The World Wide Web has become the best place to showcase services, products, news and entertainment. Online presence is necessary to make local and global impact. Web hosting enables individuals and businesses to connect to this platform. Web hosting companies offer many services so clients have effortless access to this powerful communication tool.
Popular Web Hosting Services Include:
Website hosting
South Africans who want their websites to be connected to the World Wide Web need web hosting services. These companies have servers which are connected to the internet. Your website can be part of the information that’s shared with online communities via these servers. This service usually comes at a monthly cost.
Email services
Many web hosting companies make email services part of their packages. This means South African businesses can obtain an email address that contains their business name. This is an excellent way of improving the level of professionalism in a company.
Customer service
A web hosting company must have an excellent customer service department. Usually these services are available 24/7. This is essential because South Africa’s communication infrastructure isn’t of the best quality. If problems occur with telephone lines or fibre connected to the servers, a website will experience downtime. Clients must be able to report problems so the web hosting company can resolve it quick.
SSL Certificate support
South Africa and the world experiences regular hacking & virus scares. Because of this, internet users are suspicious of uncertified websites. An SSL certificate tells website visitors about the security of your site. You can raise the level of trust in your website by obtaining an SSL certificate from your web hosting company.
Reseller hosting
An excellent business opportunity in South Africa is to design and host other people’s websites. Web hosting companies allow reseller hosting, where a client rents space on a server and resells it to other users.
5 Tips when in need of Web Hosting
1. Pick the perfect package
Web hosting companies all offer a variety of packages. They differ in terms of:
- Storage space available on server
- Database space
- Email boxes allocated
- Domains
- FTP accounts
Pick one that is big enough to cope with your requirements. You can usually upgrade whenever your business grows.
2. Look for specials
Many web hosting companies offer specials to attract more clients. Browse around and compare prices so you pick the best one currently available.
3. What do other clients say?
It’s important that you find a web hosting company that offers exceptional customer service and quality hosting. Your best vetting procedures are to read reviews and ask others which company they use. Trust the clients, and not the company’s promises.
4. How secure is your site?
The World Wide Web is filled with potential risks. You must make sure you’re protected against hackers and viruses. Apart from owning your own anti-virus software, web hosting companies must also put security in place on their servers. Compare these features of different web hosting companies before you make your final decision.
5. Enquire about downtime
You don’t want your website to undergo downtime, because this can cost you potential clients. If they can’t visit your website, they may opt to use one of your competitors. Enquire about your web hosting company’s past statistics and the quality of their servers. You must know you employ a company that will give you consistent, quality service.