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Website hosting is the required service that allows websites to be viewed online. It’s where your website’s digital files are stored on a physical server. There are two types of web hosting services: shared and dedicated. What’s the difference between them? Which one should you choose?

At SheDevsIT, we are qualified to help you make that decision. As WordPress consultants, my team works inside all types of web hosting accounts. When someone hires us for website management services, we often work with whatever hosting company they happen to be using. And, if we see problems with the server environment, then we recommend a change.

Website hosting is the foundation of every website. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to view or access your site from anywhere. The good thing is, both types of hosting are inexpensive compared to the other expenses involved with website management. If you make a poor decision about hosting, it can be costly in the form of lost sales due to downtime and the expenses related to hiring 3rd party support.

Shared hosting is the cheapest option

This type of hosting provides space on a server where multiple sites share resources. In other words, they share the same bandwidth and storage capacity. This means that all websites hosted by the same server share the affect of any bottlenecks that come up. But, that’s not enough information to help you make your decision. There are different types of shared hosting: managed and cloud.

Managed hosting

The name of this type of hosting is a bit misleading. This is not a website management service. Even so, managed hosting plans are popular because they typically provide

• automatic daily backups which are easy to restore
• a free SSL certificate which is easy to activate
• dedicated space on a shared server
• full access to your file manager

We recommend SiteGround and WP Engine for managed hosting services.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting allows your website to be hosted on multiple synced servers all sharing resources. Cloud hosting plans dynamically pool allocated server resources across a large network of servers, instead of a single server. As a result, the hosting environment has improved reliability and performance.

Standard shared web hosting

A shared web hosting service allows many sites to share the same server. With this type of service, all sites share the same resources, including bandwidth (the amount of data transferred per second). This means that all websites hosted by the same server share the affect of any bottlenecks that come up. We generally don’t recommend standard shared plans because there are better, modern options.

Dedicated hosting is the priciest option

Dedicated hosting is slightly more expensive, but gives you complete control over the server. Unlike shared hosting, dedicated hosting plans provide your website with its own resources. They also come with additional features such as load balancing and security. There are different types of dedicated hosting: Virtual Private Server (VPS) and Dedicated Server.

VPS

A Virtual Private Server (VPS plan) is hosted on a single server that is shared. But, you get your own slot on the server. Therefore, your hosting environment is not technically shared. You have dedicated space on the server.

Dedicated Server

Dedicated hosting plans provide you with your own dedicated server and dedicated I.P. address. You are in complete control of the settings and security. Dedicated Server plans require a more sophisticated level of technical skill. We advise working with a website management company with access to a server administrator. You’re basically on your own when you choose a Dedicated Server.

Ensure that your dedicated server is secure and well maintained. Contact our friendly office to inquire about our Website Management support plans that include server support.

What does a web hosting provider do?

Web hosting providers offer space on their servers where websites can be hosted. The best web hosting providers focus on website hosting as their primary service.

Hosting service providers do not provide website management services and generally should not be trusted with tasks related to:

• moving your website
• diagnosing and removing malware
• website design and development
• troubleshooting and updating plugins

If your website manager is also your hosting service provider, then your website manager is probably acting as a web host reseller. Based upon our experience helping business owners extract their websites from the grip of their former website managers, the reseller arrangement is discouraged.

Learn about your website management options with SheDevsIT »

Can I host my own website?

There’s a difference between hosting your own website and a self-hosted website. A self-hosted website is the type of service we’ve been discussing in this article. Your business pays a hosting company directly to host your site. It’s supposed to be your company card that’s on file and being charged on an annual or monthly basis. That means that you have full access to your website files on-demand and you get to control the access to your files—not your website manager.

It is possible to actually host your own website on your local computer. But, why would you want to do that? Local hosting requires the purchase of equipment, electricity costs, and bandwidth issues.

Is free website hosting right for you?

SquareSpace, Wix, Weebly, and the for-profit version of WordPress—WordPress.com offer free hosting for personal websites. When you use these platforms for a business website, then there are additional costs involved as well as significant limitations. In the long-run, purchasing your own hosting plan is more affordable.

Web hosting companies we recommend

Your website’s hosting service is just as important as your domain name. A good web host will provide reliable services, including 24/7 customer support. They should also offer multiple data centers so that your site can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

We recommend SiteGround to most of our small and medium sized business clients. The Grow Big plan is the most popular option and more than sufficient for the needs of our clients. Why do we recommend SiteGround? The big difference maker for us is the quality of customer support. High quality, 24/7, U.S. based customer support is important to us and to our clients.

Questions and answers about website hosting

Does my hosting service also maintain my website?

No. But, I can see why you might ask that question. Some freelance website managers resell hosting services. Or, they may pass on the cost of web hosting to you in their monthly fee while restricting your access to the server.

This territorial behavior may not seem problematic at first. But, what happens to your site files when you want to change website managers? Will they be permitted to access the server?

What if a 3rd party who is helping out with your website needs access to your server? Do you end up asking your website manager for permission to access to your own files?

There is no requirement to allow a website management company to “host your website.” Instead, you can get your own hosting account and give your website manager access to it for the purpose of managing your website.

Which shared hosting plan should I get?

We recommend the Grow Big plan at SiteGround if you choose a shared hosting option.

Do I get email with a hosting plan?

Yes, but we recommend that you avoid using server based email. Instead, use a separate email client such as Outlook or Google Workspace. You can set up professional, domain name based email without risking the problems that come with server based email accounts.

Can I move my website to another hosting company?

Yes, although we don’t recommend asking your new hosting company to do this for you. We also don’t recommend making this move on your own. We can help.

Consider moving your site to a different host if you are having performance or customer service issues with your current host.

What if I need more server resources?

Consider upgrading your shared hosting plan before moving your site to a dedicated server. With most hosting providers, you can upgrade your shared plan without any risk of downtime to your website. Moving your website from a shared plan to a dedicated server will require a site migration with potential downtime.

What is cPanel for hosting?

cPanel is a web hosting control panel that provides you with a user-friendly interface to manage the files and software applications that make your website tick. Unless you are confident with editing code, running command lines, and server administration, you should expect a cPanel or something similar with your plan.

Steps to sign up for website hosting

1. Create an Account with SiteGround. Go to www.siteground.com and click “Sign Up” in the top right corner of your screen.
2. Enter your email address.
3. Click “Create Account”
4. You will receive an email with your username and password.
5. Log into your account using your username and password.
6. Choose your plan.
7. Select your Domain Name.
8. Add your Email Address and Password.
9. Confirm your Details.
10. Pay for your Service.
11. Wait for your site to be activated.
12. Check your Emails for your Activation Code.

Website hosting explained in simple terms

Website hosting is an important part of building a successful online presence. Your website is like a house. It needs to have a foundation that will support its structure. If you don’t start with a solid foundation, it will start to break down.

Website hosting refers to the service that provides space for storing files on a server. This includes web pages, images, video, etc. Website management refers to the process of keeping the site up to date and making requested website edits. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they mean different things. Hosting is not an optional service to keep your website up and running.

What is the difference between reactive and preventive website management? Website management refers to the ongoing care and attention given to a website over time. This includes systematic updates, fixes, and improvements. Reactive website management is usually done after a problem has occurred. Preventive website management involves taking steps to prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

Why WordPress website management isn’t as easy as it seems

WordPress updates are unpredictable. If you’ve ever clicked a plugin or theme “update” button only to find that your website no longer functions then you understand that it’s not a simple task. At my agency, our web administrators never process website updates late in the day—especially Friday afternoons—or while standing in line to board a plane.

I’ll never forget the first time I experienced a blank white website screen after processing an update on my first WordPress website. After I clicked “update,” I couldn’t even login to my WordPress dashboard. I felt sick.

Did I just lose my entire website? Weeks of my hard work?

I called my hosting company in a panic. To my relief, they were able to get my website back up and running by deactivating a plugin from the server files.

That was ten years ago and the first time I heard the phrase, “white screen of death” to describe what I saw on my computer screen after updating that plugin. Today, I look back at that experience as the CEO of a multi-faceted website agency. But, at the time, I had no idea what had happened to my website or how it was going to be fixed. The term, “white screen of death” seemed appropriate.

Looking for website management services? Check out your options here »

Types of WordPress website management

Expect three types of WordPress website management to support your website.

Reactive

Reactive WordPress website management is corrective. It includes researching and troubleshooting problems that are reported by the website owner or the end user. If the website manager fixes the problem after learning about it from the website owner or the end user, then it is reactive maintenance. When we take on a new website management client at SheDevsIT, our initial maintenance of the website is in reaction to pre-existing website problems.

Preventive

If a website manager finds and fixes problems in the website before they are discovered by end users or by the website owner, then the maintenance action is preventive or adaptive. Preventive Maintenance is about preventing errors before they occur. It includes updating the WordPress plugins, optimizing the code, reconfiguring plugins, conducting research, and testing features such as forms and e-commerce checkout processes. Preventive website management is linked to an uncertain future event. Website managers should perform preventive maintenance before something happens.

Adaptive

Adaptive website management is related to a certain future event. For example, adding more server space to support an expected increase in website traffic. Or, replacing old plugins plugins with more modern plugins. Adaptive maintenance should be done only after preventive maintenance is complete.

What are the responsibilities in maintaining a website?

The following table lists some of the tasks that a WordPress consultant performs on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis:

Daily Automated Tasks

• uptime monitoring
• full backups
• e-commerce report generation
• security monitoring

Weekly Tasks

• Ongoing development projects and editing tasks
• Research and Troubleshooting
• Communication with client

Monthly Security and Performance Tasks

• theme updates, plugin updates, and software updates
• page load speed optimization and performance optimizations
• form deliverability and e-commerce testing
• communication with client

20 Best practices for website developers

Are you a website developer? If so, then read on. I became a website developer in 2012 when I was unemployed and 42 years old. Since then, I have been helping people and companies with their website problems. Along the way, I have made a few mistakes and learned some valuable lessons. Here is my list of best practices for website developers.

1. Tell the truth

If you don’t know how to do something, then say so. It’s really okay to not know everything. Honesty pays off in many ways. Customer loyalty is one of them.

2. Be transparent

If you are outsourcing some or all of your project, then talk about it in your proposal.

3. Outsource some of your work

You are just not that good at everything. Your client will get a better finished product when you outsource the things you’re not good at. I outsource graphic design, branding, and advertising. I even outsource some things I am good at like copywriting because I can’t deliver copywriting quickly when I’m the one doing the writing.

4. Encourage your clients to own their digital assets

Domain name. Hosting account. Social profiles. Do not assign yourself ownership of these important properties. Don’t ever be in the position of declining your client access to their own website files because you put them on your own server.

5. Complete projects

Be prepared to provide a full refund if you can’t complete a project. Or, pay out of your own pocket to make sure somebody gets the work done. I’ve done both.

6. Part ways with dignity

Make it easy to break up with you. Why would you want to hold a client and their digital property hostage? My parting words are always, “Thank you for trusting us with your business” and “We will be here if you need us in the future.”

7. Get paid faster

Who said 50% deposit and 50% upon completion was a good idea? Not me. Instead, get a 1/3rd deposit, 1/3rd at 30 days, and the remaining 1/3rd upon project completion. This approach ensures you are paid for 2/3rds of your work fairly quickly and prevents client foot-dragging near the end of the project.

8. If your client wants a duck, then give them a duck

Don’t force your big (expensive) ideas on your client. They may end up committing with reservations. Your client will be on high alert for all the reasons why this was a bad idea and you will be thrown under the bus.

9. Make sure they know the duck poops

Sometimes clients have bad ideas. Help them understand why it’s a bad idea to put a slider with 18 animated slides at the top of their homepage. They will make an informed decision; they might do it anyway, but their choice won’t be a reflection of your work.

10. Pick up after yourself

Delete the slew of unused/unneeded plugins and themes on the website when you’re done with your work.

11. Sweat the small stuff

Take the extra time to do the work correctly. Resize large images before uploading them to the website. Avoid uploading images of 1MB or larger. Details matter.

12. Have someone else test your work before delivering your finished product

You’ve been staring at the website for so many hours that you can’t see it anymore! Have someone you trust go through it while you watch. Have them click on every link.

13. Speak in ways you can be understood

Take a minute to remember what it was like to learn website development. You didn’t know all of the terminology. Slow down and simplify your language for the sake of your client. It will pay off in overall better understanding on both sides.

14. Pick up the phone

Email is not always appropriate. Especially if your client is upset or confused. Even when a client tries to have an important conversation with me via email, I will direct them to schedule a phone call with me.

15. Use instant video to explain and teach

Instant video tools such as loom are powerful time-savers and effective in helping clients understand you. I use instant videos throughout my workday to efficiently respond to questions from my staff and clients. Answers which used to require lengthy written descriptions and annotated screenshot attachments are now a snap with instant video.

16. Be responsible for your mistakes

If you messed up something, fix it on your own time. Don’t charge your clients for your mistakes.

17. Research and troubleshooting is a service

Research and troubleshooting of problems is a normal part of our work. It’s not free. Help your client understand this aspect of our work as a service.

18. Build in a time-limited support period after the project launch

Prevent the project from never ending. Make it clear how much time is available and what the cost of additional support will be.

19. Have a single point of contact at your client’s business

Invited to the team meeting to brainstorm about the website? I will show up for this meeting just once. While I’m there, I explain why it’s important for them to have these meetings without me. A single point of contact with decision making authority is more efficient and less expensive for your client.

20. Leave your company name off of the website footer

Your client’s website is not your billboard–even if they do love you.