Creating an engaging website to support your business doesn’t have to be costly or labor intensive—you can let a web hosting service handle all the details at an affordable price. This ebook looks at the criteria to consider when deciding on a service and offers a side-by-side comparison of some of the major services available.

From the ebook:

In a digital age marked by an always-on and always-connected populace, your company’s website often serves as the primary storefront for your business. Whether it’s a site brimming with the latest technology that requires an army of IT professionals to maintain it or just a single webpage with contact information, your website is where you make that all-important first impression.

Fortunately, creating a functioning and inviting website does not have to be an expensive or time-consuming project. With the help of web hosting services, large and small businesses can project a public presence that is as professional and polished as a website produced by that army of IT pros mentioned earlier.

For a small fee, a web hosting service can provide your business with a domain name and publish a credible, secure website that drives customers to your products and services. All it takes is a few mouse clicks, some basic information, and about an hour of your time.

Who are the major players in web hosting?
The basic definition of web hosting is about as straightforward as it gets: It is a service that provides the infrastructure that allows an organization to publish a website. A web hosting service generally charges a recurring fee that provides the subscribing entity with a domain name, storage for website pages, and a server that allows general access via the internet and a web browser.

There are dozens of reputable and viable web hosting services available globally; most offer a similar basic set of web hosting services, while some specialize in less crowded, and potentially more lucrative, niche markets. Choosing the right web hosting service for your small business will require research and careful consideration.

Perhaps the most important factor when choosing a web hosting service is knowing exactly what your business needs from the provider. Most of the web hosting providers (whether listed below or not) will work with you to provide the service and features you request, but only if you can express those needs in a coherent way.