There are a lot of website hosting services to choose from. This can be an overwhelming step in starting your business, since you have so many other things to worry about. If you’re feeling slightly confused or stressed, don’t worry, because we have crafted the definitive guide to website hosting services.
In fact, you’re definitely not alone when it comes to understanding the variety of website hosting services out there. There are literally hundreds of companies competing in that industry.
You combine that with technical website hosting jargon, like DNS, bandwidth, server storage, GB, and other techie terms, it can get confusing real quick. Unfortunately, getting a website hosting service provider is a necessary part of setting up and launching a successful business.
Let’s take a deeper look at the main website hosting services that could serve your business well over time.
Shared Website Hosting Services
If you choose shared website hosting services, your site will be shared on one server by multiple websites. This means you’ll be sharing server space, but the cost of the service will be far less.
For instance, shared website hosting services can be as low as $5 per month. This is due to the hundreds of websites all paying for that one server.
Probably the number one disadvantage of shared website hosting services is that you could be sharing a server with a very popular website. This will drain bandwidth and cause your site to slow down.
But if you are the busy site on that server, you are getting a great deal for server space using shared services. The best sites for shared hosting would be small sites, or maybe even one page landing pages.
Reseller Website Hosting Services
Reseller hosting services are just like shared hosting services, however, with other aspects that allow you to resell the hosting space.
For example, reseller services serve up technical control (WHM), white label technical support, billing for invoicing clients, website templates for free, private name servers, and more.
The price tag (News - Alert) on reseller website hosting services can be in upwards of $50 monthly, but as low as $15 per month. The price pretty much depends on the features and resources you need.
The downside to reseller services is that it is extra work. You may not have time to dedicate to selling server space while trying to start a successful business online. This is a service that many people should think about before doing.
Cloud Website Hosting Services
Cloud website hosting services are quite new, but they certainly have a utility. How does cloud based hosting work? When you get a pay for a cloud hosting service, your site will be on one of hundreds or thousands of servers that are all working together.
Essentially, it is like one colossal server. This is good, since it is very easy for you to scale your server needs, because the hosting provider can simply add hardware to expand the cloud.
The benefits for businesses, or sole entrepreneurs, are that the cloud services are scalable. You are never locked in to one specific server. This type of hosting service can also handle surges in site traffic that may otherwise crash a site on a shared server.
Virtual Private Servers (VPS) Hosting
Virtual private servers (VPS) hosting services are like multiple servers, but is actually one sole server. This is because the VPS is just one step away from shared website hosting services.
Each individual VPS does share hardware resources, but they all have their own realty on a server. This combats the issue of having a large popular site slow down your site because you share a server.
Virtual private servers (VPS) can range in price from $50 to $200. The price is definitely an affordable way to keep your site up and running, despite your server neighbors.
After a VPS, the next website hosting option is to get a dedicated website server for your business.
Dedicated Website Hosting Services
Dedicated website hosting services is when you purchase an entire server from a provider and use it only for your business. This gives you 100 percent control, “root” permissions. This keeps your site safe from drainage issues from other sites.
This is definitely one of the best types of website hosting services. It is also scalable, since you are the only one on the server. So if your business grows exponentially in a year, you don’t need to purchase anything.
However, dedicated servers can be pricey, starting at $100 per month. Normally, businesses will upgrade to a dedicated server once they reach a point of high growth.
This allows businesses to continue doing business online at a high level. It also lets IT professionals customize tech in the business space.
What Website Hosting Services Does Your Business Need?
The best way to approach website hosting is to have a real honest conversation about how much traffic you will actually get your first few years, as well as how big of a site you plan on having.
Something like purchasing a dedicated server from the start may not be the most cost-effective way to start your business. Knowing site needs can help you pick a hosting service that fits your current needs while facilitating room for a bit of growth as your business blossoms.
