8 Features of The Best Canadian Web Hosting Companies

Having a website is no longer optional.

Of course, choosing to invest in one is still up to you. But if a searchable online platform is your intent, a website is the obvious choice.

A website is crucial in attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. As the central hub of your business, it can help you:

• Appear more professional,
• Share your company’s story,
• Align your brand efforts,
• Increase brand awareness,
• Widen the reach of your company’s content,
• Serve your customers better,
• Increase revenue,
• Attract local leads, etc.

But you’ll need a good website and web host provider for all these incredible benefits to come true.

Your web hosting provider determines your website’s performance. So be sure to choose a company you trust.

What is Web Hosting?

This article explores 8 key features of the best Canadian web hosting companies.

If you’re searching for a hosting provider for your website, consider these factors first!

1. Speed

Site speed, or load time, is one of the vital components of a successful website.

When a visitor lands on your site, you have under two seconds for your page to load. Any more than that, you risk a higher bounce rate or lower SERP (search engine results page) ranking.

Why is this?

If a searcher navigates away from your site quickly, Google’s algorithm takes this as a signal. It could mean the visitor didn't find what they were looking for or it was uninteresting.

If this happens often, Google could rank your site lower on the results page.

Another reason site speed affects your site's success is your searcher’s expectations.

People’s attention spans have drastically decreased. At the same time, their expectations for immediate gratification have increased.

According to a study by Neil Patel, “47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less”.

The study also states that “40% of people abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load”.

In other words, the world is in a hurry.

If you slow it down, you lose the game!

After all, the purpose of the Internet is to provide instant information. If that information doesn’t immediately load on one site, there’s a high chance that it will on another site.

Increasing your site speed can help keep people on your site longer.

That’s why this is one of the most crucial factors to consider when searching for a web host provider!

A good hosting provider ensures a competitive site sped across all your pages. 

2. Support

A built-in customer support system in your hosting package is a necessity.

You never know when a problem will arise or how serious it will be. It could be a minor technical glitch or a more complicated programming issue.

Reliable customer support means that there’s already a team working on a solution.

This ensures your site's problems receive faster and more effective solutions. This, in turn, increases site uptime and reliability.

There are many different forms of customer support, including:

• Knowledge Database and Tutorials
• Live Customer Support (via phone or chat)
• 24/7 Monitoring
• 24/7 Ticket Systems

What matters most is that your support team is knowledgeable and timely.

3. Security

Strong security is a must for any website. But it is even more crucial if your site collects and/or stores personal data.

Secure web hosting protects your site from cyber threats and ensures your servers run 24/7.

Benefits of Web Hosting Security:

• Protects secure information,
• Backs up your data,
• Detects/Removes malware,
• Monitors networks,
• Protects hardware,
• Prevents cyberattacks, etc.

4. Storage Space

Storage space, or disk space, refers to how much content your site can hold.

Storage space holds both public and behind-the-scenes data.

Examples of public information:

• Logos,
• Images,
• Blog content, etc.

Examples of behind-the-scenes information:

• PHP
• CSS
• JavaScript files, etc.

When choosing and setting up your hosting provider, be sure you have enough storage space. It should be enough to hold both current and new content - so make sure you have lots of space to work with!

5. Bandwidth

Is it your intent to grow your online audience, increase web traffic and up your sales? If so, then invest in a hosting company with higher bandwidth.

The more bandwidth your site has, the faster it can deliver content during peak traffic times.

This ensures each visitor has the same fast browsing experience - regardless of how full your site is!

6. General Maintenance and Upkeep

Most hosting companies offer maintenance and upkeep as part of their hosting package.

This includes routine maintenance like renewing your domain name, SSL certificate and hosting. It also includes things like CMS updates, security patches and system updates.

Your hosting provider should always perform proactive maintenance and updates. This ensures your website operates effectively and efficiently.

7. E-Commerce Options

Do you plan to offer online shopping on your website? If so, you’ll need to find a hosting provider that offers e-commerce.

E-commerce, or “electronic commerce”, is a method of buying and selling on the Internet. Many hosting providers offer this design and functionality feature alongside a web design package.

What does an E-commerce set-up include?

• Shopping cart
• Payment Gateway
• Product Display
• Shipping Gateway

8. Email Options

As you're searching for a web host provider, look for one that offers email hosting for your website’s primary email.

This professional email hosting service links your website domain with your email address. This reinforces the connection between your website and email. 

This results in a more professional and trustworthy means of communication.

Benefits of linking your site domain with your email:

• Increases customer engagement
• Improves credibility
• Increases trust
• Enhances professionalism
• Supports digital identity

OSM: One of The Best Canadian Web Hosting Providers

Looking for a local and reliable web hosting provider in Ontario? You’ve found it!

Our OSM team has offered web design, management and hosting services since 1997.

We feel honoured to work with such incredible companies in our community over the last 25 years. 

We’ve built incredible websites and even more incredible relationships over the years. And we look forward to continuing to support our local businesses in Ontario for many years to come!

OUR WEB HOSTING PACKAGES AT OSM:

• DIY Web Hosting
• SiteApex Hosting
• WordPress Hosting

TOP 6 BENEFITS OF OUR WEB HOSTING SERVICES:

• We update our servers regularly for improved performance and security.
• Our servers offer optimized security reinforcement with Firewalls and Mod Security rules.
• We monitor each server's install base and usage closely - adjusting as needed to ensure top site speed.
• Our servers are constantly monitored via sonar monitoring. If any service fails to respond to a sonar check, our on-site, 24/7 support staff are immediately notified. While problems are extremely rare, this monitoring minimizes any potential downtime. It is how we guarantee 99.9% Network Uptime!
• We secure each of our websites with TLS 1.2/1.3 connections and basic SSL certificates.
• Genuine human support by ticket, email, phone and online documentation.

To learn more about our hosting services, call (613) 969-2626 or visit us online.

Good Web Hosting Services Are Crucial in 2022. Here's Why!

2022 is a crazy time to be alive. And an even crazier time to run a business! If you’re still on the fence about starting a website and investing in web hosting, this is the sign you’ve been waiting for to make that jump!

And we’ll tell you why…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail world came to a screeching halt. And we’re only just now recovering from the aftermath!

When COVID first hit and brick-and-mortar shops began closing their doors, small business owners had to make an important decision.

Should they stick it out and hope for the best? Or should they follow the rest of the world and shift to a hybrid business model?

While some businesses did decide to stay put and hope that in-person shopping would return, many others made the jump into e-commerce. They purchased a domain name, invested in web design and became a part of the growing online shopping community.

And thank goodness they did! Because online shopping grew by 5.5% that year alone (2019-2020).

And this shift has only continued since then!

Yes, doors did open again, and in-store shopping returned. But the shift to digital shopping wasn’t necessarily a temporary solution. The world was already headed in the direction of incredible technological advancement before COVID.

So, in some ways, the pandemic simply sped up the process.

Today, around 6,000,000 people are online shopping every minute! And 85% of consumers are now using the internet regularly to discover local businesses.

They pull out their mobile phone, type in a few words relating to their search and choose one of the highest-ranking page results on their search engine results page (SERP). All in hopes that the product, service or other information they are looking for will pop up. This process is why SEO (search engine optimization) is so vital in 2022.

But here’s the thing…

Google (or any search engine for that matter) isn’t a wizard. If you want to get found online, you have to show up and fight for your spot! 

But SEO isn’t the only tool used to get you there…

If you want to compete with the other billion or so sites in the world, your website needs to be:

• Stable,
• Secure and
• Fast!

You also need a good web host support team to back you up!

Are you ready to start generating online traffic and business revenue? It’s time to get online with reliable website hosting services!

Let’s Start With The Basics: What Is Web Hosting?

If you want a website, you need website hosting. There’s no way around it.

But what exactly is website hosting anyway?

To better understand it, we have to take a bit of a deep dive into the complexities of the internet.

Don’t worry - it’s not as scary as you think!

First Up, Your Internet Browser

In short, internet browsers (or web browsers) are the tools used to scan the internet and present web pages to the searcher. They simplify and convert the code (HTML) used to create websites so that we’re able to see things like text and images.

Your internet browser is what allows you to see the page you’re reading right now!

Examples of Internet Browsers:

• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Opera
• Microsoft Edge
• Vivaldi

The Internet

The internet is a globally connected network system. It can access and retrieve data worldwide!

As you search online, your web browser sends access requests (HTTP requests) to internet servers using an internet connection - a means of network communication.

This communication allows browsers to search for, find and retrieve information for the searcher.

Without the internet, browsers would have no way of accessing the servers that hold all the world’s websites!

Internet Servers

Internet servers are what hold (or host) websites. They receive those access requests from your browser (sent through the internet) and allow your websites to be found and retrieved by the searcher.

When we say your site needs hosting, we’re saying that your site needs a home on one of these servers. Only then can the online community find your business!

Essentially, having your website hosted means that it is safely stored and accessible online.

And that's how web hosting works!

Why Is Good Web Hosting So Important For Your Website?

By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of why having your website hosted is so important. But do you know what makes a GOOD website hosting service?

Stability

Server reliability is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a web hosting provider. Why? Because a weak server can boot your website offline - leaving your site entirely out of the internet’s reach.

If this happened, you could lose search traffic, viewership and potential sales!

A good website hosting company has a stable server and has an annual network uptime score above 99.5%.

Security

Strong security is a must for any website, but especially for one that collects or stores personal data.

A secure web host protects your website from hackers, cyberattacks and other potential threats.

A good website hosting company will ensure that your website has quality cyber security protection and regular security updates.

Speed

Load-time is an extremely important aspect of a successful website. When a searcher lands on your site, you only have a small amount of time to make a good impression. And to do that, your site needs to load quickly, your page content needs to be valuable, and they have to find what they're looking for. 

In fact, according to Google, you have about 1-2 seconds for your page to load! Any more than that and you’re risking a high bounce rate and a low Google ranking in SERP. 

A good website hosting company ensures competitive side speed.

Support

Fast, personalized and effective customer service is the fourth and possibly the most crucial factor to consider when selecting a web hosting company.

After all, the stability, security and speed of your website all rely on the support you get from your hosting provider.

Whether you have a self-managed site or have a web development company managing your site for you, a strong support system is imperative.

When choosing a good web host provider, look for the following support criteria:

• 24/7 Monitoring
• Human Support
• 24/7 Ticket System

Need Web Hosting in Quinte? Browse Our DIY, SiteApex and WordPress hosting packages at OSM!

At OSM in Belleville, Ontario, we’ve been building, designing, managing and hosting websites since 1997!

Over the last 25 years, our Web Development and Support Team have worked with a variety of websites from multiple different industries.

The best part about our job as a web hosting company?

We get to build relationships with incredible companies in our community! Every. Single. Day.

Not only do we get to help build their dreams from the ground up, but we have the opportunity to support those dreams for years to come as well!

Are you looking for reliable website hosting in Quinte? Get in touch with our team!

Top 6 Benefits Of Our Web Hosting Services:

• We update our servers regularly for improved performance and security.
• Our servers are uniquely set up for optimized security reinforcement with Firewalls and Mod Security rules.
• We monitor the install base and usage of each server closely - adjusting as needed to ensure excellent site speed for your visitors.
• Our servers are constantly monitored via sonar monitoring. If any service fails to respond to a sonar check, our on-site, 24/7 support staff are immediately notified. While problems are extremely rare, this type of monitoring minimizes any potential downtime. It's is how we guarantee 99.9% Network Uptime!
• We secure each of our websites with TLS 1.2/1.3 connections and basic SSL certificates.
• Genuine human support by ticket, email, phone and online documentation.

Our Web Hosting Packages at OSM:

• DIY Web Hosting
• SiteApex Hosting
• WordPress Hosting

OSM Is Quinte’s One-Stop Digital Agency

Have you made your mark in the online world yet? We've got all the tools and experience you need to get started!

Begin building virtual authority, generating online traffic and growing business revenue in 2022. With our reliable web hosting and web design services, gaining traction in the online community is simple!

To learn more about our hosting services, call us at (613) 969-2626 or visit us online.

Did you know there are nearly 2 billion websites online right now? That is a lot of websites.

Each website represents the hopes and dreams of its creator. Each website is hoping to attract more sets of eyes to like, follow, email, call, share, and interact.

How will your new website fare in this ever-expanding online ocean? Will it sink like the Titanic… or race to the finish like an Olympic champion?

As you are planning your website launch or re-launch, it won't take you long to notice how many "how much does it cost to create a website" blog posts and articles exist online today.

But how many of those resources tell you how much it will cost to create a successful website?

This one will. The information you are about to read comes straight from our CEO. It represents how we guide our clients from invisible to successful status in an online setting.

What Is Your Website, Really?

Imagine you want to start a new local business. You find a building. You throw up a sign. You step back to admire your handiwork. Then you smile with satisfaction and walk away, ready to start raking in the bucks.

What is wrong with this picture?

For starters, you didn't unlock the front door, hire employees, stock the shelves or do any marketing. You are basically cruising toward failure.

Now imagine instead of a local brick-and-mortar company, you decide to start a new online business.

You find a domain name and register it. You hire a hosting provider. You throw up your company name and logo on the home page. Then you smile with satisfaction and walk away, ready to start raking in the bucks.

Hmmm.

The question to ask yourself is: What IS your website, really? Why even make a website? Just because your competitor has one? Because some marketing 101 course told you that you should have one?

Your website is you online, plain and simple. It is your company, your customer service, your products and/or services, your entire explanation of why potential customers should choose you instead of your competition. It could not be more important to the success of your company now and over the long term.

And here is the ultimate irony: it doesn't actually cost much, if anything more, to create a successful website than it does to create a useless website.

In other words, it is not necessarily the amount of money you have to spend on a website that matters. It is how you spend it that makes all the difference.

4 Key Costs to Build a Successful Website

These are the four basic costs involved in building any website, regardless of its future potential to help you succeed.

1. Choose and register your website's domain

This is the least expensive but often most challenging part of starting your website. You have to pick the name of your company online. It needs to be reasonably short, easy to spell, easy to remember and keyword-friendly.

That is why this step isn't for amateurs! The good news is, it isn't expensive (on average $15 to $35 per year).

2. Pick your hosting provider

Your website host is responsible for making sure your website is always live, visible, fast, working properly, and safe from hackers.

This is a tall order! Not all hosting providers can pull it off, and price isn't always an indication of who can or can't do what is needed.

Hosting packages are usually billed monthly or annually. Costs can range from $10 to $50 or more per month.

Basic hosting packages simply give your website an online home. More feature-rich packages will include options like company email, extra cloud storage, content management controls and editing ability.

3. Hire your web design team

In the vast majority of cases, most new company owners stop after step two. Why? Obviously, they think they are finished.

Many will spend the rest of their business life wondering why the heck everyone was so insistent they put up a website since their own never seems to do anything!

This is exactly why, just as you wouldn't do your own tooth extraction, you don't necessarily want to craft your own website content.

You want someone who knows how to speak "web" to do it for you. Your content needs to be rich in appropriate keywords to boost your search engine rankings (called SEO). It needs to be responsive (display perfectly on any size screen and in any browser).

Most of all, all of your website content needs to flow in such a way that new visitors are automatically guided toward contacting you to order products or services. A simple website may cost $200 to $300. A more complex site may cost $1,000 or more to design.

4. Craft your online marketing campaign

Not surprisingly, a successful online marketing campaign always flows out of a successful website.

And in truth, steps three and four must be treated as one single step, because the content your web design team creates is what will drive your online marketing for the foreseeable future.

A catchy and memorable domain name, consistent branding throughout, creative and keyword-rich content—all of these will contribute to your marketing success.

Most importantly, this type of website will deliver real-time reports so you know exactly how new prospects find you online, how they interact once on your site, what the major interest drivers are among your products/services, and so much more.

Happily, online advertising and marketing inventions like PPC (pay-per-click) are easily tailored to any size budget. This is especially the case with a well-designed website that does most of the work for you!

We’re Here To Help!

Why choose us? Let our happy customers explain!

Contact us online or give us a call at 613-969-0626.