Why does hosting matter? What types of hosting are there? And which one is best for your website? Setting up your online store is relatively simple, but to do it you need your own hosting so you can have your own “plot of land” on the internet.
The location of your physical store is just as important as where your site sits on the web. We need to host our data inside the cloud of information, and that is where the word hosting, or web storage, comes from.
Here’s what this blog will cover:
- What is hosting?
- Why does it matter?
- What are the main hosting services?
- Can I switch hosts while keeping the same domain?
What is hosting?
Hosting is a space within a server that lets you store all the files that make up a website, and it also gives you a corporate email address.
It is an online service that lets you publish a website or web application on the internet. When you sign up for a hosting service, you essentially rent space on a server where you can store all the files and data your website needs to run properly.
Why does it matter?
Hosting is what makes your website visible on the internet, viewable in the browser and able to rank well. It handles the speed needed for when a user visits your site and keeps their browsing smooth.
Good web hosting lets you install extra services or complementary apps. Your data is kept on the well-known web servers that stay connected 24 hours a day.
What are the main hosting services?
- Shared hosting: one of the most popular options for meeting web hosting needs and a solution for small businesses and personal blogs, where you share a server with other customers.
- Private, dedicated space
- Shared load
- Small businesses
- Budget-friendly option
- Guarantees 99.9% uptime
Examples: Hostgator, Webempresa, Hostinger
- WordPress hosting: a particular form of shared hosting, built for WordPress site owners. The server is configured specifically for WordPress, and your site comes with plugins preinstalled for crucial tasks such as caching and security.
- Beginner-friendly
- One-click WordPress installation
- Strong performance for WordPress sites
- Support team trained in WordPress issues
- Preinstalled WordPress themes and plugins
- Dedicated server hosting: web hosting that gives the customer using it complete exclusivity.
- Independent web hosting
- Greater security and speed
- High scalability
- Server customization
- Full responsibility for server setup and control
Examples: Siteground, Namecheap
- VPS hosting (Virtual Private Server): a private virtual server with dedicated server space and a reserved amount of resources and memory.
- Server as separate entities
- Independent spaces
- Its own operating system
- Configure it to your needs
- Individually allocated resources
Example: BlueHost VPS Hosting, GoDaddy VPS Hosting
- Cloud hosting: currently the most reliable solution on the market, where your provider offers a group of servers and your files and resources are replicated across each one.
- An evolution of traditional hosting, spreading the service across several physical machines.
- Pay-as-you-go pricing (based on the processing power you consume, etc.)
- Security and scalability.
- A more expensive option than shared hosting.
- Able to adapt quickly to the user’s needs
Examples: Hoosting, Bluehost, Hostgator
Can I switch hosts while keeping the same domain?
Sometimes you may feel the need to change hosts. Some of the reasons to move your website to a different hosting provider are slow loading, the site going down, limited space, incomplete technical support and so on.
Here are the steps to switch hosts without losing your domain:
- Back up all of your website’s files to a removable drive.
- Export the database to your computer from the admin panel.
- Release the domain: ask your hosting provider for your domain’s release key; once you have it, you can give that key to your new provider to transfer your domain.
- Tell your domain provider the new location where the site will be hosted and have them grant access to the domain.
- Your new hosting provider will give you the DNS (Domain Name System) records, which are added to the domain registration.
- Import the database and upload the website files from your backup to the new hosting account.
Keep in mind that the switch is completely free and takes no more than 24 hours as long as the details of the old host are provided.
It is true that many of these processes can be easy to sort out, but you do need a clear understanding of the different hosting types so you can tell which one best fits your needs and make the most of your resources.
Read the 3 steps to open your eCommerce.