We have many requests from clients asking us to explain web hosting to them. In this article, we provide information on web hosting Canberra businesses that are thinking of investing in a website may find useful.
What is web hosting?
The simplest analogy is to use your business' physical location. Imagine if you were running a convenience store. You have a physical shop where customers can go to make their purchases. Likewise, if you want to offer your products or services online, you will need a server (or host) where your business can be found by customers.
The web host (or web service provider) provides the technologies and services that will enable your website to be viewed by prospective customers. All a customer has to do is to key in your business name or domain address (URL) in the browser.
Which web hosting is best for your business?
The most important thing for businesses to do is to select the right company to host their website. Your web designer is the best person to advise you if you are not familiar with the concept of web development and web hosting. Three important factors to consider when selecting your web hosting server are the traffic you are aiming for, the budget you have and the features you want.
Shared Hosting – your website is sharing the same server with hundreds of other websites. It is more affordable but comes with less bandwidth, support, and features.
Virtual Private Server Hosting (VPS) – still a sharing server but with the ability to customise and will cost more. They are cloud-based and are highly scalable.
Dedicated Hosting – the server is customised to the business. They are expensive options but you have total control.
Managed Hosting – the hosting server provider looks after all the backend processes to ensure that the server is running smoothly. For example, managed WordPress hosting, the hosting provider will look after all the technical processes including installing WordPress core files, linking SQL, managing themes, plugins and so forth.
Choosing the right web host is an important process in planning and designing the best website for your business. Taking the time to consult your web designer can help you avoid a host of problems later on.
