Hosting
Web hosting
In short
Hosting is renting space on a server that runs around the clock, so your website is available to everyone who visits it.
Your website is a collection of files, and often a database. They have to sit on a machine that is connected to the internet all the time. That is hosting. It ranges from cheap shared hosting, where many websites share the same server, to dedicated servers and cloud services. With Wix and Squarespace, hosting is built into the subscription.
Why it matters to you
Hosting affects how fast the site loads, how often it is down and who takes backups. Cheap shared hosting can work fine for a simple site. But if you share a server with someone who gets a lot of traffic, your site can slow down without you having done anything. And a slow site costs visitors, see page speed.
Responsibility varies too. Some providers update the software for you. With others it is your job, whether you know it or not.
Five questions for your provider
Send your provider an email today and ask: How often are backups taken? How long are they kept? Who restores the site if it gets hacked? Who updates the software? What does it cost to move out? The answers say more about the subscription than the price list does. It is also worth reading Hosting and performance.
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