So you’ve always heard the web jargon “website hosting” or “web server” but are not too sure how it works or how it can support your online business. No worries. It’s good that you are here now.
I will help you understand some basic yet essential information about web hosting and why it’s important for a website. You will also learn about some prerequisites that an ideal web hosting company must have. At the end of this article, I will list some of the recommended reliable web hosting companies.
Let’s get on it!
What is a web server?
In technical language, web servers are computers that respond to a browser’s request for a web page and deliver it to the user’s browser through the Internet. They are like hard drives that store website files and images.
In other words, a web server is a machine that stores all the files and folders of your website and renders them upon the request of users through their browsers.
Why do you need web hosting services?
You could buy a web hosting server and set it up yourself at your premises to launch your website; however, the costs involved in buying and maintaining a hosting server are too high. Therefore, it’s always a good idea for small and medium-sized companies to subscribe to web hosting companies by paying them a monthly or yearly subscription fee.
When you subscribe to any web hosting company, they provide you with a shared space on their server, which you can use to upload your web files and launch your website.
How do downtime and slow-loading websites affect business?
Downtime
Downtime is the period during which users are unable to access a website. It could be for a few seconds, minutes, or even hours. The best web hosting companies always ensure 99.9% uptime (which means 0.01% downtime). The less downtime a website has, the better.
Slow loading
Let’s face it. Nobody has ample time to wait for a website to download. Users expect websites to load within a couple of seconds. Several studies have also shown that users tend to quit websites that take more than 6 seconds to load. A website’s loading time is up to a certain level, dependent on the server quality.
What should you check in a web hosting company?
Before you subscribe to a web hosting package, make sure that you have checked with them about the following:
- Uptime: Before you host your website there, check with the hosting companies about their guaranteed uptime. If your website is down most of the time, your customers may lose trust in your business.
- Server details: Check out the server configuration and specifications with the hosting company before you finally subscribe to their package.
- Storage: Ensure your hosting plan has sufficient storage for your website and emails.
- Live chat support: Most web hosting companies offer 24/7 live support. Before you subscribe to any web hosting plan and host your website there, ensure that they offer live chat assistance.
- Costs: You do not have to pay a few hundred dollars for a reliable web hosting package. You can find many reliable hosting companies offering their customers affordable hosting plans.
- Scalability: Check with the hosting company and make sure that their plans are scalable so that they can upgrade your plan to accommodate your growing business needs.