set up web based businesses often consider whether or not they need a firewall. If you are having your website hosted on an off-site server, then that server probably has a firewall. But what about you? Have you completed your domain registration and decided to host your website locally? If you have, then you need to know that there are precautions that absolutely must be taken.
You do need a firewall. Even if you believe that your website is completely secure, it might not be. For those who aren't that computer savvy, it seems impossible to break into a website. For those who have dedicated their lives to learning the ins and outs of computers, every webpage is an open door and an invitation.
Let's take a look at a few of the things that could become vulnerable if you fail to take the proper precautions:
Customer Information: We're not just talking about names here. We're talking about credit card information, social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, you name it. This information was given to you because the customer trusts you. This is information that will not be given away lightly, and as such you need to protect it. Failure to do so may not only lose you your customers, it could also lead to criminal prosecution.
Store Information: This is a big one, and while it's not as big as the customer information issue, it is still something to be concerned about. To drive home the point here, we'll talk about a store that failed to hide it's information. The store in question had two versions of it's website. One version was for the customers, and one was for the employees. The two sites were perfectly identical, but the employee site had much lower prices. In essence it was like Black Friday every single day. The store in question caught a lot of flack about it when someone ran across it inadvertently, and they certainly learned their lesson about firewalls
In addition to 'accidents' like the one mentioned above, there may also be instances where a person actually goes looking for the information. This is called corporate espionage, and while it can be illegal in many cases, it is still something that is done on a regular basis. It can spell the end of your company, so make sure this does not happen to you.
Overall Security: One other thing that you have to fear are actual hackers. Hackers like to break in to corporate websites and change the page in any way they can. Why do they do this? Simply because they can. Of course this may also be another form of corporate espionage. It would not be surprising for a competing company to try destroying your website to turn your customers way. You might think that your customers are loyal, but you would be surprised what an unstable website will do to a customer base these days. If one site does not seem to work, they will simply move on to the next, such is the way of e-commerce.
Can all this happen to you? Yes, it absolutely can. You would not be the first website that has fallen prey to these types of attacks, but remember that your chances increase as you grow in popularity. For instance, if you run a website that sells candles you probably won't have to worry about the vandalism. If you run a company that sells electronics, or a company that sells to a wide audience in general, then yes you are a huge target. That being the case, you need to put a firewall in place to ensure that you stay in business.
Do not overestimate yourself or your website. Accept that you could be a target and that your site could be very vulnerable to attack. Accepting this will allow you to improve on your firewall and adjust it for each and every new threat. It's a lot of work, maintaining and setting up a firewall, and in many cases it can be expensive. But as they say, you have to spend money to make money.
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So you've just started up a brand new e-commerce company, you've finished with the domain registration and worked out the web hosting details and you want to know whether or not having a BBB seal on your front page would be a good idea. The first thing that we will need to do is talk a little about what the BBB is. Once that is done you can decide for yourself whether or not it would be prudent to have their support in your e-commerce endeavors.
The Better Businesses Bureau is an organization that oversees the quality of any companies that claim membership in it. For instance, if you have a company that is a member of the organization and fails to meet the quality standards that they have set forth for themselves, then the BBB can either drop them or charge a fine if they do not correct the situation.
On the other hand if you have decided to use a company that is not governed by the BBB, there is no one to watch over their actions. They might follow through, and they might choose to not follow through. It really depends on the situation and how that company is feeling. Then again it might be the best company in the world. You'll never know unless they decide to have the BBB seal on their website.
Essentially the BBB seal is allowing your customers to see your dedication to their satisfaction. It lets them know that your company conforms to the standards that the BB has set forth. In order for you to get a BBB seal on your website, there are a few things that you will need to do. For instance you can start with becoming a member with your local BBB.
Once you become a member, you are going to have to pay some sort of fee. The fee you pay will depend on the size of your business and what you can afford. Before you start the process, you can always check out the BBB's website and find out exactly how much you will need to pay. But receiving your seal is only half of the process. Yes, you will gain the trust of your customers, but you need to follow through.
You will have to begin answering your customer's questions and support calls promptly and leave no one waiting. If a customer is not satisfied they can always report you to the BBB, which means you can get in trouble. The last thing you want to do is lose your BBB membership and lose the trust of your customers. This can actually spell disaster for your entire company! If you are a good business owner however, this should not bother you in the least.
When you are buying online, don't you expect the best from the company that you buy from? Wouldn't you like them to provide you with the technical support that you deserve? After all, there is nothing more frustrating than to buy a product and have no support for it. More than one person has experienced this in their lifetime, and you hate being one of them. If that is true, then you should have no trouble understanding why others would expect the same from your web based business.
If you want to take it a step further, you could try applying for the BBB seal of Privacy. You will need to post a privacy policy on your website, and make sure it adheres to the guidelines that the BBB has set down. You will be monitored by the BBB to ensure that you are complying with their standards, but this will let your customers know you plan on protecting their privacy, which can sometimes make all the difference in the world.
These are seals that can propel your business forward. It may not be cheap, and it may not be easy to comply with some of those BBB standards, but in the end won't it be worth it to have that seal and have the huge customer base? This is an investment that can and probably will further your company, so make sure you give it a chance. Don't dismiss it as something you don't need, because you certainly do need it.
When you visit other websites, are there any aspects to your visit that you found less than thrilling? If you are like most people, you probably are quite annoyed when you click on a link only to find that it is broken. It is disappointing when you wish to learn more about a subject, product, or service and the links just are functioning. It also does not say very much positive about the web hosting company either. Really, broken links make a website look like amateur hour which is why you need to make sure that your own website is devoid of broken links and similar problems.
When you look into web hosting and domain registration, you will want to hire a development team that will always test your links prior to placing them live on the web. The service should also do what is necessary in terms of periodically checking the links to make sure they are properly functioning. This way, the visitors to your site are not as disappointed as you would be if you can across a website that was riddled with broken links.
Yes, broken links make a very improper impression on visitors which is why they must always be located and fixed. And here is some news, if you want to make sure the links are not broken, you will need to check them yourself. While you could leave the task to the web hosting company, you definitely would be better served double checking on your own to make sure all links are properly functioning. Would you want the link to your online store to be broken? Imagine the horrors that would cause your online business!
This does raise the question of how to go about checking the links. Yes, there can be a deliberate step-by-step process you can follow since this will ensure you do not miss anything. For those curious about such a process, here is a brief rundown:
Taking your time with the creation of the website is always advised. When the creation and publishing of the website is rushed, errors are prone to be caused. Broken links are certainly a high risk possible when rushed or sloppy website creation is undertaken. As such, careful deliberation is best employed when crafting the site.
Double check the spelling of the URL in the HTML code and also double check the coding for possible spacing errors. Such problems are frequent reasons behind broken links. Running a quick check of the site for HTML issues is always advisable in the development process.
It also does not hurt to set file structures in a manner that makes naming and new files (or even updating old files) without issues and problems with discrepancies. This will dramatically reduce problems and issues related to broken links.
Images are also important to check as well. While this is often overlooked, it is really a very important facet to making sure you have checked to see that all links are properly functioning. Image links have a tendency to be the root of a lot of dead and ineffectual links. There are various reasons why an image link could be flawed. A close examination of the link will yield a better understanding of the problem which will allow you to correct such a problem. Of course, these tasks could be left to web hosting or domain registration service professionals as well. But, as previously mentioned, you also need to do a little checking on your own to make sure the proper amount of work is performed. This is not only true of image links but any and every facet of web hosting and publishing in general.
Updating links on a regular basis is another means of reducing the potential for broken links to overrun a particular site. Again, this is a facet that is sometimes overlooked but it really should not be since it is so important. Sometimes, the pages you link to may have been tweaked, modified, or altered. If this is the case, you will want to know so and make the proper adjustments. This way, your visitors are always directed to where they need to be directed.
Yes, there are many different ways to make sure that the links on your website are working effectively. Following the various steps of making sure the links work is highly recommended since it will maximize the value of your website.
