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What Is Web Hosting?

If you have gone on the Internet recently, you’ve probably found yourself scrolling through different websites and reading the information that is available on them. These websites are available for you to see because of web hosting services. A web hosting provider plays a crucial role on the Internet through their services. So what is web hosting and why is it so important? It’s time to take a look at web hosting, what it is, and how it helps people and businesses.

At StatCounter, we focus on providing our valued members with the best analytics for their website. Our tools are designed to give them a detailed view of their traffic and gain an understanding of their progress. Our member’s success is important to us, that’s why we also provide information on products and services that pertain to their website and business. With that said, web hosting is an important aspect to your website so it’s good to have an understanding of the subject. This article is focused on web hosting and its benefits.

Suggested Reading

We may not be a web hosting provider, but we do value your website’s success. We have a wide array of articles on the subject. You can take a look at the articles below to learn more about web hosting:

Web Hosting Services

Web hosting is a service that is provided by businesses to make websites accessible through the internet. It is one thing to compile the data that makes up a site, it is another to get the data on a server and make it accessible to the public. Essentially, a web hosting provider does just that. They host your website on a server that can be accessed using a domain name, or URL, because the site is publicly available through the Internet.

These services make it incredibly easy for individuals or businesses to have a website on the internet. They offload the work and money spent on building servers that make websites possible. The servers allow users to implement tools such as content management software, ecommerce platforms, and other services that help provide your website with the functionality you want.

What Is Included In Web Hosting Services

Outside of the web hosting itself, a web hosting provider includes a number of different benefits in a plan. Many web hosting providers can register a domain name or provide you with domain name registration so your website is connected to a specific address. Some offer servers, email, ecommerce, web building tools, and even security solutions. These services can pertain to your website, or provide IT solutions for your business.

Just because a web hosting company focuses on web hosting, you don’t necessarily need to buy web hosting from the beginning. For example, you can buy a domain name for future use. You can even just look into their email services to do email marketing. A server is also a completely viable service to look into. Many businesses rent servers for their IT infrastructure or other technical solutions. Regardless of the service, there are different types of web hosting available to you.

Types of Web Hosting

There are 3 main types of web hosting that will provide different levels of control and power for your business. Depending on the type of web hosting, your business will have certain access to resources and control over the server. You have the choice of hosting your website on a shared server, virtual private server (or VPS), or a dedicated server. Here is a bit of information on these services and how they differ.

Pro Tips

Each server runs on an operating system, typically either Windows or Linux. Linux is often a cheaper hosting solution because it is an open-source operating system and you don’t have to pay licensing fees. Both Linux and Windows servers will offer different benefits so be sure to research into Linux and Windows based servers to determine which is the best solution for your website.

Shared Server

A shared server can host up to 1000 different users. All these users pull from the same pool of resources. This is a great solution for business just starting their website and haven’t built up a lot of traffic yet. You can start a website and experiment without spending too much on the service. Overtime, your website will grow and get more visitors. If you are seeing a drop in your website’s performance or crashing, you may have outgrown a shared server. You’ll want to think about a bigger solution that can handle an increase in traffic.

Virtual Private Server

More commonly known as VPS, this service gives your business a hybrid solution. Your website is still on a shared server, but that server is partitioned to give your business dedicated resources and added control over the server itself. This means that businesses don’t have to worry about a website crashing because they are not getting enough resources. Also, it is easy to implement more applications and software that your business needs to run through its website. But to get the best control over your environment, a dedicated server is a great solution.

Dedicated Server

A dedicated server is a server that is used solely by your business. Once your website has grown and you have even added other websites for certain products or brands, a single server is a great idea. You can alter the server in any way to fit your needs. There are also no other users on the server and only your business can access it. This adds to your security and makes sure that your data is protected from outside influence.

The Role of IP Addresses and Domain Names

An important note, a domain name is absolutely necessary to see your website. Visitors click on a URL or type in your domain name to see your website. IP Addresses can differ a bit from domain addresses. On a shared server, you are typically sharing an IP address with other users. Blocks usually occur on an IP level so if a website on your server gets blocked, yours could be blocked by association. VPS and dedicated servers give your business a unique IP address.

Track Your Traffic Using StatCounter Tools

As we mentioned before, we may not serve as a web host, but we do provide your website with valuable tools. With our web tracking tools, you’ll be able to see how your site is performing. See where traffic is coming from, how visitors are interacting on your site, and which pages are performing the best. With this insight, you can make effective decisions with your web design and replicate the success of your top pages. Your website is valuable to your business, so it is important to track its results and improve them every step of the way.

If you’d like to ask us about our StatCounter tools, you can contact StatCounter member support by completing the form below.

As our trusted domain and web hosting provider, 1&1 offers a variety of hosting solutions at an affordable price. Better yet, 1&1 has won a plethora of awards including “Excellence in Server Solutions – USA” and “Web Hosting Provider of the Year 2017” from Corp America. Learn more about our services from the links below:

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