What is Web Hosting and Why Do I Need It?

No matter what industry you work in, you likely have your own language to describe what you do, from buzzwords, industry terms, acronyms, and more.

Once you are familiar with your industry’s speak, it’s easy to assume everyone else knows it too. But how often is that the case?

The world of website creation is one of those industries filled with industry terms that can quickly get confusing if you aren’t familiar with them.

Here at Eldie Inc., we try to distill the jargon so you know what you’re getting into when creating a website for your business.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at what web hosting is and why it’s important for your website.

What is Web Hosting (And Why Do I Need It?!)

Simply put, web hosting is renting out space on the web so that people can view your site.

Web hosts store your data, files, and media on their servers. Then, when someone visits your site, the host sends the files to your visitors for them to view.

Your site cannot exist without a web host to your servers, so it’s extremely important that you discuss hosting services with your web designer/developer.

There are several technical terms related to web hosting that you should also be familiar with.

Let’s discuss the differences:

What’s the Difference Between Web Hosting and a Domain Name?

You may have heard another term tossed around about your website: the domain name.

While hosting is renting space to store your site’s files, the domain name is the address of your website, such as eldie.com. It’s how people find your website.

If you need help registering a domain, check out our blog post “How to Buy a Domain Name.”

What’s the Difference Between Web Hosting and Web Development?

Web development is how your website is built. From design, functionality to functionality, development is the actual construction of your website.

Once your website has been developed, your domain name has been purchased and registered, then you can focus on getting your site live and hosted.

What to Look For in a Web Host

Now that we’ve established what a web host is and its importance, let’s dive into what you should be looking for in one.

When discussing a web hosting plan with a provider, be sure they mention these aspects in their offerings:

Security

A good web host offers the highest level of security to keep your site safe. Complex passwords, SSL certificates, and regular updates of systems should be top priorities to prevent cyber attacks on your site.

Technical Assistance

Your web host provider should be available to offer technical support to your site as needed. They should pay attention to when updates are needed and do any maintenance necessary to keep your site running smoothly.

Be sure to discuss their average response time to technical requests that you may need made to your site.

Good web hosts also provide daily, automatic backups so that your site can be recovered quickly if something goes wrong.

Speed

Most people have a short attention span, so your site must load fast in order to keep them engaged. Otherwise, they’ll hit the back button and click over to your competitor’s site.

Your website hosting platform must offer fast load speeds, especially during a traffic spike. Check with your web host to see what services they offer in web hosting to keep your site running fast.

Value

Weigh the cost of hosting services with the value they provide. Some providers may offer cheaper prices, but compromise on quality. Others may charge you a crazy rate but offer things your site may not need.

Also be sure to discuss whether your provider will lock you into a contract or let you pay month-to-month. Contracts are not bad, but be sure you understand up front what you’re paying for and how long.

Host Your Website through Eldie Inc.

When you need a web host for your site, trust the services offered by the team at Eldie Inc. We provide you with the highest quality and best protected hosting services.

Schedule a free discovery call today to discuss all your web hosting needs with our team.