What is website hosting and why does it matter to my business?

Every single website on the internet, from an international organisation's commercial domain through to a private blog, needs to be hosted there. It's impossible to activate a site without web hosting, be that through a private web server or a web hosting service. That's why it's vital every business knows what web hosting is and why it matters to them.

What is web hosting?

Sending a website live requires business operators to register a domain name, build the website and host the site online. Each element is essential to allowing internet users to see and interact with your domain - but web hosting is particularly important because enterprises often overlook this requirement.

Imagine your website as a house. Your domain name is the address, the website itself is the bricks and mortar, making web hosting the land the house sits on. You can't have a house without purchasing land to build it on - the same goes for web hosting. This data can be stored on a private web server, or you can utilise a web hosting service. A dedicated hosting provider stores your website's files and images on a dedicated part of its own server, managing the ongoing maintenance and servicing of this web space.

Why are the benefits of website hosting?

The positives to web hosting your site with an expert provider include:

• Increased control of your website. If you host your website somewhere designed primarily for building websites, then you're taking a risk by agreeing to the platform's terms and conditions. For example, if you have an e-Commerce site, free providers may be able to claim a portion of your hard earned profits.
• Improved customisation and branding. Free web hosting also means you will have to co-brand your business domain with the host platform. This can lessen your credibility with customers and impact overall design and professionalism. Additionally, failing to invest in expert web hosting can stunt the website growth should you want to add new landing pages or other web plugins.
• Greater safety from expert security. Web hosting through a free platform offers you limited control of your website security. Adding security extensions to your site is a more effective means of securing data, while expert hosting providers often provide around-the-clock support services in case of cybersecurity issues.

What different web hosting solutions are available?

There are numerous web hosting options for commercial and private domains, depending on your storage, technical and support service needs. Discussing your options with a web hosting provider helps to determine what will fit your needs, but understanding your website's use and anticipating future growth also helps. Here are some of the usual web hosting options available for business websites:

Shared hosting. Typically the cheapest option for getting your website live, this is often used by entry-level businesses. This process sees you rent a section of a communal web server from a hosting provider, sharing resources with dozens or hundreds of other sites.

Cloud hosting. This form of web hosting offers a network of servers for your site data. It's very flexible, as information can be moved between multiple servers, and is excellent for large businesses with a global audience or a high volume of user traffic.

VPS hosting. With virtual private servers (VPS), a hardware private web server is divided into individual online servers with all the characteristics of separate pieces of hardware. Server resources are still generally shared between a number of business websites, but this figure is often far lower than with shared hosting. This option is an appropriate middle ground for organisations that want more control over server resources but don't want to invest in renting out an entire hard server.

Dedicated hosting. Dedicated servers offer you ultimate control and customisation of your website storage and security. You rent an entire server to host your online data. This web hosting is often more expensive than alternatives, but is the best option for resource-intensive sites that experience high levels of user traffic.

How do I choose a web hosting provider?

When looking for a dedicated web hosting service, the most important factors to consider are customer support and the physical location of the server hardware. Kiwi businesses face a sterner challenge than many others worldwide - geographical isolation makes 24/7 customer support a problem. Additionally, there are a limited number of web hosting providers that offer the services required to meet the needs of any business.

Discount Domains are a proudly New Zealand owned company focused on partnering with organisations around the country to host and manage a range of commercial websites. For more information on our web hosting service, contact the team to create an account with us today!