It’s the age of e-commerce. Everyone has online business ideas; most people are trying to figure out how to start a basic online business in Malaysia.
However, with the number of hosting providers advertising about cheap web hosting, free website hosting etc. – it does become very difficult to choose the best business website hosting provider to start a digital business.
Broadly speaking – one should look at 10 elements while looking to sign up for small business website hosting.
1. Business Website Hosting Provider’s Datacenter
What is a hosting provider without a good data center to host servers? Nothing much! A good web host will always be homed in a data center which is a minimum Rated 3 (Tier III Data Center) facility or more.
A Rated 3 (Tier III) facility would have several internet service providers providing network services which enables global reach at lightning fast speeds.
Aspects including physical security, internet security and central management systems would be a default presence in all such data centers.
Most importantly – a business hosting provider should have 24x7x365 monitoring of all servers, systems, and devices to ensure proactive detection of faults and issues.
2. Hosting Infrastructure
While going through all the choices available for e-commerce hosting, one should remember to check the hosting platforms in use and the underlying infrastructure.
E-commerce business, online stores, online payment systems can generate some high system and resource load on servers.
A good business hosting provider should work with branded hardware only. Moreover, a server which is hosting multiple ecommerce stores should have very high CPU configurations, memory allocation and redundant storage.
These are necessary to ensure there is no lag or performance issues with the hosting of these e-commerce sites.
3. Sales Service
For those who are starting an online business, an ecommerce business – getting the most accurate and reliable sales information and service is of vital importance.
Cheap web hosting providers will try to push for packages which favor them, not an ecommerce business owner. On the other hand, there are high end web hosting platforms which may be loaded with high configurations but may not suit an online business website hosting need.
If you are looking for business hosting, look for a web hosting provider who is interested in understanding your needs, your e-commerce store and its requirements and then suggests a plan which would be the best for you.
Avoid dealing with any hosting company who are pushy, ignorant, and not interested in investing time in understanding your business website.
4. Customer Service
Transparent billing, zero hidden cost, easy payment options, multiple payment gateway choices and availability of customer service staff during full business hours are all the bare minimum one should get from a good hosting provider, including a dedicated account manager.
Getting top notch after sales customer service is crucial for entrepreneurs who run an online ecommerce store and depend on it.
5. Access to customize software and installations
An e-commerce website is a complex system to run. There are multiple software installations, customizations and integrations involved in ensuring a highly available online store.
The ability to control implementation of security patches, software updates and upgrades to ensure 100% compatibility is inflexible for business website owners.
They must have the power to install any CMS, integrate multiple payment gateways etc. on the go.
To ensure an online business idea is flexible and adapts to customer demands, an ecommerce website owner must evaluate the level of administration and operations access available with a business website hosting package before signing up.
6. Ecommerce and Business Hosting Plan Details
The best Business Web Hosting Malaysia plans will offer storage on fastest SSD. The websites should be hosted on Ultrafast Lite Speed Server.
To ensure there is zero data loss – a daily, weekly and monthly backup should be available to be restored from the hosting control panel. Options for additional backups should also be made available for customers who want to retain backups for a longer time.
Features like unlimited FTP accounts for multiple people to work and maintain the website, unlimited email accounts for managing several functions and operations together, a plethora of content management system (CMS) options to pick from, and integration with a CDN are some of the other highlights one should look for.
The best business website hosting and e-commerce platforms will have all of these and more to ensure peace of mind for their customers.
7. Security Options
More than anything else, an e-commerce website should be able to protect its own data and the identity of customers who make online purchases.
One should look for a business hosting plan which offers SSL certificates and other encryption mechanisms.
Exabytes offers multiple levels of security and encryptions on its servers by default. Customers can also opt for buying an extended validation SSL certificate to ensure maximum protection for their online store and payment gateways.
8. Managed Services
A flourishing online business demands more time on business administration and operations side. Business owners have very little or no time to manage tech support issues.
Entrepreneurs looking to buy a business website hosting plan should always look for a hosting provider who offers managed hosting services.
24x7x365 tech support should be available to perform the smallest and biggest of tech functions, installations, changes et al. without batting an eyelid.
9. Hosting Control Panel
Control panels are the first and most used management interface of any hosting account. Email creation, FTP accounts, add-on domains, sub-domains and all other day to day activities are performed via a control panel.
An easy to use control panel which aids a business in running their online ecommerce business and product website is most essential for a entrepreneurs and companies to focus on their actual business.
10. SEO and Marketing Solutions
Imagine the ease of doing business when your business website is hosted with a web hosting provider who also offers you multiple digital solutions including SEO services, marketing add-ons!
Being able to setup a chat bot and support desk, get local business listing service and marketing tools; all of it from one place and then only interact with one service provider is a dream come true.
As the last but not the least consideration – business owners should work with a hosting provider who is a one stop shop for all their needs.
Exabytes provides world class business hosting supported by Tier III data centers with the widest range of add-on digital services, marketing tools in South East Asia. Contact us to know more.
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