A Beginner’s Guide to Web Hosting, from Getting Started to Choosing a Plan

If you’ve never used a web hosting service before, this is the blog for you – here’s everything you need to know about what we provide.

Whether you’re building your first website, or you already have an existing online presence, you may wonder why you need to pay for web hosting.

There are many providers to choose from and without knowing what sets them apart, it can be tough to choose the right plan for your needs.

Here at Web, we understand that committing to a plan is not a decision you want to take lightly, which is why we’ve put together the following beginner’s guide to hosting.

What is Website Hosting?

First and foremost, we should acknowledge you can publish a website from any computer that’s connected to the internet. This machine will act as your server, holding all the files, images, and HTML code that make up your website and delivering them when a browser requests them by visiting your site.

However, website hosting providers use dedicated machines and servers, not only providing better performance and security than your average computer at home or work, but also takes the hassle out of setting up your own server so that you have time to concentrate on the day-to-day running of your business.

Think of it like renting storage space on the internet, the same as renting an office or retail space for your business.

Types of Hosting

Different providers charge different prices for hosting plans. There are many factors that set web hosts apart, but it’s important to choose the right plan for your site, based on requirements ranging from the number of pages you want on your site to the amount of web traffic you expect.

There are different types of hosting for different levels of demand, including:

• Shared Hosting – Most commonly used by online business owners, this affordable and easy-to-use option involves sharing space with several customers on one server, with your host taking care of all the maintenance and security options.
• Dedicated Hosting – Alternatively, if you want a whole server to yourself, a dedicated hosting package will afford you unlimited resources and customisation and full control of your setup.
• VPS Hosting – For all the features of dedicated hosting at the price point of a shared package, Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting enables you to easily navigate and customise your site with several tools and plugins, including WordPress.
• Cloud Hosting – If you require a lot of storage, cloud hosting is considered the most reliable solution, with power pulled from several resources rather than limited disc space; this option offers unmetered bandwidth and endless scalability.

What We Offer

As part of our dedicated hosting options, Web provides guaranteed 99.8% uptime, meaning your website will stay online and deliver consistency and certainty for both your business and your customers. Beyond web hosting, our wide range of services include:

• Domain and Email Hosting – Create a unique web address for your site and generate affiliated email addresses for you and your staff.
• Regular Consultations and Website Health-Checks – Keep up-to-date with your site’s performance and get professional advice on how to take it to the next level.
• SSL Certification – Secure your data and your customers’ data, providing peace of mind that your site is protected against cyber-attacks.
• Managed SEO Services – Call on our expert team to keep your site optimised for search engines, as well as arranging regular updates and maintenance.

For more information about our hosting services and plans, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our top team of Web experts today!