What is website hosting and how it works [Guide]

If you own a business, you know that your website is the window to your customers. It’s how they find out about all of the products and services you have to offer.

However, the one key component that will make your site visible to the world is website hosting. Hosting is what ensures your site is available 24/7.

On a high level, website hosting is the process of storing your blog’s files on a server or data center that is connected to the internet so that people can access them from any location with an Internet connection.

In this guide, we will talk about website hosting and how it works. There are many web hosting companies out there today, but some offer more features than others do. In order to find which one is best for you, it’s important to research each company thoroughly before deciding. This post provides information on what makes a good web host versus a bad web host, as well as helpful tips for selecting one yourself.

What is website hosting?

Website hosting is a service that allows you to post your website online for people to see. It is an important part of any business, especially if you want customers to have access to the information they need about your company, 24/7. Hosting services provide space on a server so that you can upload and store files containing webpages, images, audio clips, video clips etc., in order for them to be viewed by visitors.

Why businesses need website hosting?

Website hosting is an important part of any business if you want customers to have access to the information they need about your company, 24/7. While there are other ways for customers to find out about your company, having an online platform, where they can visit and learn more, will help you get the word out faster than any other means of advertising. This is why it’s important not only have one but to use it properly.

What are the types of Web hosting?

Shared hosting is a simple and cost-effective option for small businesses. With this type of hosting, you will share a server with other clients.

VPS hosting is short for a Virtual Private Server. VPS hosting is one of the most popular web host services you can choose for your website. Using virtualization technology, it provides dedicated (private) resources to each user on a server with more than one person.

Dedicated hosting is the best hosting option for large, high-traffic sites that have demanding needs. Dedicated Web hosting can be more expensive than shared hosting but offers many benefits that make it worth every penny.

Managed hosting is a form of web hosting that includes a certain level of technical assistance. The hosting service provider will monitor the status of your website and take care of any necessary support services or repairs for you, usually at an additional cost.

WordPress hosting is when a website is powered by WordPress. It’s the most popular CMS (content management system) in use today, and it powers millions of websites, blogs, or other web apps that are hosted on a server somewhere online.

Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that uses multiple servers to balance the load and maximize uptime, which is preferable for business owners. A cluster that taps into centralized resources ensures redundancy, so if one server fails another kick in to keep everything running smoothly.

What are the types of Web servers?

Below are the most commonly used ones.

Apache HTTP Server Web Server

The Apache Web Server is the most commonly used server software on the Internet. It’s also completely free and is open source. Apache is a type of web server that supports more than 30 different programming languages. Some of the most popular are PHP and Perl. It is also used to host the most popular CMS – WordPress.

Internet Information Services (IIS) Web Server

IIS is a Web server that can be used on a Windows operating systems. IIS is primarily used to host ASP.NET and SQL web applications, and static websites. IIS can also be an FTP server for public-facing sites, a host for WCF services, and more; it has been even expanded to offer PHP-based web apps.

Sun Java System Web Server

Sun Java System Web Server has a modular architecture and integrates seamlessly with any of the commerce products in the Sun Java System server family. You can also take advantage of APIs, programming technologies, and other functionalities, such as supporting multiple languages.

Do I need a domain to host a website?

Yes, you do need a domain name in order to host a website. Without it, your customers won’t be able to find you online. Example of domains are google.com and ehopper.com. In addition, you may register other extensions such as .net, .org, .info, and more. To check for domain availability, you may visit http://www.ehopperhosting.com.

What are the best web hosting services?

Google Hosting

Google hosting is one of the more popular web hosting services. They are one of the most trusted brands in internet services and offer some of the best features, such as unlimited storage space and providing no advertisements on your site.

Amazon Lightsail

Amazon Lightsail is another excellent hosting service. LightSail is a reliable and affordable way to host your website. The site comes with its own built-in security features that help protect it from hackers, and their customer support team is available 24 hours a day as well.

Hostgator

Hostgator is also one of the best web hosting services, on the market today, for small businesses that want an easy solution for getting started online. Their plans include everything you need to get started, like domain registration, email addresses, and more, all at an affordable price.

Bluehost

Bluehost is one of only three hosting providers recommended by WordPress. Every plan comes with 24/7 customer support, auto-installation for WordPress, automatic updates to WordPress, and a free CDN.

DreamHost

DreamHost is a trusted leader in Managed WordPress hosting, and lets users build their own presence on the web.

TMDHosting

TMDHosting offers excellent customer service and a variety of hosting types, and is worth checking out for your shared, VPS, dedicated, cloud, or reseller needs. It has exceptional customer service and plenty of features with its plans. It’s now one of the best options for when looking for a web host, whether it’s for your new website or making room for more sites on an existing plan.

Liquid Web Hosting

Liquid Web Hosting is a leading provider of managed hosting solutions for websites and applications. Spec-Host specializes in providing both, managed VPS hosting and cloud hosting. With a reputation for being responsive, skilled, and reliable, they’re a company you can trust with your business’s website.

Hostwinds Web Hosting

Hostwinds Web Hosting is a leading provider of web hosting services for businesses, non-profit organizations and individuals. They offer a variety of hosting plans to suit different needs – shared hosting, VPS Hosting, Cloud Hosting, etc.

InMotion Hosting

InMotion Hosting, a well-known brand in the industry with award winning technical support and outstanding uptime – 99.9% – has been one of our users’ favorite companies for hosting and WordPress hosting. In addition to their reliable performance for business class hosting, they offer an exclusive 57% off + free domain registration and SSL when buying one of their premium packages. They also have excellent scalability since they are based in the U.S., ensuring that your blog will be up most of the time.

Ehopper Hosting

Ehopper Hosting provides cost effective shared plans, as well as dedicated servers in order to meet any website need or desire. It also supports WordPress and Woocommerce, allowing for a seamless integration with eHopper POS.

Conclusion

Web hosts can be complicated, especially if you are a beginner in website management. We hope that this guide provided some useful information to help you get started. When selecting a hosting site, you should consider your budget, server and hosting type, and customer service availability. To register your domain and set up your website hosting, please visit https://ehopper.com/guides/woocommerce-pos-ehopper-wordpress/

Looking for a new POS system for your business? Feel free to download free point of sale software from eHopper!

What is Website Hosting and How it Works [Guide]