Five Things to Consider when Setting Up a Website in 2016

Five Things to Consider when Setting Up a Website in 2016

Trends in the technology industry come and go faster than in perhaps any other industry. The breakneck pace in which this business is developing is exciting for consumers, but alarming for businesses attempting to carve out their own slice of the tech pie. The competition is cut-throat; neither budding startups nor established companies can afford to get left behind. Last month we posted the Top Tech Trends for 2016; here we give you five pointers for those looking to create a monetised website in 2016.

TLDs

A couple of years ago, ICAAN, the body who manage URLs across the web, began placing brand new Top Level Domains (TLDs) up for sale. Amongst a handful of others, Google bought .app, Amazon .buy, and all the big brands registered the respective domains ending .sucks. Despite the novelty value of TLDs such as .travel and .nyc for small budding businesses, the TLD.com or geographical TLDs such as .ca or .fr are still regarded as the most trustworthy by both search engines and the average internet surfer. That said, it is still worth registering your domain name with any of the new TLDs that are relevant, so to guard against domain squatters.

Web Hosts

Hosting providers such as 1&1 are enjoying the boom as more and more individuals are taking the leap to set up their own website. Changing hosting providers can be a tricky business, therefore it is important to make all the necessary research before choosing one. In 2016, there will be a growth in small hosting providers attempting to dethrone the established players. With these new providers, it is even more important to understand exactly what they are offering, and how that compares with past hosts.

Responsive Design

The internet is now arguably more commonly accessed via a smartphone or tablet than a desktop computer or laptop. In essence, you need to make sure your website design is responsive. This means that it responds to whatever device it is being viewed on. No longer a bonus, this is now a must for any company serious about driving traffic to their site.

Cyber Security

There are only two types of websites, it is said, those that have been hacked and know it, and those that have been hacked and don’t know it. Whether or not this is true, hacking is a very real threat to all sites. Ensure that you have implemented firewalls, you have complex and regularly changed passwords, and that all your software is fully updated to reduce the threat.

Data Security

If you are setting up an ecommerce store, it is vital that you comply with the PCI Data Security Standard, that ensures that the credit card and other personal details of third parties processed on your site are as well-protected as they can be. If you do not comply with these standards, you may find yourself not only at risk to malicious persons, but also in trouble with the law.