Web hosting is a type of hosting that gives you the platform you need to get a website live. It provides a server that hosts your site’s files and allows your website to exist online in slightly different technological setups. In short, if the site exists, it’s using some form of web hosting.
What is web hosting for?
So you’ve developed an amazing-looking site, but what do you do with your code? Where does it go? That’s where web hosting comes in. Web hosting is the process by which files are stored online and then used to build and display a website that can be visited by web users. Every website in the world is hosted on a server, so it’s essentially a given in the world of websites, and a term worth getting accustomed to if you are shopping around for a potential website solution.
Who uses web hosting?
Web hosting is for anyone who owns a website and wants to put it online. There are many types of web hosting that offer varied benefits so different people and organizations will use different hosting options based on their use case.
How does web hosting work?
Web hosting effectively provides a secure online location in which website files and data are stored. When someone visits your site, these files are accessed and used to display your site. This process all relies on servers, most of which are physical machines that provide online locations, which can be accessed by other web users.
Server options
There is a variety of different hosting options for businesses looking to either get online or switch from their current setup. But there are different benefits and limitations across these options depending on what you want to use your hosting for. So what are your web hosting options?
Shared servers
With a shared server, you share your space with several other sites. Sharing your resources means that you’re sharing the cost, so shared hosting is normally more affordable compared to other options.
But sharing does have its drawbacks – it could result in data congestion between other sites and possible performance issues. It also means that how other users run their sites can impact your own, with a potential increase in cybersecurity risks as you never know who your ‘neighbors’ are.
Dedicated hosting is built for larger projects like upscaling your eCommerce site. You can even host larger business sites knowing you can welcome more visitors without the worry of traffic spikes.
Cloud servers
A cloud server is a server that is delivered through a network rather than relying on local physical servers. This means that a cloud server can be accessed from anywhere, by anyone who’s authorized to do so. And probably the biggest advantage of cloud servers is that most offer flexible billing (start, stop and pause your server when you need to) and scalable resources – great for growing projects.
If you’re wondering what you’d use a cloud server for, it’s fairly similar to dedicated hosting. You could use it to get beefy performance for your eCommerce site or you could use it to host an educational resource center with file sharing and live training.
How to Choose the Best Web Hosting Service Provider?
As your website grows, you might need additional storage space, bandwidth, and other types of resources. In that case, you may consider migrating to a more advanced hosting solution such as cloud hosting or VPS.
Therefore, make sure that the provider offers a variety of web hosting services so you can upgrade at any moment. Additionally, there are several factors to analyze when it comes to deciding between web hosting providers.
Control Panel
With a hosting control panel, you’ll be able to manage the hosting account without having to log in to the web server. Thus, it is best to go with web hosts that provide an easily manageable user interface for users of all skill levels to work with. Our cPanel lets you manage your files, create a full backup, and install associated applications to your website – quickly and efficiently.
Web Host’s Uptime
Due to poorly maintained or unstable web servers, frequent and unexpected downtime can seriously impact your business and customers’ trust. Hence, ensure the host you select meets the uptime guarantee they advertise.
An uptime guarantee and fair terms of service reflect the commitment of hosting companies to keep their systems up and running.
Technical Specifications
Apart from choosing hosting services with enough disk space, processing power, and bandwidth, you should look for other features that help your website run smoothly.
At GetHost, our servers operate on CloudLinux and we adopt LiteSpeed technologies to speed them up.
Online Reviews
Research website hosting reviews that provide in-depth information on different web hosting service providers. Most online reviews include information about uptime and speed, so you will be able to see how the provider’s servers actually perform.
Security
Ensure that the hosting provider is well-equipped with advanced security measures to help protect your site from malware or DDoS attacks.
They may include access management, malware detection, automated backups, and updates.
24/7 Customer Support
Round-the-clock customer or technical support comes in handy if your website encounters unexpected lags, crashes, or even security breaches. Check if the host also provides support resources such as tutorials and knowledge bases.
Additional Services
A great hosting plan offers excellent value for money if it contains free add-ons and features such as an SSL certificate, a business email account, or a content delivery network (CDN).
Do I need web hosting?
If you want a website, then the short answer is yes you do. Luckily for you, there are plenty of providers around offering a range of different hosting options depending on what you need for your project.
Looking to get online quickly and efficiently? Then look no further than our range of Web Hosting packages. You’ll get everything you need to get online, like a free domain name and SSL certificate included as standard – and that’s just for starters! If you need any help deciding which hosting is best for you, our sales team is here to answer questions, no matter how big or small.
