Many small businesses decide not to create their own website, because they believe many of the common web hosting misconceptions. The fact is, however, that over 80 percent of people in the USA have access to the Internet, and creating your own website is one of the cheapest ways to market your business to all of these people. With that in mind, this article will debunk three of the most common outdated myths surrounding web hosting.

Myth 1: Web hosting is too expensive for small business owners. Although web hosting used to be prohibitively expensive for small businesses, nowadays it is extremely cheap. There are many good web hosts, for instance, that charge less than five dollars per month for their services. Yes, that’s right, five dollars! Now, obviously, if you plan on hosting a large multimedia website that receives a lot of traffic, you will have to spend a bit more money. However, the fact remains that web hosting is now very cheap indeed. What’s more, many internet service providers now offer their customers free professional web hosting as part of their monthly broadband packages. So, make sure that you check out what’s included in your current business broadband package, as you may even already be paying for professional web hosting.

Myth 2: A small business does not require a website. Many small business owners wrongly assume that there is no need to own a website. These owners believe they can reach customers with a Facebook page, a YouTube channel and a listing in some online business directories. While social media can be great marketing tool, you have no control over the third party advertisements that appear on your business’s social media pages, and, more often than not, the advertising will feature your competitors. You need a website to establish your business’s brand and to portray a professional image to potential customers.

Myth 3: Running a website is difficult. Yes, when web hosting first became available to the public, you did need to have extensive technical knowledge in order to build and maintain a website. Nowadays, however, just about anyone can set up a website in under five minutes using one of the thousands of pre-designed templates that are in circulation. Furthermore, if you install an open source content management system (CMS) on your website, updating and expanding your site’s content will be a breeze. You should also remember that many web hosting providers are desperate to keep their customers, so they will be more than happy to help you maintain your website.

The three myths debunked above are only a small selection of the dozens of outdated web hosting myths that are currently in circulation. Unfortunately, the myths prevent many small business owners from using a website to tap into an enormous global market. Hopefully, however, you as a successful small business owner will at least take some time to investigate the hundreds of benefits a website can bring to your business. Once you recognize the benefits of having your own business website, it will be easier for you to see past the common web hosting myths.