Top10.com’s Essential Guide To Shared Web Hosting

What is shared hosting?

A hosting company has multiple websites–sometimes hundreds or even thousands that pay to access their servers, which are managed by the company. The hosting company distributes bandwidth among all websites. This splits the overall cost of the server, much like how tenants pay their share of building costs.

While you won’t own the server yourself, you also don’t have to think about how to manage it, which could help you avoid headaches, especially if you’re running your first site (which if you thinking of doing, then you must take a look at these suggestions and tips from Web.com).

Why choose a shared hosting plan?

A shared hosting service can be a fantastic way for websites to be launched quickly, without the costly cost and responsibility associated with managing a website.

• Saves Money – Because you share the server with multiple websites, a shared hosting package is typically much cheaper than a dedicated plan. BlueHost provides plans for shared hosting that starts at $2.95 per month. A dedicated BlueHost plan costs $79.99 per month. On iPage the cost for shared hosting is $7.99 per month (or $1.99 per month in the case of a special offer) However when you have dedicated hosting, the least expensive plan is $119 per month and with a VPS (virtual private server), the cheapest plan is $19.99 per month. This might be a great alternative for a site that is just starting out and doesn’t require the same level of performance.
• Technically managed In case we take the example of an apartment building, think about a time when your power broker or a pipeline broke in your apartment. You made a call to the landlord and it was their responsibility of them to settle that mess. With shared hosting the same principle is at play: if there are any issues with servers, you’re able to call and speak to the hosting provider directly, which means you’re always just one phone or email away from professional help.
• Time-Saving: Small companies just beginning to get online don’t usually have the time or resources to deal with technical problems. It’s difficult to maintain a website if you’re not familiar with the technical aspects. It will help you save time and money when you choose the shared hosting option from the provider you choose to use.

Cons of Shared Hosting Plans

In the case of any product or service there are a few possible traps to avoid:

• Scalability If your site grows far too large to be handled by the server, there could be charges to pay before you realize that you need to upgrade to either a VPS server or a dedicated server. Consider the use of a dedicated VPS server if you expect your online business to expand quickly in the near future.
• Speed – Shared websites are fast and can perform well. However, the performance and speed of dedicated server sites are generally better, and this is for reasons that are well-founded. Because it’s the only website on the server, a dedicated server site won’t be competing with other websites that are taking up the bandwidth. When you have dedicated hosting, you are likely to be faster and have better performance than shared sites, and your site will probably load faster as well.

This is a major advantage if you run an online store. It could even result in customers abandoning their carts prior to checkout. You’ll have to decide on how fast you’d like your site to be running and whether a shared website suffices.

• Control and customizable in a shared hosting situation you are living on someone other’s property. Just like you’ll need to conform to the guidelines of the board or the landlord’s rules, when you host your site on a shared hosting platform you’ll only be allowed to run software or utilities that are hosted by the hosting company. There isn’t the ability required to modify the server on your own If you think you require more control over the way your website operates, then you might be interested in dedicated hosting.

Bottom line

If you’re planning for your website to be a major source of traffic with many media files it could be that a VPS or perhaps a dedicated server would be more suitable for your needs. You can manage the site and make changes at your own discretion, you won’t be being required to follow the rules of the server provider or satisfy your traffic requirements. In addition, if you have the skills, you could prefer that the responsibility for maintenance rest solely on your shoulders.

Overall, however, shared hosting providers do present a clear advantage for smaller sites. There are a variety of options at an affordable price point and shared hosting is very popular with clients. It’s ideal for small businesses or individuals who have websites for blogs, portfolios or for just enjoyment. With shared hosting, you’ll be able to focus on your website’s content, not the server management.