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What is the Best Hosting for SMBs

If you’re looking for the best hosting for small businesses, you’ve probably realized that there are countless services available — each with different levels of service.

And when trying to figure out which option is best for your business, you’ll inevitably stumble on tons of questions, such as:

  • Do you need a hosted or self-hosted solution?
  • What are the most important web hosting features to look for?
  • What is shared hosting, dedicated hosting, and VPS hosting?

And if that’s not overwhelming enough, switching hosting providers or finding hosting alternatives like Bluehost alternative is a time-consuming task, to say the least. So, it pays to choose the best website hosting for your small business the first time around.

No pressure then.

That’s why we’ve put together this no-nonsense guide on how to choose the best web hosting for small businesses in 2023.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a good understanding of what features to look for and the different types of hosting available to you. Plus, we’ll provide you with an introduction to some of the best web hosting services for small businesses.

(Disclosure: This website is a part of Shopify inc. media properties. Although we strive to publish objective, accurate, and factual content, this article may contain biased opinions.)

Which Is Better for Your Business: A Hosted or Self-Hosted Solution?

Before we check out some small business web hosting services, let’s address a fundamental question: Do you want a hosted or self-hosted solution?

This is a vital question to ask because whichever option you choose will greatly affect your business and maintenance requirements. And unfortunately, many people don’t realize the difference between hosted and self-hosted websites until they’ve already spent months building a website.

Eek.

So, what’s the difference between hosted and self-hosted solutions?

Hosted Website Solutions

  1. Hosted website platforms are ‘all-in-one’ toolkits that provide everything you need to build and manage a business online. For example, you can sign up for Shopify in minutes and immediately gain:
  • A business website builder with free themes to customize the appearance of your store.
  • The ability to process credit card payments securely
  • An inventory management system complete with order processing and shipping tools.
  • A built-in point-of-sale system to sell in person.
  • Integrations that allow you to sell via other major sales channels, such as Facebook, eBay, and Amazon.
  • Built-in security, analytics, etc.

There are also more than 6,000+ Shopify apps that enable you to customize your website’s functionality.

What is the Best Web Hosting Service? Shopify

In short, hosted website services provide an optimized, managed platform so you can focus your time and money on growing your business. No technical skills or knowledge are necessary.

Hosted solutions typically charge a monthly fee — Shopify, for instance, charges just $29 per month.

Self-Hosted Solutions

Self-hosted solutions are more hands-on. This type of small business website hosting requires you to rent server space from a provider. You then need to install, configure, and manage a content management system.

Not only that, but you’ll also need to piece together your website’s functionality by integrating different tools and services. Here’s how it typically plays out:

  • Purchase small business web hosting from a provider like BlueHost or SiteGround.
  • Install a content management system (CMS) like WordPress.
  • Purchase and customize a website theme from a marketplace like ThemeForest.
  • Integrate a commerce tool like WooCommerce to be able to take payments and manage inventory.
  • Install additional WordPress plugins for security, search engine optimization (SEO), image optimization, analytics, etc.

Normally, each of these services will charge a monthly fee — bringing your monthly bill to somewhere between $50-$300 per month.

All in all, self-hosted solutions provide an enormous amount of flexibility, as you can customize virtually every aspect of your website.

However, in the words of Spiderman’s Uncle Ben, “With great power comes great responsibility.” In other words, when using a self-hosted solution, you’re responsible for building, optimizing, managing, and updating every aspect of your website.

Which Should You Go With Hosted or Self-Hosted?

So, which type of small business web hosting should you choose? Here’s the gist:

  • If you’d prefer to leave the technical stuff to the experts and focus on growing your business, use a leading hosted website solution like Shopify which can have the best website migration services as well.
  • If you’re technically minded and want granular control over your website’s backend, self-hosted solutions are the way to go.

Now, when most people talk about web hosting, they’re referring to self-hosted services. So, from here on out, we’ll dive deeper into self-hosted website solutions.

5 More Top Small Business Web Hosting Services

There are plenty of great web hosting services out there to consider — here are 5 more of our top picks:

  1. Cloudways
  2. A2 Hosting
  3. Dreamhost
  4. InMotion Hosting
  5. Hostgator

To learn more about all the hosting providers featured in this article, check out our detailed review of the 9 best hosting providers in 2023.

5 Types of Web Hosting

Now, you can read in-depth reviews about hosting providers all day — but if you don’t understand the different types of hosting available and what to look for, you won’t be able to make an informed decision. So, let’s get familiar with the basics.

There are 5 main types of web hosting to choose from, and the one you should choose depends on your needs and goals. So, let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is the best web hosting for small businesses on a budget. As the name implies, your website would be stored on a server alongside other websites.

Shared hosting often comes with limited bandwidth or disk space, and you’ll usually be charged or forced to upgrade if you use more than what’s allowed. As a result, share hosting is only ideal for websites with low traffic.

Now, if all goes according to plan with your business, you’ll quickly outgrow the shared hosting plan.

So, don’t be tempted to choose a hosting provider based on its low rates for shared hosting alone. Make sure to also consider the costs of more advanced plans if you’re forced to upgrade sooner rather than later.

2. Managed WordPress Hosting

Managed WordPress hosting is exactly what it sounds like — specialist hosting for websites using WordPress.

For this reason, managed WordPress hosting is often faster and more secure than standard shared hosting. This also means it’s usually more expensive than shared hosting.

All in all, it’s a good choice if you plan to build a website from scratch with WordPress.

3. Dedicated Hosting

If your website gets a lot of traffic, you’ll be better off paying for a dedicated server to host your website.

With this web hosting option, you can ensure that you always have enough bandwidth and disk space for your needs. There’s also the bonus of better security than shared web hosting.

Naturally, it’s more expensive than shared hosting.

4. VPS Hosting

Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting plans are basically secure dedicated hosting on a shared hosting server.

VPS hosting is typically less expensive than dedicated hosting but offers many of the same benefits.

Although, keep in mind that web hosting services for small businesses don’t allocate server enterprise resources through ERP software for VPS effectively. So, do some in-depth research before choosing a VPS hosting provider.

5. Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is when your website is hosted across a network of servers. Consequently, cloud hosting typically offers better uptimes and security than shared, dedicated, or VPS hosting.

Unsurprisingly, cloud hosting is usually the most expensive type of small business website hosting.

10 Things to Look for in a Hosting Provider

Now that you understand the different types of hosting, here are 10 things to consider when choosing which provider to use:

1. Ongoing Costs

Cost is often the first consideration when making any purchase. Still, as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for,” — so it pays to understand the drawbacks to choosing a cheap plan.

Many small business web hosting services offer cheap rates to hook in new customers. They’ll then hike the rates after a set period or force businesses to upgrade when they surpass the bandwidth and disk space limitations — which can happen quickly for some users.

Bottom line, choosing a super cheap hosting provider may cost you more money in the long run. So, it’s best to base your decision on the features you need to build a successful business.

2. Free Domains

Some small business website hosts provide a free domain for 1 year when you sign up for a hosting plan.

Again, although this can be a tempting offer, it’s important to consider the long-term. If you sign up for a plan with a free domain, make sure to check the renewal cost that will hit you in one year.

3. Built-In Website Building Tools

Some web hosting providers offer built-in website-building tools.

These tools are typically very limited when it comes to functionality. But if you’re looking to build a simple website for as little money as possible, choosing a hosting provider with a decent website builder may make sense.

4. Ease of Use

Some website hosts for small businesses have clunky interfaces full of ads designed to get you to upgrade. Others are easy to use and straightforward in design.

Before you make a decision, it’s worth checking out platform reviews and seeing what others think before committing.

5. Uptime

Small business website hosting services can’t guarantee 100% uptime — at some point, something’s bound to go wrong, and your site will be down. However, it’s smart to choose a provider with a history of reliable uptime.

6. Security

Some web hosts for small businesses charge additional fees for security features. For example, if you plan to take credit card payments through your website, you’ll need an SSL (secure sockets layer) certificate.

Check if there are any additional security costs you need to take into account.

7. Customer Support

It’s worth choosing a host who offers your preferred method of support — whether phone, chat, or email. Also, some web hosts offer 24/7 support which can be handy if you have a website emergency.

8. Bandwidth

The term bandwidth refers to the amount of data a website can transfer to users at any given time. So, the more website traffic you have, the more bandwidth you’ll need.

Bandwidth is usually sold by the gigabyte (GB). And many web hosting services offer “unlimited bandwidth.”

In reality, there’s no such thing as unlimited bandwidth — but hosts know it’s rare for small websites to exceed the bandwidth limits in place. Still, it’s worth finding out the limits because if your site exceeds them, your site can be shut down until you upgrade to a higher plan.

Ensure you select a plan with enough bandwidth for peak times, such as when running a flash sale during Black Friday.

9. Disk Space

Disk space is the amount of storage needed to hold your website’s files.

You’ll need plenty of disk space if you plan to upload lots of high-definition videos and photos on your website. On the other hand, you won’t need much at all if you plan to have a 1-page website detailing your freelance services.

10. Scalability

If your business grows as planned, you’ll likely need to upgrade your web hosting. So, it’s a good idea to consider the prices and features of every plan on offer before committing to a host.

Summary: Choose the Best Web Hosting For Your Small Business

When looking for the best web hosting for small businesses, it’s important to decide whether you want to use a hosted solution like Shopify or a self-hosted solution such as BlueHost, Hostinger, or SiteGround.

If you decide to go with a self-hosted solution, start with a shared hosting plan if your business is new, and then consider moving to VPS hosting or dedicated hosting as you grow.

When selecting the best web hosting for your small business, ask yourself these questions:

  • What are the ongoing costs?
  • Does the hosting come with a free domain?
  • Do I need a website builder?
  • Is the hosting service easy to use?
  • Does the service have good uptime?
  • What security features are included?
  • Is there 24/7 customer support via my preferred method of communication?
  • How much bandwidth do I need?
  • How much disk space do I need?
  • Is this a service that makes scaling easy and cost-effective?

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US: A Judge Mandates that Google Allow Competing App Stores to Access Android

Google

(VOR News) – The ruling is that Google, the greatest technology firm in the world, is required to make its Android smartphone operating system available to merchants that supply applications that are in direct rivalry with Google’s. This decision was reached by a judge in the United States of America.

The Android Play store, which is owned and operated by Google, was found to be an example of an illegal monopoly arrangement by a jury in the state of California on Monday. The finding was reached by a jury. Monday is the day that this decision was come to.

An earlier federal judge ruled Google’s search engine illegal.

This finding, which came after that decision, has forced the company to suffer yet another setback. As a result of the corporation having already encountered its initial obstacle, this decision has been established. This particular decision was made by the judge during the month of August, when the month was in progress.

In light of the fact that the decision was made, what exactly does it mean that the choice was accepted?

In accordance with the verdict, Google is obligated to make it possible for users to download Android app stores that are offered by third-party competitors. For a period of three years, the corporation is prohibited from imposing restrictions on the usage of payment mechanisms that are integrated into the application.

In addition, it is important to keep in mind that Google does not possess the right to impose restrictions on the utilization of ways to make payments online.

Additionally, the verdict makes it unlawful for Google to give money to manufacturers of smartphones in order to preinstall its app store. Smartphone manufacturers are prohibited from doing so.

Furthermore, it prevents Google from the possibility of sharing the revenue that is generated by the Play store with other companies that are in the industry of delivering mobile applications.

In addition to this, the court has mandated the establishment of a technical committee that will be made up of three different people chosen at random.

The committee will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the reforms and finding solutions to any disagreements that may occur as a consequence of the implementation of the reforms while they are being implemented. This task will fall under the committee’s purview so that it may fulfill its duties.

However, certain components were allowed to be put into action until July 1st, despite the fact that the judge’s statement suggested that the ruling would take effect on November 1st. The statement was the basis for the ruling, which ultimately became effective.

Particularly, I wanted to know what Google’s reaction would be.

There is a fact that Google does not adhere to this directive, which has been brought to their attention. This document argued that the alterations that the judge had ordered to be made would “cause a range of unintended consequences that will harm American consumers, developers, and device makers.”

The judge had ordered the modifications to be implemented. The alterations were to be carried out as indicated by the judge’s ruling. The judge made it clear that he expected these revisions to be carried out in accordance with his guidance.

The company’s regulatory affairs vice president, Lee-Anne Mulholland, provided the following statement: “We look forward to continuing to make our case on appeal, and we will continue to advocate for what is best for developers, device manufacturers, and the billions of Android users around the world.”

On average, over seventy percent of the total market for smartphones and other mobile devices is comprised of mobile devices that are powered by the Android operating system. Both smartphones and other small mobile devices are included in this category.

In the event that the Play app store continues to be shown on the home page and that other Google applications are pre-installed prior to the installation of the Android application, smartphone manufacturers are entitled to install the Android application at no cost at their discretion.

Additionally, the Android application can be installed on devices that are manufactured for smartphones.

SOURCE: DWN

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WhatsApp Now Features a “Mention” Tool for Status Updates and Stories.

WhatsApp

(VOR News) – Those who use WhatsApp now have the ability to mention other people in their stories or status updates as a consequence of a feature that was only recently enabled on the platform.

Previous to this point, this capability was not available. It wasn’t until quite recently that this capability became available to the public.

According to the information that was provided by the company, users now have the opportunity to tag close friends in their stories, and the person who is mentioned will have the option to go back and re-share an earlier version of that story. This information was provided by the company. The corporation was kind enough to reveal this information to us.

Because of a new feature that has been added to the WhatsApp app, users now have the opportunity to like individual stories and status updates.

This capability was previously unavailable to WhatsApp users.

A significant amount of progress has been made in this context. Alternative readers now have the chance to “like” a work, which is comparable to liking a post on Facebook. This feature was introduced in recent years. When compared to the past, this is a tremendous shift.

At one point in time, viewers were only permitted to observe the total number of views that a particular story had gotten. These restrictions were eliminated in later versions of the software.

Additionally, it is essential that the likes and reactions to a story be kept anonymous during the entire process. One of the factors that contributes to the general mystery that surrounds this characteristic is the fact that this is one of the elements.

The person who brought it to the attention of others is the only person who will be able to judge who enjoyed it and who did not care about it. These individuals will be able to make this determination.

A notification will be issued to the individual who was referenced earlier in the sentence and who was named in the story or status update that was discussed. A notification of this nature will be sent to the individual via WhatsApp.

This message will be sent to the user in question whenever that person makes a reference to another person while they are in the process of elaborating on a narrative or updating their status. You will receive a notification alerting you that you have been tagged in the narrative.

This notification will be delivered to the person who receives this message. In addition, students will be provided with the opportunity to re-share the tale for themselves.

It is important to note that if the names of individuals who have been referenced in a narrative or a status update are included in any of these, then the names of those individuals will not be accessible to any third party through any of these. In light of the fact that the identities of those individuals will be concealed from public disclosure, this is the condition that will be required.

While WhatsApp recently made the announcement that it will be incorporating this functionality, it is highly likely that not all users will have access to it at the same time.

This is despite the fact that WhatsApp recently made this announcement.

Despite the fact that WhatsApp has only recently made a public announcement that it will move forward with the deployment, this is the situation that has presented itself.

As soon as a short period of time has elapsed, access will be made available to each and every person on the entire world.

Additionally, WhatsApp has hinted that new functionalities might be introduced to the status and updates tab in the future months.

The purpose of these capabilities is to provide users with assistance in maintaining healthy connections with the individuals who play a vital role in their living experiences. This is done in order to give users with support in maintaining close relationships with the folks who are the subject of the inquiry.

It is with the purpose of supporting users in successfully keeping close ties with the individuals in question that this step is taken.

SOURCE: DN

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Over The Planned “Link Tax” Bill, Google Threatens to Remove NZ News Links.

Google

(VOR News) – Google has sent a strong message to the New Zealand government, threatening to stop boosting local news content should the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill become law.

The law, put up by the Labour government and backed by the coalition in power at the moment, mandates that digital companies such as Google pay back news organizations for links to their material.

News publishers, on the other hand, charge the tech giant with “corporate bullying.”

Google says this measure may have unanticipated effects.

Google New Zealand’s country director, Caroline Rainsford, voiced her worries that the law, which is being referred to as a “link tax,” is not doing enough to support the media industry in New Zealand right now.

She underlined that Google would have to make major adjustments if the previously mentioned law were to pass, including cutting off links to news articles from its Search, News, and Discover platforms and cutting off financial ties with regional publications.

According to Rainsford, similar legislation has been proposed and approved in other nations including Australia and Canada, but it has not been proven to be effective there and breaches the principles of the open web.

She drew attention to the fact that smaller media outlets will be most negatively impacted, which will limit their capacity to reach prospective audiences.

Google says its alternative options will protect smaller, local media from negative effects.

Conversely, it conveys apprehension regarding the possible fiscal obligations and vagueness of the legislation, which it feels generates an intolerable level of ambiguity for enterprises functioning within New Zealand.

The New Zealand News Publishers Association (NPA) has reacted to Google’s warnings by alleging that the internet behemoth is using coercive tactics.

They specifically contend that the need for regulation stems from the market distortion that Google and other tech giants have created, which has fueled their expansion into some of the most significant corporations in global history.

The legislation aims to create a more equal framework that media businesses can use to negotiate commercial relationships with technological platforms that profit from their content.

New Zealand Media Editors CEO Michael Boggs stated that he was in favor of the bill, citing the fact that Google now makes a substantial profit from material created by regional publications.

He also emphasized that the use of artificial intelligence by Google—which frequently makes references to news articles without giving credit to the original sources—highlights the significance of enacting legislation.

Paul Goldsmith, the Minister of Media and Communications, has stated that the government is now evaluating various viewpoints and is still in the consultation phase.

He stated that the government and Google have been having continuous talks and will keep up these ongoing discussions.

However, not all political parties accept the validity of the Act.

The ACT Party’s leader, David Seymour, has voiced his displeasure of the proposal, saying that Google is a game the government is “playing chicken” with. He threatened the smaller media companies, saying that they would suffer from worse search engine rankings if the internet giant followed through on its promises.

Seymour contended that it is not the government’s responsibility to shield companies from shifts in the market brought about by consumer preferences.

The things that have happened in other nations are similar to what has happened in New Zealand.

Google has agreements with a number of Australian media firms that are in compliance with its News Media Bargaining Code. These agreements contain provisions that permit an annual cancellation of these agreements.

Due to the government’s decision to exempt Google from the Online News Act, the company has committed to supporting news dissemination by contributing annually to the Canadian journalistic community.

The New Zealand measure is consistent with global approaches aimed at regulating the relationships that exist between technology corporations and media organizations.

It’s hard to say what will happen with the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill as the discussion goes on. Google and the New Zealand media landscape are preparing for what might be a protracted legal battle.

SOURCE: TET

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