What is Shared Web Hosting and Why Does it Matter?

There are a ton of options to choose from when it’s time to decide where to host your website. Important factors include performance, reliability and of course functionality. Before making a decision, make sure that your desired hosting option emphasizes the three elements listed above.
Besides deciding on the type of hosting plan you want, you will also need to take into consideration the best web hosting provider that will meet your website needs.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at shared web hosting and its many advantages that will benefit you in the long run.

What’s Shared Web Hosting?

web-hosting-servers
What is Shared Web Hosting and Why Does it Matter? 5

The meaning is in the word ‘shared’. That’s because with shared web hosting more than one website shares the same server. For example let’s say a family of four share a single computer. Each person has their own login information but RAM, operating system etc. are all shared. So it is with share hosting, all websites though separate, share the same server and its resources.
Shared web hosting is considered the most popular hosting for most businesses or entrepreneurs, especially beginners. Let’s dive off into some shared web hosting advantages to see why it’s so popular and still important today.

4 Shared Web Hosting Advantages

1. Cost efficient

Finance institute need advanced security
Image credits: Elements.envato, Finance-institute need advanced security

One of the leading shared web hosting advantages is how cost-effective it is. If this is your very first website or if you’re on a tight budget, then you can implement shared web hosting to help stay on budget. The provider can charge a lower fee and accommodate numerous users because resources are shared on one server, it’s a win-win scenario. You can choose from many hosting providers online, however, some web hosting packages like ours, cater specifically to the needs of a wider range of individuals from beginners to professional web designers.

2. User Friendly

Although we are now in a more technologically advanced time, some users still appreciate simplicity. This work in the favor of shared hosting. It is user-friendly and will result in a rapid and straightforward installation and set-up especially if the provider offers a cPanel with an interactive user interface, like we do. This results in everything being structured and clear, with user-friendly control panels and no need for specialized technical expertise.
While you focus on growing your business, the hosting provider will focus on running the server and managing the backend operations.

3. Customization

Resources being “shared” among users is always a concern with web shared hosting services. However, by using a hosting platform that offers cPanel, you can customize your shared plan. cPanel is so user-friendly and versatile, that it allows users to handle a variety of functions, including file and image uploads, as well as site statistics. So you can choose the feature you want to add to your website for a personal touch. Hosts will also provide new features and 24/7/365 hosting support should you need it.

4. Security

Security is always a main concern for anyone searching for a hosting website. You should ensure you utilize a host that will not only be cost-efficient but also provides a secure hosting platform. You may wonder, ‘How can sharing a server with more than one website be safe’? Worry not, you can still share while benefiting from great site security. Securing your website is something the host will cover in your monthly or yearly plan.

For additional protection, go ahead and boost your security using SSL Encryption, antivirus applications and firewalls.

Is Shared web hosting right for you?

Small Business needs advanced security
Small Business needs advanced security

How do you know if shared hosting is the right fit for you and your website’s need? Well, if you agree with most or all the following then shared hosting may be just what you’ve been looking for.

  • Yes, if you have little to no experience with web hosting
  • If you’re running a small business or start up
  • Yes, if you’re on a budget
  • If you want to be able to customize your website
  • Yes, if you want to drive more traffic to your website.

Final thoughts

Sure there are shared web hosting advantages, we’ve shared a few with you, but just like all hosting plans, and it too has its disadvantages such as limited resources.

It’s even possible that you’ve heard discussions on whether shared web hosting is still relevant or necessary. The truth is, shared web hosting will always be the go-to choice for personal and small sites, if even as a startup, because of the low cost, no bandwidth constraints, numerous domain hosting, and easy email hosting and setup.

If you don’t want to worry about server maintenance or focus on monitoring the backend activity, then shared web hosting is the solution for you. Think about it, all you will really have to do is keep your website active with content/service to generate profit, while your web hosting provider does the rest.

For web hosting plans with additional features, full programming support, daily backup and 24/7 support check out our packages on hosting.co.uk.