If you run a small business, you have probably been sent a hosting renewal invoice and wondered what you were actually paying for. Hosting is one of those things that nobody explains until something goes wrong. This guide covers the basics in plain words, so you can make sensible choices.
What is hosting?
Your website is a set of files: text, photos and code. Those files need to live on a computer that is switched on all day, every day and connected to the internet. That computer is called a server, and renting space on it is called hosting.
When someone types in your web address, their phone asks your server for the files and shows them your site. If the server is slow, your site is slow. If the server is down, your site is down.
Your domain name and your hosting are two separate things. The domain is the address. The hosting is the building at that address. They are often bought from different companies.
Shared hosting and managed hosting
Shared hosting
Shared hosting means your website sits on a server alongside many other websites. You all share its power. It is cheap and fine for many small sites.
The catch is that shared hosting usually gives you a space and a control panel, and not much else. Keeping the site updated, safe and backed up is largely up to you.
Managed hosting
Managed hosting means someone looks after the technical side for you. What is included varies, but it often covers updates, backups, security checks and help when things break. It costs more because you are paying for someone's time and attention, not just server space.
Neither is right for everyone. The question is whether you have the time and know-how to do the looking after yourself.
The padlock: what SSL means
When you visit a website, you may see a small padlock next to the address, and the address will start with https. That means the site has an SSL certificate.
An SSL certificate scrambles information sent between the visitor and your site, so it cannot easily be read by anyone in between. That matters for contact forms and anything else people type in.
Without one, many browsers show a "not secure" warning. That is enough to put customers off. SSL certificates need renewing, and some hosts do this automatically while others leave it to you.
Backups
A backup is a copy of your website saved somewhere safe. If the site is hacked, an update goes wrong or someone deletes the wrong thing, a backup lets you put it back.
Ask these questions about any backup:
- How often is it taken?
- Where is it stored? Ideally not only on the same server.
- How long are backups kept?
- Who restores it, and is there a charge?
A backup you have never tested is a hope, not a plan.
Updates
Many websites, especially WordPress ones, run on software that needs regular updates. Updates fix security holes and keep things working with newer technology. If nobody applies them, the site gets more fragile and easier to break into over time.
Uptime
Uptime is the amount of time your site is working and reachable. Hosts often advertise a high uptime figure. More useful questions are what happens when it does go down, how quickly they tell you, and how quickly it is fixed.
Some hosting packages include email on your domain, such as hello@yourbusiness.co.uk. Others do not, and you use a separate service. Check which applies before you move or cancel hosting, or you could switch off your email by accident.
What cheap hosting often leaves to you
Low-cost hosting can be perfectly good. Just be clear about what you are buying. It often leaves you to handle:
- Updating the website software, themes and plugins
- Taking and checking backups
- Setting up or renewing the SSL certificate
- Spotting and cleaning up a hack
- Making changes to the site itself
- Working out what has gone wrong when it breaks
Also check the renewal price. Introductory prices sometimes rise sharply in the second year.
Questions to ask a hosting provider
Before you sign up, ask:
- What exactly is included, and what costs extra?
- Is the SSL certificate included and renewed automatically?
- How often are backups taken, and who restores them?
- Who applies updates to my website software?
- What happens if my site is hacked?
- How do I get help, and how quickly do you reply?
- What does it cost after any introductory period?
- Can I leave, and take my site and domain with me?
If the answers are vague, treat that as an answer in itself.
How we handle it
At We are Graft, hosting is bundled into our monthly plans rather than sold on its own. Our Essentials plan includes hosting, the SSL certificate, security updates, backups, small fixes and a real person when you need something. There are no logins to lose and nothing to update yourself. The full details are on our plans page.
Want a straight answer?
If you are not sure what your current hosting includes, or whether you are paying for things you do not need, send us a message. We are happy to explain what you have in plain words.