What Is Web Hosting?

Now that you have reserved a domain name and you have built your website or you are ready to build one, congratulations! The next step now is Web Hosting for your domain and website.

But just as much as when you want to start a business in the real physical world, you will need a physical location to set up your store to sell your products. The same rules do apply in the digital world when setting up a website and that’s exactly where web hosting comes in.

You may be wondering, what is web hosting? And why do you need it? Well, the answer is that when you set up an online business or offer any services online, you will have a number of files, images, and HTML code that was used to create your website. These files need space and a place to be stored at.

So without an online storage location and space, your files will just be on your computer and no one will ever be able to see them online.

A Hosting Provider steps in to provide a location and storage space on a webserver to store all your files used to create your website. The Hosting Provider will also be responsible for delivering the files of your website as soon as browsers make a request by typing in your domain name.

So, when you buy Hosting Services, you are simply renting storage space on the internet just as much as you would be renting physical space for your business.

What Is a Domain Name?

Before going further about Web Hosting let us take time to talk about domain names.

When you thought about starting an online business and having your website, you would have first had to purchase a Domain Name. A Domain name is your company’s unique and particular address on the internet.

Let us look at it in this way: Let’s say you were in the real physical world, and you have your business up at a particular place you may be renting, then you will surely give your customers your street address so they can find your shop. Now if you are renting a space on the internet, you give your customers your Domain Name so that their browsers can your website online.

When the Domain Name is typed into the browser, it is converted to an IP Address. Then the Hosting Company will locate all the files connected to your particular IP Address. Then the browser returns and shows all the images, videos, and words that make up your website.

Take note also that just like the street address is unique to your location, each Domain name is unique to your company in the whole wide world.

Whenever you start a website, you always get a chance to choose a unique name that is well-matched with your company and reflects your brand properly.

How To Choose a Web Hosting Provider?

In order to choose a Web Hosting Provider for your website, it is very important to consider the different types of Hosting Services that are offered. Here is a list of a few things to check when determining where you would like to host your site.

• The type of website you are creating? (Whether eCommerce, blog, portfolio etc.)
• Bandwidth needed to run your website smoothly.
• Ability to create Emails for your Domain.
• Types of Hosting options available.
• Dose the provider also provide SSL Certificate to secure the website.
• How much technical support you will need?

Now after giving consideration to these factors it should be easy to choose a Web Hosting Provider and to also complete your Domain Name registration. Take note also that most of the time your Web Hosting Provider can also be your Domain registrar.

Types of Web Hosting

If you want to host a website for your business or services online, Maranyane is one of the best options out there which provides many different hosting services which can be customized to suit your needs.

Choosing a hosting provider you will need to create a web hosting account and choose the type of web hosting which will best work for your website.

1. Cloud Hosting
   • Cloud Hosting is normally considered the most reliable of all types of hosting services. This is all due to it having disk space in different locations to ensure that there is no downtime. It has other benefits such as:
     • Scalability – You can always increase your storage space any time as your business grows.
     • Unmetered bandwidth – There are no server downtime and disruptions.
     • Security – Data on cloud storage is Encrypted to ensure that it is secure.
2. Managed WordPress Hosting
   • Managed WordPress hosting provides an almost totally hand-off hosting experience. Your Hosting provider like Maranyane handles all tasks related to keeping your WordPress website running smoothly without a hassle. Other benefits of WordPress Hosting are:
     • Security – Periodic scans on website to check and catch any malicious activities.
     • Site Maintenance – Regular site chores like backup and installing WordPress updates.
     • Site Elements Configuration – Configuring essential elements such as Plugins and themes.
     • Support Services – technical Support to users and fixing obscure glitches.
3. Virtual Private Server (VPS)
   • Virtual Private Server hosting provides a server for you alone without sharing resources with other customers. VPS offers the following benefits:
     • Flexible resource allocation – You choose the amount of RAM and the number of CPU cores for your VPS and in times of high traffic you can borrow resources from other VPS.
     • Root Access Customization – For tech-savvy users root access offers the ability to configure and customize your VPS accordingly.
     • Scalability – You can always add extra resources to your VPS when there is growth in your business.

Now that you are well informed it is time to choose your web hosting provider such as Maranyane which offers secure and affordable web hosting solutions customized to what your business needs.