November 4th, 2020
The rise of social media and other digital technologies is shaping consumer behavior. More than one-third of American adults are constantly online, according to Pew Research. About eight in 10 users go online at least once a day.
Given these facts, it's surprising that 40% of small businesses don't have a website. If that's your case, you could be missing out on potential customers and sales.
Setting up a website doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. The first step is to choose a domain name and web hosting plan. Next, you can use a free or premium website theme or hire a web designer.
Content creation, digital marketing, and other services can be outsourced. If you're just getting started, you can handle these aspects yourself in the first few weeks or months.
So, what's web hosting all about, and why does it matter? Read on to find out more!
What Is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is a service that allows businesses and individuals to make their websites available online. A web host provides the virtual space needed to store the files that compromise a website.
These files are stored in the cloud or on a server, depending on the hosting plan. Your options include:
- Cloud hosting
- Shared hosting
- Dedicated hosting
- Virtual private server (VPS) hosting
- WordPress hosting
- Reseller hosting
Cloud web hosting, for example, relies on multiple remote servers. If one is compromised, you'll still have access to your files. As a result, your site will have higher uptime rates and less downtime compared with shared or VPS hosting.
Choosing the Best Web Hosting Services
Each type of hosting has distinct characteristics. Choosing one depends on your budget and individual needs.
Shared hosting is the cheapest option, but it has its limitations. Generally, it's a good choice for personal blogs and small websites. With this service, you'll be sharing resources with other users on one server.
If you sign up for VPS hosting, you'll share a physical server with other websites. The difference between this service and shared hosting is that each site has its own space on the server.
An even better option is dedicated hosting. As its name suggests, this service provides users with dedicated servers. While the cost is higher, you'll get higher uptime and full control.
Dedicated hosting plans are ideal for websites with a lot of traffic or need a higher level of security. If you operate an online store with thousands of daily visitors, dedicated hosting is your best bet.
Cloud hosting plans are highly scalable and more cost-effective than VPS and dedicated hosting. With this option, you'll pay for what you use. It's a flexible, convenient choice for medium and large businesses that expect to get more traffic and increase their reach.
Make the Right Decision for Your Business
Choosing the right web hosting plan is essential for business success. After all, you don't want to lose customers because your website has crashed due to traffic spikes.
Our advice is to browse the rest of our blog to learn more about web hosting. Feel free to contact our team with any questions you may have!
Whether you need help with domain registration, web hosting, or digital marketing, we're available 24 hours a day.