Is Shared Hosting the Best Option for Your Small Business?

When starting out, many small business owners may be undecided about what type of web hosting package to choose. The technical jargon of shared and dedicated hosting packages can sometimes be confusing. Some experts may tell you that dedicated hosting is the way to go while others will tell you that shared hosting is the best option when starting out. Trying to decide which is best for you will really depend on a number of factors. Knowing what the different technical terms mean and how they can benefit your business will help you to decide which hosting option to choose.

What Is Shared Hosting?

Shared hosting is a more affordable web hosting solution as the resources of one particular server are shared among several different websites. The costs of the server maintenance, management, anti-virus software and other items can then be divided among the various web clients. Each website is allocated a specific amount of disk space. Sometimes critics say that that shared hosting packages do not have good service levels; however, shared hosting packages are generally the bread and butter business of most hosting providers. A reputable web hosting company therefore pays a great amount of attention to the service levels it offers its clients on shared hosting packages. If you select a good provider service, levels should not be a concern.

How Does Shared Hosting Compare to Dedicated Hosting?

If you have a dedicated server hosting package, you have greater control over the server as yours is the only website hosted on it. However, when considering this as an option, you first need to establish if your business in fact requires that level of hosting. While there are many benefits to dedicated hosting, the cost difference between shared and dedicated hosting is quite substantial. Unless your core business is online and you require vast online resources, most small businesses cannot justify the additional cost of a dedicated server. A dedicated server often requires more IT expertise on the part of the client, although managed dedicated hosting packages can be obtained in which the hosting provider still takes care of the maintenance management of the server.

What Makes Shared Hosting the Better Option for Small Businesses?

Most small businesses do not initially require vast server resources. Shared hosting offers an affordable hosting solution that allows small businesses to keep operational costs low until such time as their business begins to grow.  For new small businesses, there is the benefit that the hosting company has the necessary expertise to manage and maintain your web server. This leaves you as the business owner free to focus on your core responsibility which is growing your company.

What Services Can You Expect as Part of Your Shared Hosting Package?

One of the most important services that your web host should provide is a help desk. This gives you access to IT expertise that can assist you when you have any hassles with your website. Your web host is also expected to perform routine maintenance on the server and ensure that it is properly managed. Part of this management is ensuring that the other websites sharing your server do not exceed their allocated disk space.  As part of the management and maintenance package, the web host should perform routine security checks on the server and have an up-to-date anti-virus program running. This ensures that there is a basic level of security protecting your website and the server. A good hosting provider will be vigilant about keeping the server secure. They know that shared servers are especially vulnerable to viruses and therefore take the necessary measure to ensure that each website is regularly scanned.

When Should You Consider Changing from a Shared Hosting Package?

In time as your business grows, you may outgrow your shared hosting package. You can either choose to upgrade the amount of data that you use on the shared server or you may migrate to your own dedicated server. Most good hosting service providers will have different hosting packages starting at an entry level and then offering different data bundles that gradually increase in size. Should your business grow to a level where your online business is the core aspect of your business and you have specific hosting requirements then it may be an option to upgrade to a dedicated web server. At that stage, the cost of having a dedicated server may well be worth the benefits that it offers to your business.

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