The Importance Of A Good Web Host

March 31, 2022

Reading Time: 5.9 Minutes

84% of today’s consumers think a website makes a business more credible. While the creation and design process may seem easy, it is not straightforward in most technical cases. Before considering how to create a perfect website, you need to think about an ideal web hosting option to use.

There’s a large demand for a professional web hosting plan that will keep a website up and running consistently (in some cases no matter what). Professional web hosting is a thriving and lucrative business itself for the hosts as professional web hosting is crucial for a great online presence. Irrespective of a business’s sector, having a professional web host is crucial for a great online presence. This guide will discuss everything you need to know about web hosting.

What is Hosting?

Simply put, web hosting is a virtual space where files, contents, and information used in creating a website are stored. These files are saved in a remote computer referred to as the “host”, hence the name web hosting.

When you log on to a website via a computer, the files that create a website are properly displayed within a web browser. This is why selecting a reliable web host is important so that the site can be consistently served every time it is accessed.

Web hosting is rented space on a host’s remote computer. Payment for the space is usually monthly or annually, although in some cases it can be free.

Hosting vs. Domain

Difference Between Hosting and Domain

A domain name is the address of a website on the internet, used by people to access a website. Usually, they are one-word or short phrases that can be highlighted in text to create more visibility. Although they are sometimes just left without being styled differently.

It is important to note that each domain is a unique web address, meaning there can be only one unique address denoting a web address. No two addresses can share the same domain name. On the other hand, web hosts are what power up and make up a website. Hosts store all the content and create easy access for visitors via an internet browser using any device, including smartphones, desktop computers, or tablets.

Even though domain and hosting are two different terms when it comes to their usability, they complement each other in terms of having a website. Both are needed for the creation and maintenance of a website.

To get started with any hosting service, you need to build an entire online identity with the name (domain).

A domain name system is like an address book that is continuously updated. Behind each domain name is an address of the web hosting services storing the website’s files.

Without a domain name, visitors won’t be able to find a website, and without web hosting, it is impossible to build a website. This is why most professional hosts also offer domain services.

Benefits of Choosing a Good Host

Higher Ranking in Search Engines

One of the main goals of a website is to attract more people for traffic generation. With more unique traffic, a website can ranks well on search engines. Using a good web host provides you access to the best SEO practices, CDN services, and a fast-loading website. As a result, a website will rank well on search engines, thereby helping boost business.

Uptime Reliability

When searching for a reliable web host, there is a high chance that you’ll come across the word uptime, and understanding the term will help aide the selection process. Good uptime reliability allows for happy visitors and site owners but when it goes down frequently, it can have a negative effect on site traffic. If you think in terms of Instagram or Facebook it may be more relatable. Those two services are very reliable when it comes to uptime but when it goes down, it creates issues for its massive daily user base. This calculation is made by monitoring how frequently this server works properly and is contingent on the web host’s plan.

Typically, uptime is the frequency of a site’s ability to go online. Some web companies offer as high as 99.9%. One can enjoy a consistent uptime by doing diligent research when selecting a host.

Increased Storage Space

When opting for free web hosting services, there is a fixed amount of bandwidth and space with limited functions offered. With a professional web host, there is an opportunity to choose any amount of data space depending on set requirements. Scalability is also available as one can downgrade or upgrade depending on the site’s needs.

Types of Hosting Plans

Shared Hosting Plan

Shared hosting is the perfect plan for those looking to host a site with a low budget. It is the cheapest of all of the offered hosting plans. The server used in hosting these sites takes care of all hosting responsibilities except maintenance. The only drawback of this plan is that multiple sites are housed on one server. This means that a site on this server competes with others on this shared server for resources causing site availability to be a potential issue. Outside of the drawback, this plan is a good option for beginners and the most cost effective.

Managed Hosting Plan

The hosting service provider administers managed hosting plans. The price for these plans varies depending on the hosts. With managed hosting, the low-end managed hosting plan typically uses VPS hosting, while the high end is usually an upgraded version of a dedicated hosting plan. The price range for these plans is large. These plans may be ideal for intermediate developers.

Virtual Private Server (VPS)

VPS is placed in the middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. It is the perfect plan for site owners seeking more control but not needing to dedicate an entire machine. With VPS plans, site owners get to use their operating system, have dedicated storage, and access unlimited bandwidth. This hosting plan has a variety of features but is also expensive and costly.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting is a cloud-based service that employs various computers and networks working simultaneously, running applications with combined computing resources that provides users with fast download speeds without the need for an expensive data plan. With this plan, there’s no need for constant upload of content. Cloud hosting is an excellent option if you want to utilize the option of scaling. Payment is based on resources used, and it is typically the most costly out of all of the plans.