Today more than ever, startups need a website from the get-go. Before you have ever launched a product or service, a good website will help you secure investors, generate excitement, and prove that you are going to be a serious competitor. However, chances are you do not have a web developer on your team.
If you want to save money, you do not need to hire a web developer or designer. You can do it all yourself these days. Content management systems (CMS) like WordPress and Wix make web design incredibly easy, even if you have no experience. There is one technical area you will need to address: web hosting.
Hosting refers to a share of a server which takes your website online and manages your traffic. It is one of the most basic requirements of any website. For those who do not know much about hosting, you are probably confused as to which hosting to choose.
To give you a headstart, here is a simple guide for choosing the best web hosting for startups. 28Msec offers web hosting services for your website, do check them online for more details.
Shared hosting
Shared hosting is the most basic plan you can go for. You get space on a shared server that is managed completely by the hosting provider. It is very cheap, averaging about $3 a month.
While shared hosting is easy and cheap, you should not rely on it if you are expecting a lot of traffic. The server can handle a lot of traffic, but if other websites on the server are busy, your visitors may find your website very slow or unreachable. This is not a good look for a business.
Shared hosting is okay for a small startup, but it is not ideal. You are better off with room to grow and the guarantee that a surge in traffic will be supported.
VPS hosting
Virtual private server (VPS) hosting refers to your own dedicated space on a server. Big companies need a dedicated server all to themselves, but most startups need significant but limited bandwidth. VPS hosting is virtually private. Rather than sharing the server with any number of other websites, you get a fixed space reserved for your website, whether you are using it to the full or not.
The best VPS hosting gives you more control. This may be daunting if you have no web development experience, but with a VPS server you still get a fair amount of support and good default settings. It ensures you will not struggle when traffic surges, protecting your reputation and ensuring potential clients are not lost through delays.
Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting offers similar plans, but instead of hosting your website on a physical server, it is hosted on the cloud. This is the modern evolution of web hosting. The reality is that cloud hosting is far more malleable than hosting on a physical server. It is easier to adapt to changes on the fly, and scalability is an essential feature.
With cloud hosting, you do not have to worry about not being prepared for a surge in traffic, as you can quickly switch to a broader plan without disrupting your sites functioning.
The downside of cloud hosting is that it is slightly less secure. Also, it requires more technical knowledge from you, and is difficult for beginners to take advantage of.
The right choice
What is the best web hosting for startups? There is no right or wrong here. If you are not chasing a lot of traffic and do not want to deal with the technical matters, shared hosting will suit you perfectly. However, if you need more bandwidth to handle traffic surges, a VPS is relatively easy to use and not too expensive.
Cloud hosting is a great option for startups that can handle the technical aspects of setting up hosting, and is the most broad and adaptable choice.