Top Recommended Hosting Services for Small Businesses
As a small business owner, there is so much that you need to think about that your head probably hurts. Aside from the intense business stuff, like making a fantastic product, getting it to your clients and ultimately growing a profit, there are those little things that also need your attention.
Marketing is easily one of the most overlooked aspects of any company. You know you need to get your name out there, but your time is so consumed by everything else that putting in the effort to make sure that everything to do with your marketing is running smoothly can be a mission, especially since as a small business you are likely to be trying to do it all on your own.
Before you can launch a web presence via a website, you need to do your homework about hosting.
Hosting services come in all shapes and sizes, and they can make or break a lot of the hard work you put into making a name for yourself online. For starters, your hosting is not just going to affect your web presence but it is also going to be what determines an important part of your communications. When you are selecting the right host for your website, you are also choosing the company to host your email mailboxes, and as you can imagine, if you go with an inferior host, you could suffer from extended periods of downtime that will harm your company.
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What to Consider when choosing a Hosting Service
Not all hosts are made the same, much like the most digital service providers. When you are looking for a host for the first time or if you are just looking for someone more suitable for your particular needs, and especially if you are a budding small business, hereās what you need to think about:
Are they reliable?
Reliability is the most important factor to consider because if you are dealing with a host who is constantly offline then, well, what is the point? The host that you choose should be up consistently, which means your website will always be visible and you will always have access to your emails. And should an issue arise, or should there be a moment of scheduled maintenance, the host should keep you informed.
Are they secure?
As online data becomes a real commodity, online security is not something that you can simply assume will be a given. Have a look at the track record of the host when it comes to security before you create an account with them.
What else do they offer?
Some hosting companies offer some value added services with their initial hosting package, such as the option of installing WordPress before you get going with your website build. These added extras can come in really handy and make your life a lot easier.
The Top 5 Hosts for Small Businesses
South Africa is actually quite advanced when it comes to internet infrastructure as well as most digital products such as websites and hosting. Many South Africans have hosted locally with great success and many small businesses in particular have benefitted from exceptional services and great hosting prices.
If you are a small business owner looking to host your site and emails, hereās 5 hosts you should be looking at.
SiteGround
Itās a host currently servicing more than 2Ā 800Ā 000 websites across the world, and with its affordable rates and its unique approach, SiteGround has earned a legion of fans and has become the preferred platform for countless emerging businesses. From customer service to security and performance, SiteGround offers it all.
Pros
- Variety of hosting options
- Performance enhancing tools, including those used to improve site speed
- Free daily backups
Cons
- Low storage
AfriHost
An award winning South Africa based host, AfriHost is probably best known for its internet packages and its stellar customer service. AfriHost is not the ideal solution for large businesses, but it is a great option for smaller companies.
Pros
- Exceptional security as well as infrastructure
- 100% guaranteed uptime
- Month-to-month plans
Cons
- No free SSL certificates for paid plans
- No WordPress hosting
Mweb
Mweb is certainly best known for its internet services, with the company boasting countless happy customers, even though it did have a bit of a rough start in its early days. Today, Mweb is a great web host and it is by far one of the best for bloggers.
Pros
- Free .co.za domain if you opt for the largest hosting plan
- Unlimited disk space
- Unlimited traffic
- Website builders included
- Multiple mailboxes available
Cons
- Limited number of hosting options
- Customer support is not always great
Xneelo
Formerly Hetzner, Xneelo is considered to be one of the best managed web hosting service providers in South Africa. The company has data centres in both South Africa and Germany, and it offers managed WordPress hosting, and managed servers. It also provides easy domain registration solutions.
Pros
- 9% uptime guaranteed
- Unlimited bandwidth on all plans
- Free SSL certificates on all plans
- Daily automatic backups
Cons
- Customer service can be slow
- Expensive compared to other plans
- No money back guarantees
Hostafrica
Considered to be the absolute best web hosting in the country, Hostafrica is based in Cape Town but has data centres in South Africa, Germany, the US and the UK. The platform offers a wide range of solutions which includes domain registration, website hosting, reselling hosting, and cloud hosting. As a host provider, Hostafrica is a fantastic choice for small companies and beginners alike.
Pros
- Value for money hosting plans
- Free SSL certificates for all plans
- Free .co.za domains for annual plans
- 9 uptime
- Month to month plans
Cons
- Renewal prices are a lot more than the initial prices
- Support can be a bit up and down
While your hosting might be mostly determined by what you can afford as a small business, you should always try to think beyond that. There is no point going with a host that is always offline or unreachable. With some hosting packages starting from less than R99 a month, it is a small price to pay for having a web presence and an official, professional email address.
If you liked this article you might also be interested in,Ā how to create the best backlink strategy, and,Ā the importance of finding quality backlinks for SEO.
