What Type of Hosting Should I Use?
The technical side of things is often the last that comes to mind when creating our website. Plenty of time and effort go into choosing a name, a website layout, and other branding pieces for your new creation. But building a website is not as simple as a sasquatch, and the virtual space your occupying is as essential as anything else! So, it’s important to know the options that you have when wondering what type of hosting should I use. What is hosting used for, and which hosting is best? We’ll answer that (and more) in this guide to renting out your little corner of the internet.
What is hosting used for?
Recent advancements in online accessibility make it seem like building a website is simple. And that’s partly true, but there are plenty of factors that go into the behind-the-scenes work! One of these things is hosting. This refers to the space on the World Wide Web that is
allocated for you and your website. And like any great home, you’ll need things like security, program management, and more.
What are the different types of hosting?
We all have different virtual needs. Think of it as shopping for a house. A sasquatch like me might be perfectly happy with a small home and a huge backyard, while others may prefer a pricy downtown condo with a beautiful view and no parking. It’s the same as choosing through the different types of hosting. It all depends on what you need!
As discussed in our guide on what types of hosting there are, the types are based on how hands-on you want to be with the process. Some options, like shared hosting or managed hosting, offer beginner-friendly accommodations that do some of the work for you. This is great if you want to spend more time on the content side of things.
Options that include VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting are fantastic choices for people who want plenty of control over their tech spaces while not needing a massive physical space to store them. If you did have a larger website, something like colocation or dedicated server hosting would be the choice for you.
Which type of hosting should I choose?
As you can see, you have options. The answer, as it so often is, is that it depends on your needs! If you’re asking which hosting is best for beginners, managed hosting might be your answer. There are various hosting companies like LiquidWeb that do the bulk of the work for you while ensuring that you know what’s going on. These platforms allow you to choose a plan based on your average amount of visitors and desired budget so that things work for you. As your site grows, you can upgrade your plan or change hosting methods entirely.
Your most challenging step of choosing this route will be which platform to pick. We have covered the essential elements of many of your options and have even put some handy ratings out there for you! And if you have questions along the way, you can refer to our common questions and answers guide.
Alternatively, if your background is in tech or you’re eager to learn more about the virtual work that you’ll need to drive your website forward, VPS hosting is right up your alley. Many future and current website owners ask the question, “Can I host my own website?” And the answer is: Yes! Like with all steps of the website creation process, you can do it independently with your skills. You’ll need to do some research and carve out time to learn, especially if this is a new journey for you. With the proper budget and mindset, your site can be hosted by creating your dedicated server. Keep in mind that this will be more time-consuming and expensive than other options.
You asked us which type of hosting should I use, and your answer will depend. Do you want that giant space that allows hundreds of thousands of users to pass through your popular online store? Or do you run a basic blog that doesn’t see more than a dozen views a day? You have options, and you’ll never have to worry about choosing the wrong one, thanks to how easy it is to change them up along the way!
