The Digital Café

WTF is Hosting?

Starting a business is exciting! But, when it comes to your business website, things can get confusing. If you glaze over when people start mentioning things like domains, hosting and email clients… you’re not alone.

So… what is hosting and why do you need it?

Hosting is the foundation of your online business. It’s where all of the files for your site live so they can be served up to your customers. There are TONS of options for web hosting out there so let’s take a look at some of the things your host should be doing for you.

What Is Hosting | Caffeinated Web Studio

Providing awesome customer service.

When something goes wrong with your site having quick and easy access to support is SO important. Every company is different; some offer 24-hour support, some are only open Monday – Friday during normal business hours. Some offer chat support, some you can only call or email. Make sure you know the hours your hosting support is available and how you can reach them.

Running security checks.

Site security is a BIG deal. If something has compromised the security of your site, you want to know right away. And, what happens if your site is hacked? Will your host remove malware for you, or is it a separate service?

Backing up your data.

Even the best-laid plans can go south. If something happens to your site, does your host have your back? Most hosting companies offer some kind of backup service but you need to make sure you know what their process looks like.

  • Are the backups automatic, or do you need to set something up?
  • Are the backups included in your plan, or do you pay extra for the service?
  • In the event you need to restore a backup, can you do it, or do you need to contact support and have them do it?

Offering SSL Certificates.

SSL Certificates encrypt your site, protecting the data of your users. Not only will the little green lock next to your URL make your customers feel safe, Google has decided everyone needs to be secure and not having one can affect your ranking. A few hosts now offer SSL Certificates at no additional cost using a service called Let’s Encrypt, does yours?

For your WordPress site, hosts like Flywheel and SiteGround offer all of these things. Ask around, get opinions, know your options.

Need more help? Email me at [email protected].

Get organized.

This cheat sheet is a great guide to hosting and offers a place to store all your critical hosting data for quick reference!

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