Tips to Find the Best Domain/Hosting Services

Many factors need to be considered once you’ve decided to start an ecommerce business. One of the things that should be at the top of the list is domain and hosting services for your website. It goes without saying that both entrepreneurs and established businesses need to find the best domain and hosting services that suit their needs. Here, we will take a quick look at how you can find the best domain and hosting services in town for your ecommerce website.

What is a Domain?

Computers use an IP address to communicate with one another over the internet. The IP address is a lot similar to your cell phone number, which enables those who you know to contact you. On the internet, the domain name you choose for your ecommerce website acts as an entry in a phone directory (remember those). As in, it allows those who are searching for you online to find your website.

Web Hosting

Web hosting services offer a space where business owners can park their domain. This is where ecommerce businesses and everyone who has a website stores their files which can then be accessed by anyone who wants to find your website. Without a hosting provider, there would be no place for you to store those files, which is why finding a reliable hosting provider is the first critical step towards getting a fully functional and easy to find ecommerce website.

Free Subdomains

When choosing a domain provider, it is best to go with those who also offer free subdomains. These subdomains can serve different business needs. For instance, the second-level domains can work to distinguish your ecommerce storefront from your business blog and the primary domain.

Ability to Create Subdirectories

The ability to create multiple or unlimited subdirectories is a great feature to have since it allows you to sort out various products within a collection. Unlimited subdirectories enable ecommerce store owners to add an unlimited number of subdirectories within their store, such as those offered by Shopify.

Security Features

Security is going to be your top concern when choosing a domain or hosting service, especially due to the increasing number of hacking incidents that are occurring on a daily basis. When comparing hosting services, it pays to keep the level of security each of them provides in mind. This includes SSL certificates, DDoS protection, firewalls, virus protection, domain name privacy, spam filters, and much more. Choosing a reputable domain and hosting service will usually get you the latest security features and encryption for your ecommerce website.

PCI Compliance

In short, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is an information security standard for websites that handle branded credit cards from the major card schemes. The hosting service you choose should also offer PCI compliance, especially if you are dealing with a large amount of customer data on a daily basis. This will keep your ecommerce safe from data breaches, which could have a negative impact on your business. This is not law but rather standard compliance mandated by the contracts that merchants sign with credit card brands.