If you're new to website ownership, determining how to host a website may rapidly become quite a daunting task. Fortunately, once you understand your choices, deciding what your site requires in terms of hosting is relatively simple. Understanding the fundamentals should enable you to make wise judgments and select the appropriate hosting type for you and your audience. By the end of this article, you will have all the information you need to start hosting!
Introduction to Web hosting
In a nutshell, web hosting is a service that allows you to publish your website live on the Internet. A web host,which is also known as a hosting provider, is a corporation that supplies the resources you'll need to do so.
There are two ways you can host your website.
- Externally: The website is stored on the hosting provider's server.
- Locally: The website is stored on your computer.
You may wonder, if there's an option to host Locally, why would one pay a company to do the same job?
Well, the answer is simple. The average personal computer isn't powerful enough to host websites. Lots of your resources will burn up, and despite that, your users will experience prolonged load times, which is often a frustrating experience.
So why is there an option for Locally hosting at all? The general purpose of hosting sites locally is to test/develop websites and to monitor changes. An externally hosted version of the site is then made available to users, backed up by a considerably more powerful server provided by the hosting company.
Let's explore how to host a website with the help of a provider.
Hosting a website externally
When it comes to web hosting, everything primarily comes down to one big decision: which provider to go with. We've mentioned five key factors to consider before making this decision below.
Register a domain name
To get your hosting service up and running, you must first register a domain name. The great majority of hosting companies will assist you in obtaining a domain name. When you buy a domain name and a hosting package together, you're generally getting a better deal than if you purchase them individually. For novices, this option should be considered to prevent the need for extra settings.
Choose the most appropriate form of hosting
Mainly there are five types of hosting you can consider:
- Shared Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
- Cloud Hosting
- WordPress Hosting
Each of these comes with its pros and cons, and it all comes down to the needs of your website. This article will give you in-depth information about the forms of hostings and what would be the best-suited option for your site.
Choosing the hosting company
A hosting platform is a firm that manages your hosting. The provider hosts your site's data and handles its traffic demands in exchange for a monthly charge. They are inexpensive, consistent, and most importantly, take care of the technical aspects. Evaluate your alternatives to find which ones meet your technical criteria – and your budget. Choosing the form of hosting before the provider will help you narrow down the list of companies as you can then compare the pricing of that particular form of hosting rather than rummaging through the long list of providers without knowing what to really compare.
You should also look for the additional features hosting providers have to offer in addition to hosting your website. Some might be really essential for your website, while others might not make a difference at all. Here are some standard features you can look out for:
- SSL Certificates
- Automated Backups
- Firewalls
- Content Delivery Network
Lastly, you should also consider the company's customer support options. Customer service is an essential component of every hosting service. Because your connection with your hosting provider is likely to be long-term, it must be able to give any assistance you may want with your account.
Setting a budget
Hosting is a recurring cost. Most providers charge monthly rates; however, others offer yearly contracts. In any case, it's critical to think about what you'll be able to pay daily. There are several low-cost hosting choices available. However, the less expensive solutions might occasionally come with more issues. Web hosting is frequently a case of 'you get what you pay for.'
That's the end of it. Isn't it simple? If you follow these instructions, you will be signed up for a web hosting service that is ready and waiting for your website.
Let's now have a look at how to host a website locally.
34+ registered 
