In this current economy and age where online shopping is one of the most popular activities globally, getting it right when choosing the right host becomes as important as your business itself. It is estimated that e-commerce returns worldwide will be 4.24 trillion dollars of the United States in 2020 alone, and these numbers are expected to rise to 5.4 trillion dollars in the year 2022. Nonetheless, choosing a host that can guarantee you speed, attractive features tailored to your needs, good storage, and security should rank in your top list.
Whether you’re not sure where to begin with web hosting or your current host isn’t cutting it for your business’ needs, this article from our Austin hosting team is sure to help point you in the right direction.
What is Web Hosting?
Technology has brought us to an age where you do not have to hire a whole team of IT professionals to get the job done. Your work is to look for the company that bests serve your needs when it comes to hosting. Web hosting is one of the most fundamental parts of a website.
There are great companies out there that have put in the time to create technological solutions that cater for different needs, and not all hosts are equal. Therefore, careful consideration should be taken to ensure you choose the right host to suit your needs.
Instead of hiring a whole team to develop a website for you, with a small fee, you can get the same services from a web hosting company which is a great business decision you can make.
Types of Web Hosts
To better identify and choose the right host, you must first understand the types of web hosting companies that exist in the market. The web host is the infrastructure that allows an organization to publish a website. Some offer simple web hosting services, some are in highly lucrative markets, and others are in less crowded markets. The six most basic types include the following:
1. Shared Hosting
Good for those at the starting stage of website hosting, shared hosting is where a site is stored on the same servers just like other sites. Random Access Memory as well as the Central Processing unit are shared, and therefore the cost is cheaper. This makes shared hosting companies the most excellent choice for beginner website owners.
It can be used by an owner of an enterprise, a community group, or a blogger as it is simple to host. Facilities like website builders, WordPress hosting, and even email interface are available. The only downside to it is that sudden surges of users can affect your site’s speed and performance, as shared hosting isn’t built for a high capacity of website users.
2. VPS (Virtual private server) Hosting
This is most appropriate for site owners who require more control but don’t necessarily require a dedicated server. Each website is hosted in its own space even if it integrates with others as well. Even though VPS still cannot handle high traffic, it allows access to more customization and storage space.
3. Dedicated Server Hosting
This allows for more control as the server is absolutely for you, and only your site is stored in it. You have access as an admin, and you can regulate the whole thing, including security as well as the operating system. You should keep in mind, however, that this is an expensive web hosting option. It’s only practical for website owners who get high traffic and need control over their servers.
4. Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting means many interconnected computers operating applications together with the help of shared computing resources. It is a technique used by companies that operate one network and offer computing resources as a utility.
Users can involve as many resources as they require without building and maintaining the infrastructure of their computers. They are widespread over several servers with little chance of malfunctioning. With cloud base hosting, your website can grow while your business only pays for the resources it needs.
5. Managed Hosting
Here, the provider takes care of the the day-to-day operation as well as management of the standardized applications. Several of the hosting packages available are actually managed, but it all comes down to what you need. Each plan caters for different groups and needs.
6. Colocation
This hosting service allows you to rent a physical space where you are provided with electricity, internet connection with a bandwidth of great strength, an IP address, and cooling systems. With these resources, you are left to manage your own devices. If you own your own computer server, you may choose to “co-locate” instead of keeping it in your home or office.
Which one do you want? What is good for you? This is a question only you can answer. Even though there are many to choose from, it boils down to what best suits you need.
Factors to Consider when Choosing a Web Host
- The resources required
- Expected traffic
- The kind of website available
- Your budget
Criteria to Choosing the Best Web Hosting Service for Your Website
Measure up each web host against these criteria to get the best choice.
1. Understand Your Website’s Needs
Make a list of what you need on a website. From there, compare them to what the potential host is offering. If you have a specific need, make sure you consider it. For photography, you might need and look up hosts that offer speed and storage and a content delivery network for content-heavy sites. For E-commerce sites, you might want to consider bandwidth and security.
2. Consider the Host’s Subscription Period Contract
Consider the contract lengths including monthly and yearly plans, and think how long you would want to commit upfront. It is advisable to pay for a few months first to experience it, and you can commit long term if you like it. This strategy can save you quite a lot of money.
3. Check for Server Reliability
Look for uptime guarantees and how reliable the service can be. You want to ensure that your website will be online and available when users need you without issues.
4. Ask About Host’s Refund Policy and Guarantees
This is for “what if” purposes. You want to know whether they are fluid and flexible to refund your money if you change your mind.
5. Know Your Upgrade Options
It is important to know if some charges or penalties will accrue to you later when you try to upgrade. Your business or blog might go viral, and there might be a need to upgrade quickly. You need to know if you can upgrade on short notice and how smooth the process will be.
In addition to that, verify your hosts’ features, determine whether hosts support e-commerce, find out what kind of control you will have access to, and understand your account’s limitations. Those are the most basic criteria you might need to find the right web host.
Find Web Hosting in Austin TX
If you’re in need of reliable, fast commercial hosting with excellent customer support, the web team at tekRESCUE is ready to help. Our Austin hosting Services can take your business’ site to the next level with managed updates and priority support. Contact us to learn how we can help!