You’ve taken the leap and decided to set up a website of
your own. Even with all the bells and whistles, a beautiful design, and killer
content, you’re still going to need to find the right hosting for your website
if you want it to perform.
 |
| Web Hosting |
Before deciding which type of hosting to go with, think
about the identity of your site and what you’re going for. Do you have a
well-established company and you’re building an online store that you expect to
have major traffic? Do you need a Web Hosting Option that’s scalable? Are
you building an online site to showcase your artwork or your business, but
don’t expect massive traffic?
The 2 main options for website hosting are Shared
Hosting and Dedicated Hosting. For sites that don’t have a massive
amount of traffic, a great option is Shared Hosting, so take a minute and
see what it’s all about.
What Is Shared
Hosting?
Most of us at some point—maybe in college or before you had
kids—lived in an apartment building. There were shared facilities and a
manager, but within the overall shared space, you had your own little corner
that was squared away just for you.
The same concept applies with Shared Hosting. A hosting
company has multiple websites—sometimes hundreds or even thousands—that pay to
use their servers, which are managed by the company. The hosting company splits
the bandwidth between all of the different websites, which split the overall
costs of the server, much like tenants in a complex each pay their share of the
overall building costs.
 |
| Shared Hosting |
And while you don’t have the server all to yourself, you
also don’t have to worry about managing it, which can really save you some
headaches, especially if you’re new to having your own website and don’t have
the time or know-how to deal with server issues.
Why Go with a Shared
Hosting Plan?
A Shared Hosting Plan is a great way
to get up and running, with less of the costs and responsibilities that often
come with running a website.
Saves Money: Because you’re sharing the server with multiple
websites, a shared hosting plan is usually significantly cheaper than a DedicatedHosting Plan. For instance, on BlueHost, you can get on a shared
plan for as little as $2.95 a month, while a dedicated plan on BlueHost costs
at least $79.99 per month. On iPage, shared hosting is $7.99
per month (or $1.99 per month under a special offer), but with Dedicated
Hosting, the cheapest option is $119 per month, and with VPS (virtual
private server), the cheapest is $19.99 per month. For a website just starting
out, that doesn’t perhaps need the same performance levels, that might just
make all the difference.
 |
| IPage Hosting |
Technically Managed: If we’re sticking with the apartment complex
analogy, imagine when you had a busted pipe or a shorted light at your
apartment complex. You called the landlord and it was up to them to settle that
mess. With Shared Hosting the same principle is at play: if there are any
problems with the servers, you can reach out and contact the hosting company
directly, meaning you’re always just one phone call or email away from
professional assistance.
Saves Time: A small business that’s just getting online
probably doesn't have an IT department to take care of such issues, nor the
time to devote to technical issues. Maintaining a website when you’re not sure
of the technical side of things can be a full-time job in itself. So, by opting
for a shared hosting solution from your provider you won’t just be saving
money, but saving time as well.
Cons of a Shared
Hosting Plan
As with any service or product, there are a couple of
possible pitfalls:
Scalability: If
your site becomes too big for the server, you may incur charges before it
becomes apparent that you need to upgrade to a VPS or a Dedicated Server.
If you see your online business or your web presence in general growing at a
rapid clip in the near future, you might want to go ahead and opt for a VPS
or Dedicated Server.
Speed: Shared Sites run fast and perform
well, but performance and speed for Dedicated Server Sites tend to be
higher and for obvious reason. As the only site on the server, a dedicated
server website won’t have to compete with any other websites hogging the
bandwidth. With Dedicated Hosting, you tend to have higher speed and better
performance than shared sites and your site will probably load faster as well.
 |
| VPS or Dedicated Server |
If you’re running an online store this can make a big
difference, and could potentially even lead to customers ditching their carts
before checkout. It’s up to you to determine what type of speed you need for
your site, and whether or not a shared site will be enough for you.
Control and customizability: In a shared hosting situation,
you’re living on somebody else’s property. Just like you’ll need to conform to
the co-op board guidelines or the landlord’s rules, on a Shared Hosting site, you
will only be able to run software programs or utilities that are supported by
the host. You won’t have the access needed to customize the server on your own,
and if you feel like you need more control over how your site operates, then
you might want to consider Dedicated Hosting.
Bottom Line
If you’re expecting your site to have high-volume traffic
and lots of media, you may find that a VPS or even a Dedicated Server will fit
your needs much better. You’ll run the show, with the ability to make your own
changes without worrying about the guidelines of the service provider or your
growing traffic needs. Also, assuming you have the know-how, you may prefer
that the responsibility for maintenance rest solely in your own hands.
 |
| Shared Hosting |
Overall, however, Shared Hosting Providers do present
a clear advantage for smaller sites. You have plenty of options within an
affordable price bracket and many customers will agree that shared hosting is a
great option. It’s ideal for small business or for individuals with sites for
blogs, portfolios or just for enjoyment. With shared hosting, you’ll be able to focus on the site’s content rather than server management.
No comments:
Post a Comment