Hosting: what it is, what it is for and how to choose the best one
If we imagine a website as a house, hosting is the ground on which we build it: without a ground we cannot build a house, and without hosting we cannot create a website. Yet we often overlook the role this service plays within the complex mechanism of overall management of an online project, and when we visit a website, we do not stop to think about how it is “hosted” on the web. It also follows that good hosting is critical to building a reliable and successful website, because we certainly cannot choose just any space: just as the ground must be solid and safe to support the house (because if it is unstable or exposed to external criticality it could cause it to collapse), so too unstable hosting or subject to frequent interruptions could make the site inaccessible or malfunction, compromising the visitor experience. And so, since land-or rather hosting-is not all the same, let’s take a deeper look at what it means to manage hosting and how such a choice can affect the success of our online project, with a significant impact on site performance and, ultimately, online visibility.
What is hosting
Hosting is a service that allows all the files and data of a website to be stored on a server connected to the network, making it accessible through the Internet. Basically, it is a virtual “space” where all of a website’s files and data, such as HTML code, images, videos, databases, JavaScript scripts, and even security configurations, are stored and managed.
Without this space, the site would never be accessible to online users and the files that make up the pages would be confined to our private computers, invisible to the public. When a user types a domain into the browser, in fact, it actually sends a background request to the hosting server, which returns the files needed to view the site.
The server functions as a remote computer, available 24 hours a day, which ensures that the website can be used at any time. Hosting providers offer this service, managing the servers, their maintenance, the provisioning of resources (such as memory and bandwidth), and often including additional features such as backups, security, and SSL certificates.
Web hosting, what it means and why it is called what it is.
Let us try to better clarify the meaning of hosting, also starting with etymological definitions.
The term comes from the English “to host, ‘ which literally means ’to host,” referring specifically to the act of hosting, as a host does with his guests. In the digital sphere, this idea translates perfectly: the hosting service represents the space made “available” to accommodate the files and data of a website, in the same way that a host welcomes his visitors.
Returning to the analogy used in the opening, if we imagine the Internet as a big city and each website is like a house, this must be located somewhere physically: here, hosting is the ground on which this website/building is built. The ground is necessary to ensure that the house can stand and allow people to visit its rooms.
In IT, the meaning of web hosting is crucial because it is what allows a website to be published on the Internet, making it accessible to anyone browsing online. Without hosting, our site would simply result as a collection of unusable files, unreachable by any user. Regardless of the technology used, the basic idea remains the same: the server “hosts” the information, ensuring that it is usable by anyone accessing that particular domain, just like a landlord welcoming his visitors.
What a hosting is for and how it works
Behind the simple action of clicking on a link or typing in a URL is a sophisticated and very rapid process involving interaction between the user’s browser and the hosting server . When a user tries to access a website, his or her browser sends an HTTP request to the server hosting that specific content. The files that are stored on a hosting server range from the site’s main code, often processed in HTML or PHP, to resources such as images, videos, documents, to CSS files for graphic formatting and JavaScript scripts for interactive features. In addition, we must not forget databases, which are essential for many dynamic sites, such as e-Commerce sites or platforms that regularly update information.
In turn, the host (or server) processes the request, searches among the files in its memory for those needed to compose the requested page, retrieves the necessary data and sends it to the user’s browser, which processes and displays it in the correct way.
This is what happens every time we view a page online.
A hosting system works through a combination of hardware resources (the servers) and software (the operating system and management applications) that keep the website available online continuously.
When a user enters a website’s domain name (e.g., “www.yoursite.com ”) into the browser, a sequence of operations happens involving servers and networks:
- DNS (Domain Name System). The first action occurs when the DNS system converts the domain name entered by the user into an IP address, the “place” where the site is actually hosted. The IP address directs the request to the right server.
- Request to site server. Once the IP address is identified through the DNS, the browser sends an HTTP/HTTPS request to the server hosting the website, owned by the hosting provider. This request, like a letter sent to a specific address, is what lets the server know what content the user has requested.
- Rendering process. On the hosting server reside the files needed to properly display a web page (HTML files, CSS, JavaScript, images, videos, and so on). The server collects this content and sends the requested information to the user’s browser. The server then serves static content (such as images and HTML files) or dynamic content, which might be generated on the fly, such as the results of an e-Commerce search or a blog post that draws data from a database.
- Content return. After processing the request, the server sends the requested data to the browser, which is processed locally on the user’s device. In the next few milliseconds or seconds, the site loads completely and is displayed.
Key elements that influence how the hosting process works include:
- Server space, which is needed to store the site’s files.
- Bandwidth, which regulates the volume of data that can be transferred between server and user.
- Server response time, which is the speed at which the server responds to the request.
- Latency: how long it takes for the user’s request to reach the server (depends on the geographical location of the server).
In addition to serving the requested files, a quality hosting system protects the site’s data traffic through SSL certificates that guarantee a secure HTTPS connection. It also uses caching mechanisms to speed up the delivery of web pages, reducing the need to process complex requests to the site’s database every time the same page is requested.
What is the difference between domain and hosting?
At first glance, it might appear to the untrained eye that the concept of hosting may overlap with that of domain, and indeed the distinction between domain and hosting is likely not to be immediately clear to SEO beginners or Web novices in general.
Domain is, simply put, the address of the website on the Internet: it is what the user enters into the browser to reach a particular page. For example, “google.com” is a domain. It functions as aunique identifying label that directs people to the server where the website content is actually hosted. A domain usually includes a custom name and extension (such as .com, .net, or .it), and is associated with a Domain Name System ( DNS ), which maps domain names to the IP addresses of hosting servers.
Hosting, on the other hand, is the physical (or virtual) space where the website actually resides. Without a hosting service, even the most appealing domain would be useless, as it would have no content to display, while, on the other hand, having the site files ready on a server without a domain would make that content unreachable to users. To make a website accessible, you need both an address (domain) and a place where the data is actually located (server hosting).
Many providers offer both services together as part of all-inclusive packages, simplifying the technical management of a site. However, this does not eliminate the importance of knowing the structural difference between these two elements to ensure that the site functions properly without confusion between their capabilities.
What are hosting providers and what do they do
The concept of hosting is concerned with the technical action and operation behind publishing a site online, and thus the operation that allows a website to be “hosted” on a server space, making it accessible to users via the Internet. What is needed, however, is an entity that provides the physical and digital infrastructure to make this process possible: this is where hosting providers come in, without whom the process of continuous storage and accessibility required for a website could not be achieved.
Hosting providers-or hosting services-are specialized companies that provide the infrastructure and services necessary for a website to be accessible online. In simple terms, it provides server space and network resources needed to keep a website up and running, ensuring its continuous availability globally, through a technology platform that allows the website’s files and data to be allocated on a dedicated or shared server system.
A hosting service provides a “ground” for these files, hosting them on a server that is always connected to the Internet, ensuring that any content can be viewed immediately by anyone who enters the site’s URL into their browser.
Each hosting server is in essence a powerful computer that stores the files and resources needed to run the site, which is always on, active and connected to the Internet- 24/7-allowing anyone in the world to access the site at any time. When the server receives a request, it verifies what resources are needed to compose the requested web page and sends them to the user’s browser, which then “renders” those resources, displaying the page in a readable and interactive way.
One of the critical issues concerns the type of resources allocated to a website, ranging from disk space (to store files and databases) to available bandwidth (to regulate the flow of data in and out between servers and users). Server infrastructure can vary, with shared servers, virtual private servers (VPS) or dedicated servers, each with increasing levels of autonomy and power.
However, the work of hosting providers goes beyond the simple technical operation of the server and involves a number of distinctive features designed to provide the customer with optimal website management, ensuring that it is always up, secure and performing.
Underlying it all is a solid infrastructure of servers managed by the hosting provider. This infrastructure must not only respond to web requests efficiently, but also provide users with tools and services that facilitate resource management.
Hosting servers rely on redundancy and backup technologies to ensure that, in the event of hardware failure or spikes in traffic, the site continues to remain accessible. Often, providers use load balancers, which spread the workload across multiple machines to avoid overloads and maximize performance. In addition, services such as content delivery networks (CDNs) are integrated to facilitate faster delivery of static content (images, CSS, and video) from servers geographically close to the user, minimizing latency times.
The server operating system (often Linux or Windows) and control panel (such as cPanel or Plesk) provide the administrator with tools to manage the site, configure software, and monitor server activity.
The main features of hosting services
Going into what the main features of hosting providers are, from a practical point of view these providers own or rent data centers, which are physical facilities designed to house a large number of servers. The following are guaranteed here: a protected environment, both from a cybersecurity standpoint (through firewalls, DDoS protection, and encryption) and from an environmental standpoint, thanks to the redundant cooling and power supply measures required to prevent server failures. The responsibility of the hosting provider thus includes the management of the physical and digital infrastructure, as well as ongoing maintenance to ensure the best possible operation.
Another crucial function of hosting providers is to provide technical support to their customers. Hosting plans often include several levels of support, which can range from basic support for common problems (such as help in configuring CMS or managing backups), to advanced support for troubleshooting critical server-level issues. In addition, many hosting providers, such as SiteGround, Bluehost, HostGator or Kinsta, offer intuitive control panels (such as cPanel or Plesk) that allow users to easily manage their hosting space, install applications, configure email addresses and monitor their site’s performance.
Providers’ offerings are not all the same; in fact, they vary depending on the target audience: some offer shared hosting solutions (cheaper and ideal for small projects), others provide VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting , useful for medium-sized sites, ecommerce sites or projects that need more resources. Finally, for complex or high-traffic projects, many providers offer dedicated hosting or cloud hosting, much more advanced and flexible, where the entire server or a significant virtual slice of it is reserved for a single client.
The best hosting providers also guarantee a high level of security. In addition to SSL certificates, which are essential today for proper SEO management and data protection, they also provide anti-theft strategies, such as brute force protections, continuous server monitoring and automatic data backups, to protect against attacks or technical malfunctions. They also offer redundancy systems (emergency backups to multiple servers) to ensure that in the event of physical server failure, websites remain active under all circumstances.
How to find out the domain host?
To identify which provider a website is hosted on, you can use a special tool called WHOIS lookup, a protocol that provides public information about a domain, including the provider hosting the site.
Tools such as Whois.net, Who.is or even specific services such as Hosting Checker allow you to view a site’s hosting provider simply by entering the domain in the appropriate search bar. Some of these tools also offer additional information, such as the location of the server or the domain registrar.
Alternatively, a terminal command can be used to perform a DNS lookup and obtain useful details, although this option requires more technical expertise.
What are the different types of hosting
Not all hosting is the same, and one of the most important aspects to consider is the specific technology underlying the service on which the site will rest, which should be evaluated according to the needs of the project. Indeed, there is no one-size-fits-all solution: the choice depends on the specific needs of the project, the expected volume of traffic, the resources needed to keep the site online and, of course, the available budget. The market offers several hosting options, each with distinct technical characteristics, which have advantages and potential limitations.
We go from shared hosting, an inexpensive solution suitable for those just starting out, to VPS (Virtual Private Server)hosting , which offers good performance and more control; then there is cloud hosting, prized for its scalability and resilience, which can grow as traffic increases.
If we want to continue with real estate analogies , we can say that for example, shared hostingis like a large apartment building where several websites share the same server: it has the advantage of being an economical solution, but it can lead to performance problems if one of the “housemates” starts consuming too many resources. On the other side of the spectrum is dedicated hosting, which is like having a “private mansion,” with a server all to ourselves, with the resources at our total disposal, which obviously equates to higher performance, but inevitably also higher cost.
Between these two extremes, there are various intermediate options, such as VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting, which offers a balance between cost and performance, and cloud hosting, which provides almost infinite scalability, allowing the site to grow without space or resource issues.
It is therefore useful to have a mirror to consult in order to learn about the main types of hosting, discover their peculiarities and limitations and also begin to evaluate how each solution can affect the performance of the site and, consequently, also the performance in terms of SEO.
- Free hosting
Free hosting is a solution designed primarily for those who want to launch a web project at no cost and have no special performance or resource requirements. As the name suggests, there is no cost associated with using this service, but this necessarily implies a number of significant limitations – so it is not a suitable choice for sites with high growth ambitions or for those who require a high level of customization or security.
There are several platforms that offer free hosting, including WordPress.com, Wix and Weebly, and thus allow a website to be hosted on a server at no cost. These services can be an appropriate entry-level solution for testing an idea or for sites with low pretensions, for example, for those who want to start a blog and are new to blogging, but they inevitably have a number of limitations and critical points.
In a free hosting context , resources are shared among a large number of users, and each site must rely on a limited amount of resources, both in terms of storage space and available bandwidth . As a result, page load times can be slower than with paid solutions, and the ability to handle traffic spikes is greatly reduced, making free hosting unsuitable for even moderately complex projects, because problems may arise if the site grows or if it receives a high volume of traffic.
A typical feature of free hosting is the mandatory presence of advertising on the hosted site. Providers usually place banner ads or other promotional content without the user having any control over them. This can negatively affect the user experience and seriously limit the monetization potential of the site. In addition, it is common to have non-personalized URLs, where the website name will be associated with the provider’s domain (e.g., sitename.freeprovider.com), reducing professionalism and brand recognition.
From the point of view of functionality, free hosting is usually characterized by limited options for customization and technical management. It is not uncommon for the ability to install plugins, additional software or extensions to be drastically reduced, which can be a hindrance for those who need special configurations or SEO optimization tools. Even more critical is the level of security: generally, free hosting lacks SSL certificates and advanced protection solutions, exposing the site to potential vulnerabilities.
The absence of 24/7 technical support is another aspect to consider: those who choose free hosting must be prepared to handle technical problems on their own or rely on support forums that respond in times that are not always timely. In the event of malfunctions or downtime, the possibilities for rapid intervention are limited.
Thus, in general, there is little control over functionality and settings: we may not be able to use a custom domain or have limited access to site features, as well as have limited support in terms of assistance and, in general, less “certain” reliability (with more frequent downtime or site loading slowly).
- Shared hosting
Shared hosting is the cheapest and easiest to use type of hosting, with affordable plans in terms of price and suitable for beginners-and in fact is the most frequent initial choice for small Web sites.
As the name suggests, the main feature of this solution lies in sharing: in other words, in this configuration a site is hosted on the same server as other sites, with which it shares server resources, such as CPU, RAM and storage space. In this way, it is possible to contain economic costs and benefit from an easy-to-use and low-maintenance facility, although there are some downsides, particularly on performance and thus on SEO.
One of the main positive aspects of this solution is the reduced cost: shared hosting is often the most economical choice because the server operating expenses are shared among all the clients that rely on it. This type of hosting is perfect for small blogs, personal websites or projects with modest monthly traffic , where high performance or custom configurations are not a priority. In addition, many of the more complex technical tasks, such as server maintenance or security, are handled directly by the hosting provider, making this type of service ideal for those with limited technical skills.
The downside is related precisely to the sharing of resources. If on the same server another website experiences a sudden increase in traffic or requires a significant amount of resources, this could negatively affect the performance of the other sites there, reducing loading speed or, in the most extreme cases, leading to periods of downtime. In other words, the performance of our Web site could be adversely affected by the other sites hosted on the same server: if one of the sites on the server receives a large spike in traffic, it could cascade slow down our project.
Thus, the lack of isolation between sites remains a major disadvantage, especially when we need some stability even under heavy traffic. In addition, less control over server resources is also a limitation, sometimes resulting in less available functionality
In short, although shared hosting is a practical and convenient solution for those who are just entering the Web world or for those who manage small sites, it reveals some downsides and disadvantages for SEO and beyond.
- VPS hosting, Virtual Private Server
VPS hosting , an acronym for Virtual Private Server, offers an intermediate solution between shared hosting and dedicated hosting: as the name specifies, it is a space “hosted on a virtual private server” in which multiple sites share the same physical hardware, but virtualization technology allows each site to have a dedicated portion of the server’s resources. In other words, unlike shared hosting, here each client has its own isolated virtual server with its own access to the processing, memory and storage layers.
In concrete terms, the VPS is a physical server that has been divided into multiple virtual servers, which become individual partitions distributed among the various clients. In practical terms, VPS hosting gives access to all virtual server resources, such as CPU, RAM, and storage space, offers more control over server resources, ensures better performance, and reduces the possibility that traffic from another Web site could affect the loading speed and SEO of our project.
This virtual separation of resources provides more stability and customization than shared hosting, since sites that are on the same server do not affect each other. Even if another site on the same server experiences a high demand for resources, our site will not experience slowdowns. This makes VPS hosting extremely beneficial for medium-sized projects that require good performance, but have not yet reached the level of a business that would need a dedicated server.
Running a VPS offers more flexibility, with the ability to install custom software or configure the operating system as needed. However, unlike shared hosting, which is often completely managed by the provider, VPS may require more technical control on the part of the user. Therefore, it is recommended for those who are familiar with server management or projects that have qualified technical staff.
Therefore, the possible critical points are mainly related to the practical aspects : VPS hosting requires more maintenance and more skills for management, and it is usually more expensive than shared hosting.
- Dedicated hosting
Dedicated hosting is one of the best performing solutions on the market. In this case, as the name suggests, an entire physical server is dedicated exclusively to the single website. There are no other entities to share resources with, which allows full utilization of processor, memory and storage space. This provides the ultimate in performance, flexibility and control.
Hosting on a dedicated server literally means this: we have an entire physical server, 100% dedicated to our site in all its resources, such as CPU, RAM and storage space. This means optimal performance, more uptime, faster speeds, complete control over the server settings to make sure the site works well all the time, and maximum number of features available. It is clear that all this comes at a cost, and indeed dedicated hosting is the most expensive and advanced type, even in terms of management and maintenance skills.
Dedicated hosting is perfect for large companies or projects with a very high volume of traffic that require operating system-level customizations and unique configurations that are often not feasible with other solutions. As mentioned, one of the main limitations of this type of hosting is definitely the cost, significantly higher than the alternatives; this is also compounded by the management complexity: dedicated hosting requires good technical expertise to manage the aspects related to server configuration and maintenance.
While complete autonomy guarantees full customization, it also becomes essential to put in place strict security policies and provide constant monitoring to avoid potential downtime or security holes. This is a service not designed for everyone, but rather for those who need maximum reliability, advanced protection and superior performance.
- Cloud hosting
Cloud hosting represents one of the latest and most flexible technologies in the world of hosting: unlike other solutions, in cloud hosting the site’s files and resources are not stored on a single physical server, but are distributed over a network of virtual servers that operate synergistically thanks to cloud technology. This means that the website can benefit from the combined power of multiple remote servers located in various parts of the world, and in the event of failures or spikes in traffic, resources are dynamically allocated to ensure maximum continuity. In other words, if one of the servers has a problem, the other servers on the network will take over, ensuring functionality, making the hosted site more resilient and reliable.
One of the main strengths of cloud hosting is its scalability: if a website suddenly sees an increase in the number of visitors, the cloud system can automatically scale to provide more resources without requiring technical intervention from the site administrator. This ability to easily adapt makes it perfect for projects with variable traffic or for platforms that need to handle seasonal spikes , such as ecommerce sites during the holiday season.
In terms of security, cloud hosting offers significant advantages: the distribution of data across multiple servers significantly reduces the risk of downtime or data loss following a hardware failure; in addition, many cloud hosting providers offer automatic backups and built-in redundancy, thus ensuring a high level of reliability.
However, cloud hosting can involve higher costs than shared or VPS hosting, especially if large amounts of resources are required for long periods, and it requires a certain amount of experience and technical expertise for setup and management. It is therefore an ideal solution for those who already have some experience in managing websites or for those with growing projects that need a flexible and customizable infrastructure.
- Managed hosting
We also mention another type of service, managed hosting, which responds to a specific need: to support companies that do not have the time, resources or technical expertise to manage their website even from an infrastructural point of view. With this solution, in fact, we can delegate the technical and operational management of the server to a team of professionals, because the provider not only provides the server, but also takes care of the main maintenance and optimization activities, such as software updating, security management , performance monitoring and automatic data backup. Managed hosting is obviously more expensive than other forms (but still within the budget of most small and medium-sized businesses) and may limit the flexibility of the project, but on the other hand it has the advantages of easier management, scalability, and less burdensome maintenance; in addition, the support of a web hosting provider could allow improvement in aspects such as site speed, reduction of downtime, and other performance-related factors.
As a general rule, therefore, the choice of hosting type should be made taking into account the specifics of the project, such as the nature of the site, expected traffic volume, and available budget. Each solution has features that can best meet different needs. For example, a small website or blog usually leads toward shared hosting solutions, as it is the cheapest and most manageable option. Conversely, those who manage a complex site with significant traffic and customization demands, as in the case of ecommerce or large platforms, will find it more efficient to opt for dedicated or cloud hosting to ensure high performance and scalability.
Hosting and site performance: relationships and effects from an SEO perspective
Although when we think of SEO, the first thing that comes to mind are on-page optimizations, such as keyword structure, tags, page architecture, and content, in recent years the weight of site performance has become increasingly apparent.
In this sense, the role of the hosting service is also crucial to SEO success: website performance is closely linked to the quality of hosting, because speed and security are two ranking factors that Google and other search engines constantly evaluate. This means that slow or unreliable hosting can directly affect a site’s chances of getting good organic rankings.
When it comes to studying and creating a Web site, companies typically invest a lot of time and resources in design, development, digital marketing, and SEO strategies, but Web hosting is an area that tends to be underestimated and underestimated. In other words, we usually risk investing a lot (and rightly so) to make sure that the site looks good and can intercept traffic, but the same care is not devoted to the expense required to ensure that the site is also fast, functional and flexible.
Indeed, it is this purpose and function of hosting, as mentioned above, that can have a direct relationship on the performance of the online project: to summarize, relying on high-quality hosting can positively influence returns, enabling, for example, maximized conversion rates and improved user experience.
In fact, an effective and stable server system can accompany the performance of the website, making it faster and more reliable, while conversely, an overloaded or even simply slow server can cause slowdowns in the loading of pages and resources, causing frustration in visitors and incentivizing them to browse elsewhere-that is, causing an increase in the abandonment rate.
Turning to more technical aspects, good hosting can avoid the risks associated with server downtime, i.e., situations in which the site “falls down” and becomes unreachable for visitors, in which we risk losing potential sales and also jeopardize the relationship with customers, who, being unable to navigate the site, may consider it unreliable. Any site can experience some downtime, but it is necessary to minimize it: a host with an uptime guarantee puts us on the safe side that this problem will rarely or almost never occur.
How important is the choice of hosting for SEO?
It is already clear from what has been written that there is a relationship, at least indirectly, between hosting and SEO.
Let’s first get into the territory of Core Web Vitals, the set of metrics introduced by Google to measure user experience on the web, which evaluate elements such as page load time, visual stability, and interactivity in relation to the level of quality perceived by the user, and poor quality hosting can have a negative impact on all these areas.
For example, if the server is slow to respond, the page load time will increase, negatively affecting the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) metric; similarly, an unstable or overloaded server could cause problems with visual stability, affecting the Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) metric, but also on interactivity as measured by Interaction to Next Paint (INP), delaying the loading of the JavaScript files needed to make the site interactive.
Then, as we know, page loading speed matters a lot for SEO , which also ties in with reputation: any Web site that takes more than three seconds to load will lose users, which means fewer conversions and less revenue.
Another relevant aspect, server downtime also affects SEO: if crawlers crawl the site during one of these down phases, it could (a remote, but nonetheless existing hypothesis) lead to temporary de-indexing, but also more realistically reduce the frequency of crawling by Google, which would also lead to a reduction in the crawl budget-in both cases, bad news for SEO.
Less intuitive are considerations related to the geographical location of the server – in principle, we should choose a server “close” to the main business area and the area of greatest interest to users, because there may be a relationship between data travel distance and speed. Using an inexpensive web host may result in not being located in a local data center, and this can have a potentially negative impact on the Web site. To simplify, if our company is located in the United States, it would be preferable for the Web site to be located in the U.S. data center, while a company operating in the United Kingdom should opt for a U.K. data center. If we operate globally, the most practical and efficient solution is probably to rely on a CDN that offers worldwide hubs, so that hosting is fast regardless of the user’s location.
And so, on the one hand, quality hosting can improve the performance of the website, making it faster and more reliable, in line with the demands of Google, which positively evaluates sites that offer performance guarantees; then, on the other hand, an effective host structure can improve the user experience on the site, another factor that can lead to increased traffic and improved rankings in Google search results.
More generally, then, choosing a good host solution allows us to focus our attention and time “only” on SEO work and less on the server and performance issues that might be associated with a weaker hosting service.
This is also true on the security front: without a strong protection system, a site can run into malicious problems such as hacks, spam pages, malware infections, or other similar critical issues, which can hurt rankings and potentially result in manual action, especially in the case of compromises serious enough to “merit” blacklisting by search engines or the posting of a security warning in search results. Some of the major web hosting providers therefore provide SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), a security certificate that is now the standard technology for keeping Internet connections secure.
But security also correlates from being able to count on reliable technical support and customer service, features that can make all the difference at critical times: when something doesn’t work, uploads are long and slow, or the site crashes, it is important to know that you can contact the host and resolve problems quickly and efficiently, also reducing the worry or panic that comes with these situations.
How to choose the best hosting for your site
Choosing the right hosting is crucial for website growth and performance, and it is a decision that every site owner should weigh carefully, evaluating all the technical aspects offered by the hosting provider.
From page load time to server availability, to security and data center location , all these factors can have a direct impact on the end result: the organic visibility of the website. Making sure your site is hosted on a high-performing and reliable server means creating a solid foundation not only for the user experience, but also for a successful SEO strategy.
Each solution has its strengths and weaknesses, so it is crucial to choose the best hosting that fits the specific needs of your site, whether it is a personal blog or a large-scale e-commerce.
Usually, most companies choose a host based on factors such as price and bandwidth, without ever considering the more technical aspects that can impact performance. In fact, it is clear that defining “the best hosting” only makes sense based on one’s needs and budget: for example, a small and low-traffic website might find shared hosting convenient and satisfactory, while for a large and busy e-commerce, VPS hosting or dedicated hosting might be a better solution; again, cloud hosting might be a good choice for those who need resilient, reliable and scalable hosting, while managed hosting is ideal for those who do not have the skills, time or resources to follow these technical aspects.
And so, choosing a hosting provider means first considering some key factors and specific needs , answering questions such as “How much traffic do we expect to receive? How much storage space do we need? Do we need support for specific technologies or applications?”
To simplify, in evaluating the characteristics of a good hosting provider we need to consider a number of elements, including:
- The type of website we want to build.
- The size of the website, current or planned.
- The traffic
- The price of the service.
- The features offered by the provider–from the most immediate (assured security and speed) to the less discounted, such as level of customer service, frequency of backups, possible free SSL certificate to members.
Speaking of extra features, providers also make available additional services designed to enhance the experience of those who own or operate businesses, who can then devote time and energy to just that work. For example, e-mail accounts, FTP access (to upload files from a local computer to the web server) or WordPress support, to support the choice of those who consider WP the best CMS (or at any rate certainly the most widely used in the world).
Guide to choosing hosting: the aspects to evaluate
Trying to delve into the crucial steps to consider when choosing the best hosting, there are definitely some elements that must be central, especially in relation to the purpose of our site.
The first aspect to consider is precisely the type of site you intend to develop, with the relative size of the estimated traffic. A website of modest size, such as a personal blog or portfolio site, might benefit from shared hosting, because of the low cost. However, for complex projects-such as e-Commerce, information sites with many visitors per day, or enterprise platforms-more high-performance solutions are needed: in these cases, options such as VPS hosting, cloud hosting , or even a dedicated server can ensure sufficient resources to handle the traffic flow and support advanced features without compromising performance.
Adaptability of the technology infrastructure is not only about the total amount of traffic, but also about the seasonal or sudden spikes that many sites might experience. For example, during the Christmas season an e-Commerce site might see a significant increase in visitors, while a blog or information portal might experience temporary improvements in traffic volumes as a result of viral articles or news events. In these cases, relying on hosting that provides dynamic scalability, such as cloud hosting, is one of the best solutions to avoid slowdowns or, even worse, site downtime.
The speed of a website is one of the crucial factors for the success of any online project, and fast hosting is one of the crucial elements in ensuring high performance: users are no longer willing to wait, and Google research revealed that 53% of users abandon a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load. Quality hosting directly affects the speed of server response, reducing the time it takes to view pages and content; conversely, a high load time can lead users to abandon the site before they even see its content, leading to an increase in bounce rate and negative signals for visibility.
To evaluate hosting performance, one of the indicators to keep an eye on is the server response time with the parameter TTFB – Time To First Byte, which measures the time it takes for the server to handle the page load request and return the first byte of data. The lower the TTFB, the better the performance of the hosting. Therefore, it is important to choose a provider that gives accurate guidance on how their servers handle large volumes of traffic without compromising response time and loading speed.
One aspect that is often underestimated is the server technology used. Some providers offer servers with solid state drives (SSDs), which are significantly faster than traditional hard drives, speeding up the process of reading and writing files. In addition, many hosting providers offer integrated solutions with CDNs, explaining how these networks can improve site speed based on the target audience.
Also relevant is the caching configuration: many providers offer the option of integrating advanced caching tools, which store frequently requested content in a temporary area, reducing the need for the server to generate a complex response each time. This has the advantage of turning a potentially lengthy call into an almost immediate upload, eliminating bottlenecks.
Finally, choosing geo-localized hosting close to the majority of one’s audience is a strategic move to further improve response times. If a brand operates primarily in Italy, for example, it would ideally be more advantageous to use hosting with servers located in Europe, rather than in the United States or Asia, where latency times could significantly lengthen, negatively affecting page load times.
Tips for choosing a web hosting
Thereliability of a hosting service is closely related to the percentage of uptime that the provider guarantees. Uptime refers to the period of time that the website is available and active without interruption: the standard promise that many hosting providers make is an uptime of 99.9%, which in practice means about 43 minutes of monthly downtime spread over the course of a year. However, depending on the needs of the project, specific solutions may offer higher rates, with contractual guarantees that include reimbursement in the event of prolonged downtime.
In any case, it is critical to choose a provider that can offer continuity in access to content, even in the event of technical problems or increased traffic volumes. Prolonged downtime can lead not only to economic losses in the case of ecommerce or portals that base their business model on content fruition, but also to deterioration in SEO.
A hosting service must then ensure high levels of security. Data protection is crucial, especially for those areas where sensitive information is handled, such as ecommerce sites or platforms that require access via user logins. It is unthinkable today to opt for hosting that does not include tools such as SSL certificates to encrypt transactions and communications between users and the site, and advanced protections against common attacks such as DDos (Distributed Denial of Service).
In general, good hosting should include automated scanning and active protection against malware, with regular data backups to prevent loss in the event of attacks or failures. Some providers offer automated daily backup services and even duplication on different servers to provide additional levels of redundancy. Security is not only about defense against external attacks, but also about internal stability: the platform on which many Web activities are based must be robust and properly configured to minimize risks and vulnerabilities.
Technical support is a component that is often underestimated when choosing hosting, but it can make a big difference, especially in the case of issues that require quick action. Reliable providers offer 24/7 support, enabling timely resolution of site downs or malfunctions without operational pauses. It is important to check the quality of customer service, reading reviews from other users and checking access to support in language or through direct channels, such as phone, live chat or ticketing system. A key aspect is also the speed with which the provider responds to support requests, as long periods of inactivity can impact the development of the project and, consequently, its online growth.
Finally, it is good to think long term. A website can change dramatically over time, evolving in terms of traffic, functionality required, and resources needed. Scalability is therefore an important parameter: the hosting chosen must be able to grow along with the project, allowing a move to higher plans without causing disruption or exorbitant costs.
If the site is expected to quickly become more popular (for example, due to a marketing strategy or viral growth), choosing a solution that is already configured to expand automatically (such as cloud or VPS) could avoid facing complications later. Many providers allow you to adjust resources without downtime, offering plans that expand based on site demand, with the ability to redeploy resources on a bespoke basis, only when needed.
Hosting and websites: the broad guidelines
Whenever building an online project, whether it is a simple blog, portfolio site, ecommerce, or corporate platform, hosting is one of the key elements. Without hosting or proper infrastructure, it is not possible to make content accessible to users, and this applies to any website. However, there are some general considerations we can make, depending on the specifics of the digital project
- Business or service portals. With increasing digitization, companies in all sectors need hosting services to make information, reservations, orders or other online features accessible to customers.
- News sites or blogs with high traffic. Successful online news outlets or bloggers need to invest in hosting that ensures the handling of traffic spikes, especially during events or situations that generate a sudden increase in requests.
- Educational or training platforms. Whether universities, online courses or e-learning platforms, robust hosting must ensure that content is always available and working for students and users.
- E-Commerce. These projects require high-performance hosting, capable of handling high volumes of traffic and ensuring minimal downtime, since an unreachable site means lost sales.
E-Commerce hosting: top performance and reliability
We focus precisely on e-Commerce, because in these cases the choice of hosting is a strategic decision and not simply a technical matter. Low-quality hosting can result in downtime, slowdowns or, even worse, security issues, inflicting serious damage on an online business that depends on transactions and continuity of service. On the contrary, high-performing and reliable hosting is the pillar on which the success of an online store is built, ensuring not only a stable web presence but also a pleasant and smooth browsing and shopping experience for customers.
When running an e-Commerce business, loading speed becomes a determining factor; loading time directly impacts conversion rate, because a customer who finds the site slow is much more likely to withdraw from the purchase process, leading to a higher shopping cart abandonment rate. Consequently, the performance of the hosting server, measured in terms of response time, becomes crucial and it is essential for any online business that takes its growth seriously to choose a hosting that can handle a high amount of simultaneous requests and optimize traffic in real time.
Also not to be forgotten is the importance of scalability: online sales can vary significantly depending on the season or specific promotions, such as Cyber Monday or Black Friday, during which traffic can multiply exponentially compared to a normal day. Hosting that provides elastic resources that can adapt to traffic spikes without adversely affecting site performance is a guarantee for stability and transaction volume. This is where solutions such as cloud hosting offer a competitive advantage: the ability to scale resources in real time means that overprovisioning (booking too many resources unnecessarily) can be avoided, keeping costs low during periods of normal traffic, but providing additional resources when needed.
On the security front , an e-Commerce hosting must place itself at the highest level of protection, given the sensitive nature of the data handled, which includes not only personal information but also payment data. Advanced measures such as SSL certificates, protection from DDoS attacks and active firewalls to prevent breaches and cyber attacks must be ensured. Quality providers often offer automatic daily backups and redundancy measures to ensure that the site can be restored in a short time in the event of a malfunction or attack. Customer trust is equally sensitive to these factors: even news of a security breach can damage an e-Commerce’s image, deterring potential buyers.
Uptime is another key variable. If a site is unreachable during peak sales or on peak days, the economic damage is immediate and significant. The best ecommerce hosting providers offer uptime guarantees, with SLAs that ensure very close to 100 percent uptime, minimizing or zeroing out downtime. It is important to select a hosting service that contractually provides reimbursement in the event of downtime, but more importantly, has high reliability infrastructure that is outage-proof.
What are the best hosting providers?
If these are the general characteristics to look for in a hosting service, further complicating the identification and selection of the best hosting provider is also the large number of options available on the market.
Factors such as reliability, speed, security, technical support and scalability can vary significantly from one provider to another, thus affecting our decision. Simply buying an inexpensive hosting plan can prove to be a mistake if we do not carefully evaluate the needs of the website and the offerings of the various providers, especially if we run sites that require specific needs and high performance.
The most well-known international hosting providers include established names such as SiteGround, Bluehost , HostGator, A2 Hosting and Kinsta. Each of these providers is distinguished by specific peculiarities and offers services suitable for a wide range of projects, from small startups to large enterprise sites. Several platforms also allow sites to be hosted domestically or offer geographically distributed servers via the cloud, improving latency times for a global audience.
SiteGround is often mentioned as one of the best in terms of reliability and technical support: in summary, it offers high-performance servers, with SSD disks for faster read speeds, advanced caching and multilingual technical support, providing a solid option for sites aiming for SEO excellence. Bluehost and HostGator also boast mid- to high-end performance, but with cheaper plans, thanks to scalable infrastructures that include features such as cloud and ecommerce hosting. As for premium solutions, Kinsta is especially popular with WordPress users for its performance guaranteed by Google Cloud-based servers, with automatic daily backups, a high-performance infrastructure and support designed to handle high traffic.
The importance of geographic barriers and local legislation should not be overlooked: for those managing e-Commerce sites or local portals, evaluating server location becomes essential to reduce latency times and improve user experience. This is why even Italian hosting providers , such as Aruba and Register.it, continue to represent valuable reference points for those managing projects entirely geared to an Italian audience.
Finally, providers with cutting-edge technologies in the context of cloud hosting, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud, are also considered among the best, especially for large enterprises or services that need reliable, elastic and scalable solutions. Although costs can be high, these providers always offer close to 100 percent uptime, infrastructure redundancy and semi-automated resource management, allowing for expenses only when there is a real need for resources.
What is the best hosting?
There is no single answer to the question of what is thebest hosting, as it depends a lot on the type of website and the specific needs of the project. On an absolute level, the choice ofhosting should always be evaluated based on the technical requirements of the site, the ability of the online project to grow in the future, and the quality of support offered by the provider. The performance of a hosting service is not limited to price, but to the guarantee of obtaining a stable and powerful infrastructure that ensures smooth navigation and minimal downtime.
A personal blog site or portfolio might benefit from shared hosting, which offers basic resources at low cost and handles relatively low traffic volumes. In contrast, an ecommerce or project that needs to handle large amounts of data or traffic peaks needs more advanced hosting, such as a VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting or dedicated hosting , which offers more control and dedicated resources.
The main criteria for choosing hosting include:
- Speed: whether the site needs fast loading times for SEO reasons and better user experience.
- Security: whether the data handled is sensitive (ecommerce, user login).
- Scalability: the ability to increase available resources in the future as the site grows.
- Technical support: the availability of skilled assistance to solve any problems.
- Reliability: the guarantee of uptime (site availability) close to 100% to avoid frequent downtime.
How much does hosting cost: average prices
It is clear that the level of features and functions offered by the provider has a direct impact on the cost of a hosting service, which in fact varies greatly depending on the type of hosting, the resources included , and the provider chosen.
In general:
- Free hosting: is obviously free, but usually constrains the presence of ads or other forms of “remuneration,” in addition to technical limitations.
- Shared hosting: is the cheapest solution, and it is possible to get plans that generally range from about 2 euros to 10 euros per month. It is aimed at small sites with moderate traffic.
- VPS (Virtual Private Server) Hosting: costs for a VPS range from 20 to 100 euros per month, depending on the amount of resources required. It provides a virtualized environment with more resources and control than shared hosting.
- Dedicated hosting: is the most expensive solution, with plans starting from around 80-150 euros per month up to several hundred euros. It offers an entire server dedicated to the needs of the site, ideal for projects with high performance and large volumes of traffic.
- Cloud hosting: costs can vary significantly depending on the resources used and can start at around 30 euros per month. It is frequently chosen for projects with variable traffic or need for scalable resources.
It should be remembered that many hosting providers offer promotions and discounted initial plans for the first year, which tend to rise significantly in the subsequent renewal period.
