Big data is becoming very important for companies all over the world. They need to make sure that they utilize their data wisely, because it is one of the most important assets at their disposal.
There are a lot of things that companies need to take into consideration when managing their data. One of the most important is selecting the right web hosting plan.
The Importance of Selecting the Right Hosting Plan for Your Data-Centric Business
In today’s oversaturated market, starting a business from scratch is not as easy as it once was. It is no longer just about having a great product — you need to carefully plan and execute your marketing strategy and have the budget to make it succeed. On top of that, the world has been digital for some time now, so having a well-designed, responsive website is a must for any business. In fact, online presence is now more important than ever before if you want to build a successful business.
Big data is important for helping manage all of these things. It is a good idea to invest in the right assets to ensure that your big data strategy is properly executed. Your website is one of the most important aspects of your company’s big data strategy.
A good website is much more than just an interactive calling card for your company. It is an extremely effective way of introducing and reinforcing your brand, while also providing you with the means to advertise your products and put them in front of as many eyes as possible. You need to use a website that takes advantage of big data. Having a professional website with great data analytics features will help you get the leads and conversions you need to make your business grow.
However, a website with greater data analytics capabilities is going to require a better data storage solution. You need to make sure that you have a hosting plan that is equipped to handle your company’s online data storage needs.
When it comes to launching a website, perhaps the most important decision you have to make is choosing a hosting company. Finding a reliable hosting provider that offers everything you need can be a bit tricky. After all, there are numerous such companies out there, offering a variety of plans, prices, and features.
In this article, we’ll present you with the five essential things to consider when picking a hosting provider for your website. By following our advice, you will have all the information you need in order to make the best decision for your business.
Determine Your Data Needs and Capabilities
Before you start searching for a provider, you need to take some time and think about your specific needs as a data-driven organization. Each business is unique, so you need to carefully determine what requirements you have when you approach a hosting company. It is not just about the needs of the website itself — you also have to think about how proficient you will be in managing it, as well as the resources you are able to pour into it.
Let’s take a look at the things you need to define before you start looking for the best hosting provider for your business website.
Website-Specific Requirements
Determining the type of website, you will have is essential to finding the right hosting for you. Answer the following questions:
- What Kind of Website Do You Need? A personal blog or a small website will not require much in the way of bandwidth and storage. On the other hand, medium or large websites with lots of content will require a better and more expensive hosting plan. If you plan to build an eCommerce store or sell a SaaS (Software-As-A-Service) product, you will need considerable resources.
- How Much Traffic Are You Expecting? While chances are your website will not generate much traffic initially, that number is going to grow. Different hosting plans have different amounts of allocated bandwidth — when starting out, a shared hosting plan is probably the most affordable and logical way to go. However, as the traffic to your website increases, you might have to look into unlimited bandwidth VPS providers to suit your needs.
- Which CMS Do You Plan to Use? While WordPress is the most popular and versatile content management system out there, there are also plenty of other options to consider. Depending on the type of your website, you might want to use an eCommerce solution or something else designed to fit your business goals.
How Tech-Savvy Are You?
When it comes to running a website, you need to be prepared to deal with emergency situations. While nowadays you can create a website without much technical knowledge, maintaining one and solving any problems requires you to be at least a bit tech-savvy. If you are not proficient in managing the back-end of a website, you need to find a host that provides 24/7 technical support.
The fastest way to communicate with representatives who can help you is via live chat. It is important to consider this when picking your hosting solution, especially if you are not particularly experienced. There is also managed hosting, where the provider takes complete care of the management and support of your infrastructure.
What Is Your Budget?
Of course, one of the most essential things you need to consider is your budget. Hosting services are a recurring expense that is paid on a monthly basis. Define the maximum price you are willing and able to pay for your hosting and use it to find a company you will be comfortable with.
When inspecting hosting providers, make sure you check both the signup price and the renewal price of their hosting plans. Also, don’t forget to check out what payment methods the provider supports. Some modern hosting companies even accept payments with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
5 Main Factors to Consider When Deciding on a Web Host
Now that you know what you are looking for and how much are you willing to spend, it’s time to find the perfect hosting company for your needs. While there are many factors that determine if a hosting provider is good or not, there are five essential things you need to look for — server location, bandwidth, customer support, uptime and reliability, and backup.
In the following paragraphs, we’ll explore these important factors and see why they are of such high importance.
Server Location
One of the major factors that determine a website’s speed is the physical distance between the server and the end-user. Naturally, the closer the hosting server is to the user, the faster your website will be. In the ideal scenario, you need to find a company that has data centers in the specific location your business wants to target. Keep in mind that there are many benefits to using an offshore hosting provider, including:
- Privacy and anonymity
- Better performance and faster load times
- No content restrictions
- Enhanced security and customer support
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is basically the amount of traffic a website is capable of handling at any given time. As you can imagine, it is one of the most important properties of a hosting solution. We already advised you to consider the amount of traffic your website will get for this very reason. Smaller websites like personal blogs will not require much in the way of bandwidth. However, if you want to run a streaming service, for example, you will need all the bandwidth you can get.
Customer Support
As we already mentioned, customer support is extremely important, especially if you are not experienced in managing websites. If your website goes down because of hosting issues, you will end up losing potential customers and taking a hit to your brand reputation. We recommend looking for a hosting provider that offers a variety of ways of contacting their support team. The best options are live chat, phone support, and an email/ticket system where you can submit issues. Needless to say, the best hosting providers offer customer support 24/7.
Uptime and Reliability
Uptime is essentially the amount of time a server is available online. Of course, you would want your website to be up 100% of the time with no exception. However, hosting companies utilize downtime in order to run maintenance checks and improve their systems. Needless to say, you need to find a company that guarantees a high percentage of uptime. Make sure you also check the uptime history of any hosting provider you consider using.
Regular Backups
Another essential feature that your hosting company must have is regular backups. If a hacker attack occurs or a server crashes, you want to be able to restore your website instantly. Keep in mind that sometimes full restoration is simply impossible — however, most of your website should be recoverable. Find a hosting provider that offers daily backups to ensure that your business and data are protected.
The Right Hosting Plan is Crucial for Data-Driven Companies
The hosting industry is oversaturated with companies that offer a wide variety of plans, services, and features. Even a person with experience in the field can have trouble determining the best hosting solution for their specific needs. However, if you keep in mind the important factors outlined above, you will be able to find the optimal company to support your data-driven organization.
Remember — if you are not sure about something regarding a hosting plan, the best way to go is to just simply contact the provider and ask directly. You cannot afford to rush any decisions or commit to a hosting plan without knowing all the details. Carefully weigh all the options before making your choice. After all, much of the success of your business depends on you finding the perfect website hosting company.