Website Hosting

A website needs to be hosted on a computer that is permanently connected to the Internet.  The easiest way to do this is to pay a website hosting company to host your website.

There are a number of types of website hosting.  They are shared, virtual private server, dedicated, cloud and managed.  When starting out, you should look at either shared or managed.

Shared website hosting is when a number of websites are hosted on the same physical computer hardware.  The benefit is lower cost though you don’t have exclusive access to computing resources.  You can install any website files you want but you must manage it yourself.

Managed website hosting is similar to shared but typically the website hosting company manages a number of configurations on the computing hardware to make it easier for you.  Managed website hosting may be in the form of Managed WordPress where the website hosting company sets up WordPress for you and controls a number of settings.

Should you go with the cheapest website hosting plan? Typically, no. To offer the lower cost, some compromises occur. Website hosting plans that cost more usually come with more features and better support. You should think about why you have a website for your business. The cost of website hosting could be factored into your overall marketing plan.

If you are going to be running a WordPress website, I recommend you go with WP Engine. The cost is around $25 a month. WP Engine is a Managed WordPress website hosting company, so you don’t have to worry about how to setup or configure WordPress. They also provide backups, security and performance improvements.

If you want to reduce your monthly price but still get a good website hosting, I recommend SiteGround. The cost is around $12 a month. You will have to install WordPress yourself, but they offer a 1-click installation option. SiteGround also provides backups and performance improvements.

The biggest potential negative of shared or managed website hosting is website performance.  They are many things you can do to improve your website performance, but you can’t overcome limitations of sharing computer resources.  A virtual private server and a dedicated server hosting types remove these limitations for the higher cost.  Website performance typically becomes an issue when your website is more popular and must support more visitors at the same time.

Website hosting is the process of purchasing a hosted account for your website.  The best option for your website is shared or managed hosting.  You can always upgrade later if your website performance suffers.  Go with a website hosting company that costs more for more features and support.