Good hosting with a properly configured server is the foundation on which you build your webshop. Choosing the right hosting provider raises necessary questions and plays a crucial role in the success formula, especially for webshops and B2B portals. Hosting is often seen as a neglected child that is expected to be just an afterthought. In this message, we would like to explain a little bit why good hosting is absolutely important and why good hosting providers cannot be price fighters.
Because your website, in the case of an online store, is not just a business card but also directly generates revenue, it is wise for webshops to critically review the following aspects:
Ensure enough space
Specifications for the various hosting packages initially include disk space (how many images and media), data traffic (total requested data), and sometimes pageviews per month. In the case of webshops, most storage space is taken up by product pages with associated media. If you use multiple images per product, it is advisable to estimate the necessary disk space in advance. Webshops with many products and high visitor numbers need to pay extra attention to sufficient data traffic.
Speed has been very important for search result rankings since 2010, according to Google.
Speed is key
‘Speed is important’ has been Google’s mantra for a long time. Since 2010, speed has been officially included as a ranking factor by the search giant. Their decision was based on studies that show that users click and order less as wait times increase. Both directly on your website and indirectly via marketing channels such as search engines, a fast webshop leads to higher conversion. Initial speed gain can be achieved by properly configuring the web application you are using. This involves optimizing your template, CMS settings, and the use of caching. With caching, content that is frequently requested is served faster. This can be individual images or sometimes entire pages. Caching extensions are available for specific systems. For Magento, Zoom FPC (extension) or Redis or Varnish (caching methods for which various extensions are available) are often used; for WordPress, W3TotalCache or WPSuperCache is a commonly seen plugin. Especially with a system like Magento, significant speed gains can be achieved by using the right settings within the web application. Guido Jansen wrote a handy guide on precisely this topic.
Server-side caching
On the server side, caching can also be utilized. This is where your hosting provider comes into play. Popular server-side caching solutions include APC, Varnish, and Memcached. By deploying different types of caching, a site can be requested super fast. Be aware, though, that especially for webshops, the correct settings are crucial. You certainly do not want visitors to see an outdated shopping cart or incorrect inventory.
The servers must also have enough capacity and ‘headroom’ to handle unexpected peak loads on a site. When a server is too full, busy moments can negatively affect the speed of other sites on the server. If you want to ensure constant high performance for your webshop, a VPS or 'Dedicated Server' is recommended. In such a Virtual Private Server, a part of the server is configured so that only your websites make use of it.
Back-ups
Back-ups, if executed well and timely, save lives. This applies to every website, but especially to webshops. Since very variable data is used, regular back-ups are important. Many hosting companies offer daily back-ups, but the period for which the back-up is retained (retention) varies by provider. It is best practice for a webshop to maintain a retention period of 14 days. In this way, back-ups from up to two weeks ago can also be restored. Handy if, for example, you discover an error that has been visible for a few days.
Want to measure the speed of your site? Check at http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/
Conclusion
If you really want to get the most out of your webshop, then you choose a hosting company that has enough experience with the system in which your store is built. Especially for optimally running large webshops, this is a plus. There are companies that specialize in Magento, OpenCart, and webshops implemented in WordPress or Joomla!. In many cases, the speed and security of these specialized hosts are better than jack of all trades.
Our preference
We prefer to place all Epartment customers regarding hosting under our own hosting platform 'Epaflex'. This is a professional hosting platform that is 100% optimized for Magento and its associated ERP integrations. If you are not a customer at Epartment, then we unfortunately cannot assist you further. Epaflex hosting is available exclusively. Want to know more? Call 085 401 4722 or send an email to support@epartment.nl
