I talk so much about Affiliate Marketing and how to set up an online business that I bet you’ve heard of website hosting. But just exactly what is website hosting services?
Today let’s talk about the different types of website hosting services and how to choose which one is best for your website as a beginner.
What Is Website Hosting Services
Website hosting is a service where you can host your own website on a server. There are many different types of web hosts out there, but they all offer similar features. The most common ones include: shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated servers, cloud hosting and managed WordPress hosting. Later we’ll look at each one in more detail, but first, let’s better understand what a server is.
What Is A Server?
It is like a computer that stores data and programs kind of like having a hard drive or a DVD player. You put files on it and then access them from any other device connected to the internet.
A server has its own IP address (a unique number), which means you can connect to it using your own personal IP address instead of going through your ISP’s router. I know it all sounds foreign but will be more clear with more information.
In addition, a server also has a certain amount of space available called disk space. Your website needs this space to store images, videos, documents, etc. If you don’t have enough space, your site won’t load properly.
Gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB) measure server space. In general, the larger the size of your website, the more space you need. So you see, choosing the right hosting is important for your business.
Is WordPress A Server?
No, WordPress is not a server program. However, it does run on a server and will offer a one-click WordPress installation when you sign up with a web host.
What Is WordPress?
WordPress is a free, open-source content management system (CMS). You can create websites without needing to know HTML code. Instead, you use simple drag-and-drop tools to add text, pictures, links, and even forms.
WordPress is the most popular open source platform because it is easy to use. And it’s free! That makes it perfect for beginners who want to start blogging.
How Do Website Host Services Work?
Web hosting packages require a monthly fee to have your website hosted by their company. All the technical stuff happens behind the scenes.
When someone visits your website, they go to the web host’s server. The web host sends the request to your website. Then the website sends back information to the visitor.
The website host services keep track of all these requests and responses, and when traffic comes to your website, the web host knows who they are.
Now that we understand what is website hosting services, what a server is, and lastly, what WordPress is, we will take a deeper dive into the types of Website hosting services.
Type Of Hosting Services
- Shared Hosting Plan
- Managed hosting
- VPS Hosting or Virtual Server
- Dedicated Hosting Servers
- Cloud Hosting Plans
Shared Web Hosting
Shared web hosting is the cheapest option and is a single server you share with multiple clients. Each client gets his/her own subdomain name.
There are two main benefits to shared hosting. First, it is cheaper than buying your own server. Second, you only pay for what you use.
If you have a small website, shared hosting may be OK. But if you have a large site, you might want to consider a VPS or Dedicated Server.
Managed Hosting
Managed hosting is where you work your website, but the website server controls the the backend or the CPanel. It is usually a drag-and-drop website builder.
Managed hosting allows the server to offer better hosting at an affordable price without the concern of the website owner changing any backend configurations on the server.
Some companies offer managed hosting as part of their standard service offerings. Others provide managed hosting as an additional cost.
With managed hosting, you get complete control over your website, which means you can change anything about your website, including the database structure.
It is most suitable for personal sites and blogging sites.
VPS Hosting
With virtual private servers, you get your own server. You can choose which operating system you want to use. Most people use Linux as it is easier to manage.
You can customize your server however you’d like. In addition, you can set up different email addresses, databases, and FTP accounts.
Upgrading you server is an option you have whenever you like.
Dedicated Hosting Plans
With dedicated servers, you get your very own physical server and can control everything about it. All operating systems are open to you.
Your server doesn’t share resources with other users, so you can set up multiple domains on one server.
Businesses usually use dedicated servers. They offer better performance than shared hosting and house much more prominent websites.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is similar to VPS hosting. You get access to a remote server via an online interface.
However, cloud hosting is more flexible than VPS hosting. You don’t need to install software on your computer to connect to your server.
Just log in to the cloud hosting provider’s website and start working. Cloud hosting providers include Amazon AWS, Google Compute Engine, Microsoft Azure, DigitalOcean, etc.
Cloud hosting is well known for its flexibility. If you’re looking to build a new website, you can launch it immediately. And upgrade or downgrade when you like.
The downside is that you lose some control over your data because you can’t change the settings on your server.
Which Type Of Website Hosting Service Is Best For A Beginner?
As mentioned earlier, there are basically five types of website hosting services. There are a few others that don’t really pertain to the beginner; therefore, we will not discuss them.
Out of these five types of website services, how do you choose one right for you?
Most beginners don’t have the finances to go all out on VPS hosting or Cloud hosting. A managed service may be the cheapest plan and a good choice if the price is a part of the platform, and you are allowed to stay with them as long as you like.
But if you are not on a managed platform, then Shared hosting is a good choice for beginners. The price is lower, yet you can upgrade when your website grows.
Conclusion
Website hosting services are like water to rain. They go hand in hand with creating a niche website in affiliate marketing. Because there are so many different types and you are a beginner, start low and move up as your website gains traffic and content.
You have a strong option as a beginner that will serve you well in the initial period of your business.
Everything is a process and demands a growth period; with this in mind, stay with the course, and you, too, will grow.
