When you are ready to set up a business website, it is really easy to get lost in all of the features that web hosts offer. If you are getting a little confused as to what you actually need and how much you should be paying, here is a quick guide to help you cut through the confusion.
1. Shopping Cart. All business web hosting accounts should come with a free shopping cart. There are numerous open source carts out there that you can track down and install on your own, but it’s really nice to have one that’s already there and ready to go. Unless you have a very complicated store, these carts should more than sufficient to get your store up and running. If you see a web host offering a paid cart, make sure you really need it before you spend extra money on it.
2. Mailing List Software. You can’t run a business if you can’t stay in touch with your customers. Although there are plenty of third party tools out there, most are not free and they have limitations. If you can find a web hosting package that offers this feature already built in, grab it.
3. SSL Certificate – This is vital if you are going to be doing any sort of online commerce. Your transactions will need to be secured to protect your customer’s data. Most business web hosting companies are now offering the use of an SSL certificate with their packages. However, please be advised that not all of these certificates are alike.
You will need to make sure of two things:
1. That the certificate will integrate with your cart.
2. That it provides enough protection for your customers. Ideally, it should be a 256 bit certificate for the best security.
If this isn’t offered, you may need to get a third party SSL certificate installed on your site. This can run anywhere from $19 to $500, depending on the company.
4. A Content Management System – A CMS will make it much easier to design and deploy your site. You should have at least one included with your hosting package, as well as the necessary MySQL databases to run it and your shopping cart. This doesn’t have to be a deal breaker, but it is nice to have a CMS all ready to go.
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