Website hosting is a service that enables individuals and organizations to make their websites accessible via the internet. It involves the storage of website files on servers, which are maintained by hosting providers. Understanding what website hosting entails is essential for ensuring that a website remains operational, secure, and capable of handling user traffic effectively. This service is a fundamental component of establishing an online presence.
Website hosting, often asked as “what is website hosting”, refers to the server and operators that keep your website online. It is an external server not run by the individual site owner or the website designer, as they require enormous amounts of storage and power. But to really answer “what is website hosting”, we need to dig a little deeper.
Do I Need Website Hosting?
Only if you want your website to be online!
Yes, you absolutely need website hosting. Even if you are thinking of designing your own website (you can read our post on how to build your own website here), you are going to need somewhere to host it. While DIY website platforms do offer hosting, their hosting capacities are often lacklustre and don’t fit the needs of every business. Using a dodgy hosting platform will mean that your site is prone to crashing and will have poor security. This will lead to things like:
- Hackers and Scammers – poor security means a data free-for-all
- Loss of Clients – customers, can’t hire, what they can’t see
- Fewer Features – less hosting power means less capacity
That’s why we recommend going with a specialised hosting platform.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Different websites have different needs. For example, a website that needs to incorporate e-commerce and purchasing options for customers needs more speed and storage capacity than one that lists services and contact information for quotes and services. Thankfully, most hosting platforms offer a variety of plans and pricing to accommodate all websites and businesses.
Some things to look out for when picking your plan include:
- Storage Capacity
- Free SSL Certificates
- Servers Located Within Australia
- Australian-Based Support (the last thing you want is to be placing a phone call overseas while your website’s crashing)
Whom Should I Use to Host My Website?
This is perhaps the question most frequently asked after “What is website hosting?”. Luckily, it’s easy to answer!
A good web designer will recommend a hosting platform for you to use. This will typically be a platform that the designer is already familiar with. If you choose to use a different hosting platform, keep in mind that learning the backend software of a new hosting platform will slow the designer down and, therefore, mean you have to wait longer for your website. It will also cost you more as a developer typically charges additional fees to use a different hosting platform.
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