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Protecting Your Online Business With Secure Web Hosting

The internet is open to anyone with a computer and a wireless card nowadays, as one need not even have a personal connection to access the world wide web. Cyber criminals can log on from just about anywhere in the world with their laptops and wreak havoc on unsuspecting virtual victims. Unfortunately, this is how the hackers view you – as a virtual victim, not as a real person with a family to support and a business to uphold.

Indeed the internet offers a marketplace of guilt free crime, where thieves can have their fun without ever seeing the face of their victims. However, just as these cyber criminals are oblivious to the lives of their victims, so are the victims oblivious to the existence of the hackers. Some business owners are not oblivious, they’d just rather not think about it. Putting your website’s security aside can have seriously dire consequences.

Ensuring Customer Safety

One of the primary concerns web host’s have in regards to website security is customer safety. Maintaining trust within the online shopping format is crucial towards building a successful business. There have been cases where the customer was defrauded and the website owner was blamed for this fraud, and cases like this have even resulted in the loss of business and even unjust incarceration.  To avoid such a drastic mishap, it is important to select a web host that is serious about their commitment to security.  Make sure you have an active SSL certificate for your site at all times, and you may even want to post the certificate seal on your website to instill trust in your customers and to deter hackers.

Quality Data Encryption

A common security issue online is identity theft. With all of the important information that is floating around in cyber space, this type of crime is inevitable, yet entirely preventable. All that is needed to prevent the interception of crucial information is quality data encryption. Every web host includes a certain level of data encryption with their hosting plans, but if you’re running a business then you may want to consider the strongest form of encryption available. Talk with you web hosting provider to find out about the strongest data encryption service they offer.

Minimizing Vulnerability

You may notice that your web hosting plan comes with a control panel that has an integrated application installation utility. It is important that you don’t get carried away installing third party applications. It is a well known fact that a lot of these applications leave your site extremely vulnerable to attack, and therefore the use of these applications should be limited. You should also make sure all of your passwords are strong and contain a mixture of numbers and letters. If you use a simple password, a hacker can us a brute force program to guess the password systematically. A good program can crack a simple password within an hour or so, leaving the entire back end of your website open to intrusion.

Important Benefits of e-Commerce Web Hosting

Virtually every reliable and formidable company has their own website where they execute sales and transaction daily.  Each day countless individuals engage in activities such as banking, shopping, email communications, and entertainment.  The popularity of the world wide web has allowed business owner’s to boost their productivity and sales substantially. Entrepreneurs who do not yet own or run a business are also benefiting from having their own websites, and they are doing so with very little initial investment on their behalf. Ecommerce has also allowed many people to work from home, giving them a new freedom in life. If you are interested in selling products or services on your website then it would be wise to consider eCommerce hosting solutions. Here we will discuss the benefits of eCommerce hosting.

e-Commerce Hosting Tools

Ecommerce web hosting providers offer all the features needed to complete secure transactions online. Usually, your hosting account will come equipped with one or more registered domain names, as well multiple email accounts.  You’ll also have administrative abilities with these email accounts that will make managing business e-mail a lot more convenient. Another essential e-commerce feature is a shopping cart application , which will give your customers the ability to buy multiple items and cash out with ease. These shopping cart services also include PayPal integration and a merchant account for storing and tracking funds.  A good e-commerce hosting provider will also provide an SSL certificate that will encrypt all data sent through your website, thereby protecting the financial information of you and your customers.

Flexibility of e-Commerce Hosting Solutions

E-commerce solutions are also very flexibility with regards to the features of each plan. Regardless of the plan you choose, all e-commerce solution plans will include the minimum features needed to help your business run efficiently. However, most web hosting companies offer more than just the bare minimum for their e-commerce solutions, even giving you access to SEO tools that will boost your website’s traffic.

E-commerce Hosting Support Benefits

Most web hosting companies offer plans that meet both personal and business needs. Hosting companies know just how important customer service is to their customers. The customer service and support that a host offers can allow a business owner to see substantial gains in their productivity through an increased confidence and overall ability to improve their website. Since your website is open 24 hours a day, you should also make sure your prospective web host offers 24 hours customer support.

E-commerce Hosting Cost

The cost of a web hosting package depends entirely upon your needs, as well as the company you will be purchasing the hosting plan from. Some plans can be very expensive if you are in need of many tools and services, while other may only be a few dollars per month if you only require a basic e-commerce hosting account. Of course, even if you only need the minimum features, remember that you will always get what you pay for, and the cheapest plan is not necessarily going to be the best.  You should be more concerned with reliability than affordability, as this will affect your business in the long run. Most web hosting companies back their plans by money back guarantees, so you have nothing to lose by trying a more expensive plan.

Three Benefits to Dedicated IP Web Hosting

Dedicated IP web hosting, also known as “static” web hosting, refers to web hosting that provides the user with an IP address which is used solely by their website’s server space and domain. If you are interested in using dedicated IP web hosting, you’ll find plenty of options online, some paid and some free.

In the past the paid services have been far more popular, but recently even the free hosting services have made attempts to offer the same quality of service, if not better in some cases. Regardless of whether you choose a paid or free service, using dedicated IP web hosting offers a number of advantages over dynamic IP web hosting. Below we have covered the three main benefits of using dedicated IP web hosting.

1. Speed and Security

Similar to any other form of web hosting, your web site’s visitors will still be able to access the information on your server via a standard Internet browser, but the speed and security of your web site will be substantially improved. If you are operating a larger business or an e-commerce site then dedicated IP hosting is by far the best option for you. Having your own dedicated IP will allow you to you avoid pesky issues such as spam. Also, sharing an IP with other websites can possibly be dangerous because you could be sharing your IP with illegal websites. Having your own permanent IP address offers a sense of security as well as improved browsing speeds for the end-user.

2. Flexibility and Control

Using dedicated IP web hosting also allows you to have more flexibility when it comes to controlling and editing your web site. You will have access to your own private SSL certificate as well as  an anonymous FTP client. Private SSL certificates ensure that your website remains fully secure, which will put your customers mind at ease if you are using your website for e-commerce.

3. Plenty of Options

Having a dedicated IP address for your web hosting offers a number of benefits, so of course the fees are going to be higher than those charged for dynamic IP hosting. However there so many hosting companies to choose from online, so it is not hard to find fairly priced dedicated IP hosting. You can  even use your current hosting company, simply call them or email them and tell them that you would like a static or dedicated IP and they will help you make the switch to dedicated IP hosting. Having so many options is another reason why switching to dedicated IP web hosting is so appealing.

Choosing a Hosting Provider

It is very important that you take the time to do the necessary research before deciding on a web hosting package. Consider factors such as customer service and support, security and price before you make your final decision. Taking the time to do the necessary research will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

The Do’s and Don’ts of E-commerce

E-commerce is prevalent today for many reasons. The obvious part is that it allows both individuals and companies to prosper online with thriving businesses. It also makes it far more affordable to establish and maintain a business as well. With a number of web hosting companies and marketing tools available, everyone is jumping online to try their hand at e-commerce.

Although e-commerce brings great opportunities, creating a successful website is not as is easy as it may seem. In fact, many newcomers have dove head first, only to fail miserably. In this article will cover the do’s and don’ts of building an e-commerce site.

Do Use Professional Layouts

Default layouts are okay for beginners but technology gives you many more options. You want your e-commerce site to appear as professional as it possibly can. It is important to have your shopping cart designed with flow, coherence and style. A poorly designed website and shopping cart is a good way to send potential clients clicking their way to the competitor. Even if you lack web designing skills, a number of scripts can be implemented to enhance the presentation of your site. Those very features just may be integrated into your web host’s server.

Do Not Upload Large Images

You want an e-commerce site that allows visitors to surf at lightening speeds. One way to hinder this ability is uploading images that have not been optimized. Sure, full size images may look great, but they can also falter the performance of your visitor’s computers. Viewing larger images will consume more bandwidth and possibly irritate potential clients when they take forever to load. You can avoid this by optimizing your images with special software before uploading them to the server. It’s also a good idea to invest in a web host that provides a shopping card that supports thumbnails.

Do Research Your Niche Market

Some will create an e-commerce site and immediately lose focus. They forget all about the competition. Market research is critical if you want your website to be a success. In order to standout you must take a unique approach, something that leads consumers to believe that you are just not offering a product that can be found anywhere. Whether it’s cheaper to use, less complex or extremely popular, you must study the market and learn how to capitalize on it.

Do Not Omit Digital Certificates

Security is an important aspect of any online business. Customers need to feel a level of comfort on your site; they need to feel as if they can securely hand over sensitive information without

third-party intrusions they’ve heard so much about. Neglecting to protect your transactions with an SSL certificate is a good way to lose a number of clients. Frequent online consumers know how to look for these credentials and will take their business elsewhere if one isn’t found.

Do Provide Quality Support

You want solid customer support from a web hosting provider and your customers expect the same from you. Your e-commerce site may consist of great products but it’s nothing without reliable support. Make sure your customers have some way to contact you when concerns need to be addressed. This could be a telephone number or email address from which you assure a prompt reply. You can even get advanced by implementing a live chat script into your site.

Hopefully these tips will help you avoid some of the most common mistakes made in e-commece. Even with the perfect game plan, design and customer support, getting traffic to your website may still pose a challenge. Consider this as a wake up call that motivates you to learn more about succeeding at e-commerce.