No matter if you plan on building your website on a platform such as WordPress or Joomla, or many of the other platforms available out there - one thing remains in common, a web hosting service will be needed. Doing your research into what’s needed for building a website is a really smart approach, and if you’re here - you’re already on the right track!
We’ll be covering different types of web hosting and deciding which one is most beneficial for your business.
Website Builder Platform Hosting
This is what you’ll commonly see in Website Builder platforms such as Wix, SquareSpace, Hubspot, Shopify, etc. Since you don’t own the website, but are rather renting the space, this is something you won’t be able to change - your website can not be transferred from the Website Builder servers. Is this a good thing?
Some web development and programming expertise is needed if you are on a non-hosted platform, such as Joomla or WordPress. There are benefits to each, but you really need to look more into the future when making your decision. You won’t have a lot of freedom to make decisions or change things such as hosting - so, to future-proof your business, do you want to be tied down to one spot?
Here are some of the benefits and cons by sticking to a Website Builder Platform:
Pro’s:
- No additional costs
- More uptime; less downtime
- Instantly scales to your needs; adaptability
Con’s:
- Initial costs are cheaper, but long-term is more expensive
- Generally, a lower level of security; breaches and data leakage
- Limited control and flexibility
Of course, there will be pro’s and con’s no matter the platform or hosting provider you look at, but it’s in your interest to decide the one best for you.
Shared Hosting
This is one you’ve likely heard bouncing around quite a bit. Shared hosting can be both very good, and very bad - depending on where it’s being hosted from. This type of hosting is where you will pay a hosting provider monthly to provide you resources to keep your website hosting on their server. The server (as well as the resources) are shared with multiple other users as well.
If you have a small business, this may be the hosting type meant for you. It’s the cheapest option, and a lot of hosting businesses do have plans which offer more services, sort of like an all-in-one package. Mix that with the low cost, and you may find yourself desiring this for your business. Especially when it doesn’t require any technical knowledge.
On the other hand, the downside is that it’s like a see-saw. If someone else on the shared hosting server suddenly booms in popularity, you may find yourself getting fewer resources such as bandwidth, which will overall reduce the speed of your website. It does work the other way around - but at a cost. With increased bandwidth, comes a higher cost.
Despite all this, if you’re new to the online business life - this may be the hosting idea for you, and e-dimensionz's offers affordable shared hosting plans.
VPS Hosting
Now, we’re getting into the more complex hosting types. VPS is Virtual Private Server, this would be the next step up from Shared Hosting, once your business is at that point. Here, you are given more freedom and flexibility. In fact, some VPS hosts actually increase your bandwidth to handle a traffic spike. Unlike Shared Hosting, however, this typically requires maintenance and configuration; you’re given dedicated server space and access to the server.
The key in VPS hosting is “private”, and this is because you’re given access to private hosting resources - meaning, no sharing. The dedicated servers are more responsive, as a result.This is a significant increase in price from Shared Hosting, however, and due to the technical knowledge needed (if you don’t have someone managing for you), it can be complex as well. For those who do, this is one of the best types of hosting types you can have.
In Closing
While there are more hosting types, these are 3 of the most popular and viable ones for your business. For example, Colocation Hosting has guaranteed uptime and requires mass amounts of upkeep, but the cost is much higher. This is something you would see larger businesses investing into.
For new and amateur businesses, definitely look into the above types and do your research. Avoiding Website Builder platforms and their restrictive hosting can benefit you in the future. Don’t limit yourself to what would help your business grow - always treat your business as if it will succeed!
If you would like to discuss any hosting plans, e-dimensionz Inc offers affordable VPS and Shared Hosting Plans.
