Good Web Hosting Services Are Crucial in 2022. Here's Why!

2022 is a crazy time to be alive. And an even crazier time to run a business! If you’re still on the fence about starting a website and investing in web hosting, this is the sign you’ve been waiting for to make that jump!

And we’ll tell you why…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail world came to a screeching halt. And we’re only just now recovering from the aftermath!

When COVID first hit and brick-and-mortar shops began closing their doors, small business owners had to make an important decision.

Should they stick it out and hope for the best? Or should they follow the rest of the world and shift to a hybrid business model?

While some businesses did decide to stay put and hope that in-person shopping would return, many others made the jump into e-commerce. They purchased a domain name, invested in web design and became a part of the growing online shopping community.

And thank goodness they did! Because online shopping grew by 5.5% that year alone (2019-2020).

And this shift has only continued since then!

Yes, doors did open again, and in-store shopping returned. But the shift to digital shopping wasn’t necessarily a temporary solution. The world was already headed in the direction of incredible technological advancement before COVID.

So, in some ways, the pandemic simply sped up the process.

Today, around 6,000,000 people are online shopping every minute! And 85% of consumers are now using the internet regularly to discover local businesses.

They pull out their mobile phone, type in a few words relating to their search and choose one of the highest-ranking page results on their search engine results page (SERP). All in hopes that the product, service or other information they are looking for will pop up. This process is why SEO (search engine optimization) is so vital in 2022.

But here’s the thing…

Google (or any search engine for that matter) isn’t a wizard. If you want to get found online, you have to show up and fight for your spot! 

But SEO isn’t the only tool used to get you there…

If you want to compete with the other billion or so sites in the world, your website needs to be:

• Stable,
• Secure and
• Fast!

You also need a good web host support team to back you up!

Are you ready to start generating online traffic and business revenue? It’s time to get online with reliable website hosting services!

 

Let’s Start With The Basics: What Is Web Hosting?

If you want a website, you need website hosting. There’s no way around it.

But what exactly is website hosting anyway?

To better understand it, we have to take a bit of a deep dive into the complexities of the internet.

Don’t worry - it’s not as scary as you think!

First Up, Your Internet Browser

In short, internet browsers (or web browsers) are the tools used to scan the internet and present web pages to the searcher. They simplify and convert the code (HTML) used to create websites so that we’re able to see things like text and images.

Your internet browser is what allows you to see the page you’re reading right now!

Examples of Internet Browsers:

• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Apple Safari
• Opera
• Microsoft Edge
• Vivaldi

The Internet

The internet is a globally connected network system. It can access and retrieve data worldwide!

As you search online, your web browser sends access requests (HTTP requests) to internet servers using an internet connection - a means of network communication.

This communication allows browsers to search for, find and retrieve information for the searcher.

Without the internet, browsers would have no way of accessing the servers that hold all the world’s websites!

Internet Servers

Internet servers are what hold (or host) websites. They receive those access requests from your browser (sent through the internet) and allow your websites to be found and retrieved by the searcher.

When we say your site needs hosting, we’re saying that your site needs a home on one of these servers. Only then can the online community find your business!

Essentially, having your website hosted means that it is safely stored and accessible online.

And that's how web hosting works!

 

Why Is Good Web Hosting So Important For Your Website?

By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of why having your website hosted is so important. But do you know what makes a GOOD website hosting service?

Stability

Server reliability is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting a web hosting provider. Why? Because a weak server can boot your website offline - leaving your site entirely out of the internet’s reach.

If this happened, you could lose search traffic, viewership and potential sales!

A good website hosting company has a stable server and has an annual network uptime score above 99.5%.

Security

Strong security is a must for any website, but especially for one that collects or stores personal data.

A secure web host protects your website from hackers, cyberattacks and other potential threats.

A good website hosting company will ensure that your website has quality cyber security protection and regular security updates.

Speed

Load-time is an extremely important aspect of a successful website. When a searcher lands on your site, you only have a small amount of time to make a good impression. And to do that, your site needs to load quickly, your page content needs to be valuable, and they have to find what they're looking for. 

In fact, according to Google, you have about 1-2 seconds for your page to load! Any more than that and you’re risking a high bounce rate and a low Google ranking in SERP. 

A good website hosting company ensures competitive side speed.

Support

Fast, personalized and effective customer service is the fourth and possibly the most crucial factor to consider when selecting a web hosting company.

After all, the stability, security and speed of your website all rely on the support you get from your hosting provider.

Whether you have a self-managed site or have a web development company managing your site for you, a strong support system is imperative.

When choosing a good web host provider, look for the following support criteria:

• 24/7 Monitoring
• Human Support
• 24/7 Ticket System

Need Web Hosting in Quinte? Browse Our DIY, SiteApex and WordPress hosting packages at OSM!

At OSM in Belleville, Ontario, we’ve been building, designing, managing and hosting websites since 1997!

Over the last 25 years, our Web Development and Support Team have worked with a variety of websites from multiple different industries.

The best part about our job as a web hosting company?

We get to build relationships with incredible companies in our community! Every. Single. Day.

Not only do we get to help build their dreams from the ground up, but we have the opportunity to support those dreams for years to come as well!

Are you looking for reliable website hosting in Quinte? Get in touch with our team!

Top 6 Benefits Of Our Web Hosting Services:

• We update our servers regularly for improved performance and security.
• Our servers are uniquely set up for optimized security reinforcement with Firewalls and Mod Security rules.
• We monitor the install base and usage of each server closely - adjusting as needed to ensure excellent site speed for your visitors.
• Our servers are constantly monitored via sonar monitoring. If any service fails to respond to a sonar check, our on-site, 24/7 support staff are immediately notified. While problems are extremely rare, this type of monitoring minimizes any potential downtime. It's is how we guarantee 99.9% Network Uptime!
• We secure each of our websites with TLS 1.2/1.3 connections and basic SSL certificates.
• Genuine human support by ticket, email, phone and online documentation.

 

Our Web Hosting Packages at OSM:

• DIY Web Hosting
• SiteApex Hosting
• WordPress Hosting

 

OSM Is Quinte’s One-Stop Digital Agency

Have you made your mark in the online world yet? We've got all the tools and experience you need to get started!

Begin building virtual authority, generating online traffic and growing business revenue in 2022. With our reliable web hosting and web design services, gaining traction in the online community is simple!

To learn more about our hosting services, call us at (613) 969-2626 or visit us online.