If you have a website and want to get it online, you surely will need web hosting. Because, the job does not end with having a well-designed website. All you need is reliable web hosting. Your domain and web pages exist, but visitors will not be able to find you online. 

Web hosting is a broad concept. So, to help you understand better, we have curated a blog for you. This blog explains everything about the term “Web Hosting”. Keep reading below. 

What is Web Hosting? 

Web hosting is basically a service in which the web hosting provider offers a space on the web server to store website files, folders and databases. Every website you visit on the internet is hosted on a server. 

There are several types of web hosting services like Shared Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Server Hosting, Reseller Hosting, Cloud Hosting, and WordPress Hosting.

When you opt for a web hosting service, your website is actually accessible to users online. Anyone on the internet can search your domain name, and the server will fetch the necessary results. 

As most businesses do not have their own servers, they rent out server space from the web hosting company. A server is basically a physical computer that functions 24×7 so that your website is accessible to users without any hassles. These servers comprise the necessary hardware and software that your website needs to function. 

How Does Web Hosting Work?

The working of web hosting is simple. Your website is hosted on a server which is a physical computer that functions continuously to make your website accessible to visitors on the web. Once a user enters the domain name on the web browser, the web hosting provider’s server will fetch all the necessary files to load your website. 

The web hosting provider offers all the technologies to make your website run optimally. In addition, they also look after the complex server management tasks and offer premium technical support. 

The Difference Between Domain and Hosting:

Apart from signing up for the web hosting plan, you also need a domain name for your website. Web hosting is basically a service that offers you server space, so that you can store all the website files and data. And domain name is the unique address of your website. 

Whenever any user wants to browse your website, they will type the domain into the web browser and your server will act accordingly and display the website. There are numerous web hosting companies that offer a free domain name with their web hosting plan. A domain name builds the credibility of your website and puts you in the online marketplace.  

Types of Web Hosting Services 

There are several types of web hosting services. You can choose according to your requirements and budget. For now, you might be wondering how these hosting plans differ from one another. It is because each of the web hosting types has its own set of specifications and uniqueness. 

Let us know the different types of web hosting services below: 

Shared Hosting 

In shared hosting, multiple websites are stored on the same server. Even the server resources are shared among the other users on the server. It is one of the most affordable hosting options. If you are looking to host a new or low-traffic website, shared hosting is the perfect choice. 

With shared hosting plans, you get a control panel that makes it easy for you to manage all the aspects of your web hosting account. The technical aspects of your server are managed by the web hosting provider you choose. 

VPS Hosting 

VPS stands for Virtual Private Server hosting. It makes use of virtualization technologies to host websites. In VPS hosting, one physical server is split into multiple virtual private servers with each having its own set of dedicated resources like CPU, RAM, bandwidth and disk space. 

VPS hosting is best in terms of speed, security and performance. It’s an ideal option for hosting high-traffic websites/applications. 

Reseller Hosting 

Reseller hosting is a type of web hosting service where you, the reseller, rent out the server resources and space from the web hosting provider and resell it to other clients, in turn earning good profits. 

Web hosting providers that offer 100% white-labeled cheap reseller hosting services that let you sell the products under your own brand name. 

Dedicated Hosting

It is a type of hosting service where you get an entire server that is exclusive to your website/application. In dedicated hosting, you don’t share the server resources with other tenants on the server. It’s one of the most powerful hosting options and is ideal for resource-heavy websites/applications. 

Cloud Hosting 

Cloud hosting is totally different from traditional hosting. Here, instead of deploying a website/app on a single server, it is deployed on a cluster of virtual and physical servers connected. Cloud hosting is highly scalable, secure and resilience. 

WordPress Hosting 

If you have a WordPress site, then you will need WordPress hosting. WordPress hosting is a type of hosting service that is specifically optimized for WordPress sites. It is 

What to Look For in a Web Hosting Provider? 

Now as you have understood the different types of web hosting services, it’s time to select the web hosting provider. Here are some pointers you should look for before choosing the ideal web host. 

Uptime Guarantee: Your website and business are tip-top only if it is accessible to users 24×7. So, the first factor to look out for before choosing a web host is uptime. Check if the web hosting providers offer an uptime guarantee of 99.95% or above. Uptime guarantee means the availability of your website on the web. 

Even if your website is down for a few minutes, your business is already losing potential sales. This is why you need a high uptime guarantee to keep websites up and functional on the search engine at all times. 

Security: Website security is an important concern that is non-negotiable. Check if the hosting provider you choose offers an SSL certificate to keep the websites secured from threats and breaches. 

Customer Support: Good customer support depicts the success of any business. So make sure the web hosting provider you select offers customer support 24×7 via different channels like emails, live chat, or tickets. 

Make sure their team is well-trained to resolve any of your issues related to website hosting. 

Cost: 

How can you forget the cost? The hosting provider should not be out of your budget. Check for the pricing, if they are not too high and are within your budget. 

Some Common Terms in Web Hosting 

Website migrations– It is the process of migrating your website from the old hosting provider to a new web host. 

SSL Certificates- These certificates are for the security of your website. They encrypt the sensitive information passed by visitors when it flows through the internet. Also, your website is secure with HTTPS when you have an SSL certificate installed.

Website Builder– This tool lets you build a website without typing a single line of code. You just need to drag and drop the content and images, your website is all set to publish.

Web Hosting Control Panel– It is a website management tool with a web-based interface that lets you manage and monitor all the website hosting activities in a single location. 

How to Choose the Best Web Hosting Provider? 

After reading the above blog, you must have cleared all the web hosting concepts. So now you must be wondering which web hosting provider should I opt. 

If you want to settle on a reliable web hosting provider, do a proper research, check if the hosting provider offers all the above features mentioned above. 

Conclusion 

The first step to building a solid online presence is by making your website accessible on the web. And for this, you need to opt for web hosting. Choosing web hosting providers like that can help to have a smooth hosting journey and can take your business to the new heights of success.