If you have recently begun the process of developing a website for your business or are still in the information gathering process, chances are you have come across the term website hosting. You may be asking yourself, what is hosting, and do I need it? In this article, we will discuss this and related topics and give you a clear understanding of what hosting is.
In this article, we will discuss 3 topics related to hosting.
What is hosting?
The simplest way to think of hosting is by comparing the internet to a shopping center. In a shopping center, you have to pay rent to have your own space. In this space, you can sell and promote whatever you want and in the decor of your choosing.
In exchange for this, you pay rent. This is no different from your website. Hosting is paying rent to have your website on the internet.
In this metaphor, your shop front is a server. We will now discuss what a survey is and how they work.
When choosing your hosting provider, check to see if they have hosting services in the county you want to operate in. Your hosting location can have implications on your rankings in your area.
Fig. 1 – A data centre where websites are stored
What are servers?
All your website’s content and information has to be stored on a server similar to the one shown below. This server acts as a memory card that connects to the internet.
The below image gives a clear example of the role hosting plays in your business’s online presence. When a website is being developed, all the site’s information is kept on a server.
The server is connected to the internet and shares your information with the world. This is how your customers can find your website.
Why is choosing the correct survey option important ?
Choosing the correct servers for your website is very important for SEO. Nobody likes a slow website and Google knows that.
If Google sees that your website is slow to load they will do everyone a favor by not having your website rank. Likewise if your website has a lot of down time, Google deems your website low quality and will lower your rankings.
To maximize your rankings on google you need to make sure you have the correct hosting package.
What Server options are available?
Depending on the size and nature of your website, there are different options for hosting. Here are the most popular hosting options available to you.
VPS server
A VPS or Virtual Private Server is a step above a shared server. It is perfect for any SME who can’t afford any potential website downtime. A VPS also offers a lot of flexibility in terms of configuration.
A VPS is still a shared server, however the amount of other websites on the server is significantly reduced. There is also less of a chance that other websites on the server will affect your speed.
A VPS is best suited for interactive websites with complicated files that a shared server would struggle to manage.
What is a dedicated server
Dedicated servers are best suited for large retailers who expect more than 100,000 monthly visitors. A dedicated server is expensive but for large retailers, having a slow website or down time is essentially throwing money out the window.
A dedicated server is very expensive and is not recommended for anyone starting off. Dedicated servers are mostly used by large ecommerce companies and enterprises.
Dedicated servers are sometimes also used by companies who need extra security for sensitive financial information or medical data.
What is cloud server
A Cloud server is made up of many servers that play different roles. Cloud servers are very secure as if one server goes down, the remaining servers will pick up the responsibilities of the crashed server.
A cloud server has no fixed cost. You pay for what you use. This is great for any company who has seasonal peaks and doesn’t want to pay for extra hosting all year round.
Website maintenance
Now that we have discussed what hosting is, let’s look at some of the other factors that can be included with hosting. Just like renting out a shop front, you are not in full control of the building and updates will be eventually needed. This is the same with your website. There is a constant need for updates and small fixes.
For your shop front, you would overcome this issue by having property insurance. This is not mandatory but it can save you a lot of money in the long run. This is the same concept as website maintenance. It is an insurance policy for your website to make sure that if anything ever goes wrong, your management company will make sure your website is safe, secure & available online at all times.
SSL Security
Just link on the high street, you may have criminals who will find weak points in your website to gain entry. These cybercriminals are looking for the data of your customers. SSL Security is the online equivalent of having a security guard at the entrance of your shop who can prevent these from gaining entry.
SSL Security not mandatory for your website, but it gives your customers the peace of mind that their personal information will be kept safe. When users see the SSL security symbol in the search bar they can be assured that your website is safe and can be trusted with personal information.
Fig. 2 – An SSL security cert in action
Conclusion
We hope this article was able to answer any questions you had regarding your website’s hosting. If you are interested in having your website hosted with BeQuick Media click here to view our hosting, maintenance and SSL Security packages.
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