The majority (57%) of the world’s population is using the internet and still counting at 1 million new users daily. But for your site to go live on the internet to be accessed by those users, it has to be hosted on servers first. Are you starting a website? If yes, then web hosting is a must for you to consider.
But what exactly is web hosting? Well, in simple terms, it is a service that enables you to post your web page or site online. Web hosting service providers, or web hosts, are organizations that provide the necessary services and technological support. They provide for the online visibility and accessibility of your website. Whenever users wish to access your site, they need to key in your domain or URL into their web browsers. Then their devices will connect to the host server for your pages to be displayed on their screens.
By the end of this article, you will know what Webhosting is, how much will it cost you, and what Webhosting option is best for you!
How do you benefit from web hosting services?
For your website to be visible on the internet, it calls for a web hosting service. But it doesn’t stop there! For instance, web hosts employ technicians to ensure that your website runs all through.
Besides, in case you need to troubleshoot problems such as the inability to send or receive e-mails, script debut, or any other assistance, the support team is there for you. The ideal web host will create a hassle-free environment for you to ensure that you focus your effort and time on your business conveniently.
What features do you consider when selecting your web host?
To get the best website hosting services, consider the following features;
- E-mail accounts
- File Transfer Protocol (FTP) access
- WordPress support
- Anti-hacking software
- Storage space
- Bandwidth
E-mail accounts
The majority of web hosts require you to have a domain name for your site of which they can assist you in getting one. Now, with e-mail account features provided by the host, and the domain name, you should be able to create your respective domain e-mail accounts which include;
Alias account: The catch-all alias often collects e-mails sent to an address unidentifiable by your server.
Forwarding account: Rather than e-mail storage in your server, e-mails are forwarded to another e-mail address. That is ideal if another firm is filtering your e-mails.
Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3): The typical inbox. The host server should allocate storage space for your e-mails.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) access
Access to FTP enables the uploading of files from your PC to the web hosting server. Was your website created with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) files? Then FTP will allow you to transfer the files directly to the server from your local computer. That provides for internet accessibility of your site.
WordPress support
With 22.6 active websites and a market share of 59.7%, WordPress dominates the world of Content Management System (CMS). Therefore, you should ask the web host if its plan is compatible with WordPress. The requirements to host your WordPress site include a MySQL 5.6 or more, or PHP 7 or more. I personally have used WordPress for four-plus years and never had a problem. I think that is because every time I register a domain I make sure I have an SSL I would strongly recommend you do the same.
Anti-hacking software
Apart from WordPress being the leading CMS, it is also the most hacked; 83% of the sites using WordPress get hacked, with 90,000 of them hacked daily. Hence, it is crucial to consider the availability of anti-hacking software. The prominent one is Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificates, which helps to protect your visitors’ information.
Storage space
Which size of storage space do you need for your web files, database, and e-mails? Calculate the total storage size required before settling for a particular web host plan. The main thing you want to look for is whether a web host provides unlimited or a pre-designated SSD storage space. Most reputable hosting companies will have unlimited SSD storage but not all have it for the bigger packages they offer.
Bandwidth
It refers to your site’s ability to handle data. If you need to deal with more traffic, then you will require more bandwidth. Several web hosts provide unmetered bandwidth, which means they don’t charge you based on what you use. You get a notification if you exhaust your bandwidth allowance.
How Much Will it Cost to Host Your Website?
The cost of website hosting varies from one plan to the other. You can either go for the freemium plan or the premium plan.
Freemium plan
Some website builders such as Weebly and Wix will host your site free of charge! They allow you to publish your website, and upload files with hosting being the least of your worries. They got you covered, which means you don’t pay a dime for the services.
But is it free? Often, free plans come at the expense of placing adverts on your website. Not forgetting that, there are about 615 million devices worldwide that have installed ad blockers. And you know what that means? Of course, they can’t access your website, and you will be missing out a lot. It is estimated that by 2020, businesses a cost of 75 million dollars if ad-blocking remains unaddressed.
Premium plan
Low-cost/budget website hosting: This plan is meant for the people starting a site, and those using their sites for their portfolios or blogs. The cost is about 20 dollars every month.
Medium-range website hosting: It focuses on small or medium-sized businesses. The charges range between 50 and 500 dollars per month.
High-end managed website hosting: This involves dedicated server hosting for the established brands and big websites which experience lots of traffic. The hosting configurations are externalized to a separate server to handle such traffic. That will cost you between hundreds and thousands of dollars.
Are you still wondering which web hosting service to choose? Read on, we are discussing it right below.
Which website hosting options do you have?
The ideal option depends on your site requirements, the services offered by the web host, and your budget. To determine the most appropriate option for you, consider the following significant types of web hosting;
Website builder hosting
Website builder hosting is among the most straightforward approaches to addressing your web hosting need. The plan comes adequately packaged with all the necessary technical maintenance support, which encompasses your website hosting. Besides the simplicity involved, this is the most cost-effective option. They have both Freemium and Premium plans, with the premium option offered at most 20 dollars per month.
Additionally, website builders allow you to access lots of features that help in establishing your website. Among the most famous builders include Squarespace, Weebly, and Wix. I recently wrote an article that walks you through using website builders to build a professional website check it out here
This option is ideal for you if you need to get your website up rapidly or you lack the relevant technical experience.
Dedicated website hosting
This option allows you to exclusively own a server, which means there is no sharing with other sites. For that case, there is no fear of your website’s performance being affected by others. More so, you get customized features and improved security.
Due to the associated benefits, the cost of dedicated web hosting tends to be significantly higher than the one for shared hosting’s.
A dedicated website hosting option best suits you if you need large storage size, or your site is fast-growing and experiencing heavy traffic.
Shared website hosting
That means you use a shared server with several other sites. Although it is the cheapest, there is the challenge of your site’s performance being affected by the other sharing sites. For instance, in case they are consuming lots of technical resources, then the loading of your website is prone to being slow. But you shouldn’t worry that much; your host will allocate resources considerably to improve the user experience on every site.
In case you need to launch online your web page or small-sized business, and at the same time want to keep costs low, then shared web hosting is the option for you.
Cloud website hosting
For this option, your website’s required resources for it to run are located on a multitude of servers (the loud’). That means there are minimal chances for downtime due to server failure. How? In case of a particular server malfunction, another comes in immediately to offer support. Moreover, due to the additional support, your website can take in colossal traffic conveniently without experiencing problems with bandwidth.
In comparison with the dedicated website hosting option, cloud website hosting is more reliable. Some hosting providers don’t provide for cloud web hosting, but others like Bluehost, HostGator, and SiteGround do.
If your website is growing very fast and you expect an upsurge in traffic, then cloud website hosting is the choice for you.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) website hosting
VPS involves server sharing, but you have your exclusive area. Although the hardware is shared, the computing resources are not. You can increase your website’s bandwidth and the storage space without incurring much expense. You stand to gain more control over the customized resources.
Are you stuck in between shared and dedicated website hosting? Then go for the VPS website hosting option.
The bottom Line
Every website, including yours, needs to be hosted. Regardless of your budget, the size and purpose of your site, you have to deal with the hosting issue.
Although there are a variety of options, finding the starting point can be challenging, more so if you are a newbie. Fortunately, this article serves to give you an insight into the meaning of web hosting from different perspectives.
With these website hosting basics now in hand, make comparisons on the top host services and come up with the ideal option for your site.
