A variety of exciting opportunities await today’s online business visionaries. Unfortunately, these are accompanied by several significant challenges, including, most notably, the constant quest for better security. eCommerce businesses handle large volumes of sensitive data, so they must adopt the most reliable options available. Performance is also a key concern, as few customers are willing to wait for sluggish websites.
Below, we explain how dedicated servers can help businesses in the eCommerce industry – and we offer insight into when these resources are preferred over other hosting solutions.
What Is a Dedicated Server & How Does It Work?
Before you can determine whether dedicated servers are a worthy fit for your eCommerce business, it’s important to understand what they are and how they function.
A dedicated server is a hosting option that allows you to avoid sharing random access memory (RAM), a central processing unit (CPU), and other resources. As the client, you lease a customized server with features fully optimized based on the unique needs of your business and website. This may be referred to as “bare metal” when it places you as close to the physical hardware as possible.
Why Use a Server for eCommerce Website Hosting?
Dedicated servers are valuable in various industries, but some of their most common use cases involve eCommerce. While alternate options can hold some benefits in terms of pricing and flexibility, dedicated servers provide a clear leg up in terms of security and performance, as we explain below:
Improved Security
If your business has been the unfortunate victim of a hack or another malicious attack on its server, that’s a clear sign that it’s time to go dedicated. Sharing a server with several other entities means sacrificing security and leaving customers vulnerable. By opting for a dedicated server, you can customize your service based on specific needs rather than worrying about anyone else’s input.
Network Performance
With internet congestion peaking during specific times of the year – most notably Black Friday or other heavy online shopping days – all sorts of web server types are pushed to their limits. Shared traffic dramatically increases the risk of an eCommerce site going down at the worst possible moment.
Search Engine Optimization
Google prioritizes websites that load quickly, so peak performance is a critical component of search engine optimization (SEO). Search engine rankings play a significant role in how today’s businesses succeed, so it’s never been more important to climb to the top of the results page. A dedicated server will boost network performance, thereby limiting the chances of websites being buried at the bottom of Google’s results.
Customization Options
The most successful eCommerce sites are tailored for the specific requirements of the industry or audience. Ideally, it will also be possible to dictate traffic congestion, modify a wide range of settings, and scale your server needs over time. Another valuable feature that’s only available through a dedicated server is a static internet protocol (IP) address, which protects your business from a multitude of network hazards while also keeping it more secure.
Standing Out from The Crowd
Customers won’t stand for eCommerce sites that are slow, or worse, end up crashing. Such issues can quickly make eCommerce businesses stand out from the crowd in the worst way possible. If you need a competitive edge, a dedicated server is the preferred option. When customers are forced to choose between two otherwise similar eCommerce businesses, many will opt for the one with the faster, more reliable website – which can be delivered by way of a dedicated server.
In the competitive eCommerce world, there is no room for error. Dedicated hosting is the best option to get a leg up while minimizing security concerns and gaining valuable peace of mind.