It’s usually a safe bet that when the CEO of one of the largest Web hosting companies makes a blanket statement about, well, Web hosting, we should take heed.
Discussing the results of a recent 1&1 survey of 1,800 US-based SMBs, Oliver Mauss, CEO of 1&1 Internet Inc., says: “While many small companies today leverage the Web with increasing proficiency, too many businesses remain excluded from the online world. Although an online presence becomes more and more important for the acquisition of new customers, small business owners are still unaware of the true cost of Web hosting. They overestimate the necessary business investments for being online and underestimate how simple and affordable it is to source a website.”
While I imagine Web hosts are salivating at the thought of having that 40 percent unserved market within their grasp, they should ensure that those who don't know the "true cost" and the simplicity of acquiring trustworthy services should be made aware. There's plenty of opportunity to do so on existing websites and all forthcoming promotional material-even the social networking variety.
What is not surprising about the survey's results is that cost is an issue. Nearly two thirds of those surveyed agree that an inexpensive monthly fee is way more important than service and the quality and reliability of the provider. That's where the delicate balance of cost and service needs to be metered and ultimately where the Web hosting battles are won and lost.
How secure is your website, or your Web hosting?
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