It’ll come as no surprise that without dependable web hosting, you may as well be playing tennis with a brick wall.

Your business can get hit pretty hard if your web hosting isn’t up to scratch. How? By negatively impacting SEO, damaging your reputation and consumer trust, and missing opportunities that may ultimately result in a loss of revenue. It’s a scenario that no business owner wants.

Let’s look at the reasons why you should invest in good web hosting for your business.

1. Site performance

Don’t fall short at the first hurdle. Website performance is significantly influenced by the quality and capabilities of web hosting providers. A poor host can cost you a lot – and we don’t just mean financially.

Slow or crashing web pages are frustrating and will chip at your brand’s credibility. That swirling buffer sign is enough to push even the most patient customers away, meaning higher bounce rates and lower engagement. This is especially important –  as slow sites rank lower in search engines like Google, leading to less traffic and visibility. 

So, what does good web performance look like? You want to make the customer feel like a VIP in your club. Prioritise speed and ease of use to create an experience that encourages engagement with your products and services.

2. Uptime

Patchy outages or downtime caused by unreliable hosting is a bad look. The beauty of the web is that it’s available 24/7. So, your customers will expect your shop to be available at all times. They don't want to be browsing at 3am only for your shop door to swing shut in their faces.

With no way of engaging with your products and services, customers will get frustrated and look for an open-all-night competitor. Be sure to scout a provider’s uptime statistics before you hit the buy button, so you get a good idea of what to expect during your web hosting rental period.

3. Scalability

Peak sales periods like Black Friday, Christmas and summer sales can sometimes feel like a frenzy. As everyone hurries to see what’s on offer, you might find your website overloaded with visitors. Of course, this is good in terms of sales. But it's a wasted opportunity if you can’t handle the onslaught.

You need a website that’s flexible enough to handle increased traffic. Reliable web hosts make sure your site can consistently withstand surges and reap the benefits. To withstand traffic surges, you may want to look into virtual private servers (VPS) – servers known to handle serious amounts of incoming traffic, particularly as your business grows.

What’s more, a scalable solution will allow you to easily allocate extra resources, like bandwidth, to run smoothly no matter what. Don’t pay for a giant venue you can’t fill every day of the year, or settle for a small shed that only fits two people. Go for a solution that grows and shrinks as you need it to.

There are various other types of web hosting such as Dedicated Hosting, Cloud Servers and much more. While a VPS is a great option to consider, it’s worth reading up on other web hosting options to determine which is right for your ecommerce goals.

4. Security

Not to sound all doom and gloom, but the truth is cyber attacks are on the rise. A UK government survey revealed 39% of businesses fell victim to cyber attacks in 2022. Here are just some of the security threats out there to be aware of:

  • Malware infections. An unsecured web host could allow your site to become infected with malware. This can damage your site, steal customer data, and spread viruses to site visitors. Good hosts use malware scanning and firewalls.
  • Phishing scams. Phishers may try to impersonate your brand and fool customers into providing personal info. Reliable hosts use email authentication protocols like DMARC to prevent this.
  • Vulnerabilities. Exploitable software vulnerabilities can let hackers gain access and control of your site. A reliable host will apply security patches and updates promptly.
  • DDoS attacks. Your site could be targeted by a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack meant to overwhelm and take it offline. A quality host will have DDoS mitigation in place.
  • Data breaches. Customer passwords, financial data, and other sensitive information could be stolen in a breach if a host's security is weak. Strong firewalls, encryption, and access controls are key.

From malware and ransomware to phishing, spoofing, and more – it can feel like a never-ending battle. Good web hosting providers such as ourselves, offer security to combat these threats and keep your site secure, like web firewall applications, SSL certificates, server backups and updates, and DDoS protection.

5. Customer support

Reliable customer support is crucial for any business relying on web hosting. If something goes wrong with your site, having prompt and knowledgeable support can make all the difference. After all, good customer service builds trust and ensures issues get resolved quickly before they negatively impact your site. Some things to look out for in good customer service include:

  • 24/7 support. Websites can break at any time, so support should always be on hand. Around-the-clock assistance gives confidence that issues will be addressed promptly.
  • Multiple contact options. Support should be available through various channels like phone, email, live chat, and ticketing systems. This allows customers to get help in the way they prefer.
  • Quick response times. The best hosts have fast response times across support channels. Waiting days for an email reply while your site is down is unacceptable.
  • Clear communication. Support staff need good communication skills to understand problems and explain solutions clearly. This prevents frustration and ensures customers' needs are met.
  • Issue tracking. Support systems should log queries in a ticketing system for follow-up and quality assurance. This ensures problems get fully resolved on time.
  • Ongoing monitoring. Proactive monitoring to catch issues before customers notice them demonstrates reliability and care. This also reduces reliance on customer support over time.

Do I really need web hosting?

While some might question whether they need web hosting for a personal website or professional portfolio, having a reliable web hosting service provides a smooth experience for visitors, which is crucial – regardless of the scale of your website. Having an online presence of any kind makes web hosting a crucial thing to consider, as it ensures a smooth browsing experience for all. Plus, if you intend to monetise your site further down the line, you’ll have the means to do so with a reliable web hosting provider!

Have you got any questions? Give us a call on 0800 0612 153 or message us on the live chat.