If you’re ready to expand your customer base but not your storefront, setting up shop on the Web is an excellent way to go.
Surf the Internet, and you’ll find a number of companies offering Web hosting for businesses. Some ISPs, such as Geocities, offer subscribers a few free megabytes of server space on which they can build their own home pages. These offers can be tempting, especially while your needs and your budget are still relatively modest. But this is one situation where the old saying “Never look a gift horse in the mouth” shouldn’t apply.
Free hosting services do have drawbacks, and you should be aware of them before you sign up. For one thing, you have to design your Web page yourself. Web site design is more than a cosmetic issue; it has a profound impact on a site’s functionality and thus its profitability. If you want help doing this, you’ll have to pay someone. And since most free Web hosts make their money from advertising, visitors to your site may be exposed to annoying pop-up advertisements that appear on their screens every few minutes. It’s the virtual equivalent of being tailed by a persistent salesperson, and it may affect your site traffic.
If you use a free host, you won’t get a monthly bill. But you won’t get flexibility, a guarantee of quality or a lot of help with technical problems, either. At best, a free Web hosting service can get you set up on the Internet. Once you’ve established a presence on the Internet, you’ll probably want to move on to a host that can offer you more support.
Fortunately, full-service Web hosting can cost as little as $50 for set-up and $20 to $50 extra per month. For that price, you can get around-the-clock monitoring of your site and technical support whenever something goes wrong. A good Web host will help you create a Web page that’s both attractive and tailored to your particular business needs. Some hosts have developed their own software templates to facilitate the task. And for an additional fee, they’ll guide you through the process of acquiring your own domain name.
Many ISPs offer their clients Web hosting services as well as connectivity. But businesses should choose a company whose primary focus is hosting Web sites (and preferably one that specializes in e-commerce).
As your online business takes off, your site will likely require more advanced features and technical support. There are Web sites that list and compare various Web hosts and outline the services they provide. Through regular comparison shopping, you can ensure your Web host has the power to get your e-business where you want it to go.
