What is hosting?
I get this question all the time. We get so excited about our new business idea, buy the domain (because domains are CHEAP!) and then try and figure out what’s next!
After a quick google search, you realize you need a host. But what on earth is a host, and why do you need one?
Imagine you’re ready to move to a new city. You find the PERFECT plot of land, and buy it. Awesome. You can just live there, right?
Umm… no. You kind of need a house.
That’s hosting. It’s the space where you and all your stuff live. It’s more than just your address (domain). It’s the walls, the floor, the ceiling that gives you and your family a place to dwell.
It’s more than just pitching a tent.
And the host you choose matters. When I first started, like any newbie, I found the cheapest host I could. I quickly learned you get what you pay for. My site was slow and frustrating. I upgraded hosts a few years later, and found a faster site. And then I upgraded again. And I’m upgrading again. The more you know, the more hosts improve, the more robust your hosting can become. It’s awesome.
So here’s what you need to know about hosting:
Not all hosts are created equal.
Think back to that fresh plot of land. You’d have a different experience if you pitched a tent, brought in a mobile home, or had a custom built home to live in. Hosting is the same way. You’ll find different hosts offer different
You might not need the fastest host on the market.
Sometimes it’s ok to start slow, and pay a little less. But sometimes you really do need your site to load much faster. Many of my clients are actors who have video reels on their sites. Slow speeds will ruin their career – no casting director wants to wait 10 seconds for a reel to load. So I’ve upgraded what I offer as their host to accommodate their needs – and it’s totally worth it. Who doesn’t love blazing fast sites?
Dedicated vs shared vs cloud vs VPS vs …..
There are so many different types of hosting, and your needs will be different than your brother’s buddy who runs his own app, or your neighbor down the street who runs a food blog. If you’re just starting out, chances are high shared hosting is all you need. If you’re running a high-end operation selling pasta out of a factory, we may want to look into some more dedicated options.
So many metrics…
There are an overwhelming amount of metrics you can monitor within hosting. As a beginner, you’ll want to pay attention to your bandwidth quota and your file size allowance. Other metrics matter, but these will cause headaches right off the bat, especially if you’re not paying attention.
Ask questions!
One thing I’ve learned is that when questions arise, people are scared to ask questions. You might worry that a question is dumb, or you’re bothering someone asking.
DON’T WORRY!
Ask the question. Ask ALL the questions!
It’s important to understand what’s happening, even if you take a hands-off approach.
So ask! Understand! Remember – we’re here to help you succeed! We’re in your corner!
