shared hosting tips guidesSo you’re ready to launch your online business? And after hours of research and reading through several web hosting audits for the best hosting options, you’ve settled on a shared hosting plan.

Now it’s time to go ahead and make the purchase, right? Not so fast, before you finally go off and make that payment, here are some things to consider about this hosting solution – and even if you know this, it doesn’t hurt to take a refresher just to be sure.

First, what is Shared Hosting?

Shared Hosting is when multiple sites – sometimes running into thousands – share the resources of a server. This means that the hosting company hosts several websites from different clients on the same server.

When you buy a shared hosting plan, you’re provided with an account and a control panel through which you access and manage your account and only this account on the server.

Responsibilities: Your web host and you

Your hosting provider manages the server on which your website is hosted –this means they’re solely responsible for updating software and maintaining server hardware, monitoring the server, and upgrading when necessary.

You, on the other hand, are responsible for your site. Through the control panel, you can upload files, monitor traffic to your site, and run applications from your account.

You could experience performance issues

Server performance is a significant concern when it comes to shared hosting solutions. With so many websites sharing the same resource of a server with your site – you may experience slow page load, lag in server response time, and frequent downtimes.

Now, it could have a massive impact on your revenue as several data have correlated slow page load time with a higher rate of an abandoned cart. Also, you might find your site losing traffic.

Security: Who keeps your site safe?

You can only do so much in this case, first, because you’re limited on what you can do to safeguard your site. Second, because you cannot control the activities of the other users on the server.

Of course, you may install some plugins like Windshield – if you’re running a WordPress site – to minimize your exposure to attacks but even this can go only so far. You are utterly powerless if one of the websites decides to install a malicious script.

For the sake of balance, it is essential to state that due to technological advancement, attacks on shared hosting solutions are restricted to the affected accounts and do not affect other sites on the same server.

When should you consider buying shared hosting?

There are situations in which subscribing to a shared hosting plan is smart a move and makes business sense.

Take for instance; if you’re starting out with little to no revenue, then, it is entirely OK if you decide to go with shared hosting to get off the ground.

Another scenario when using shared hosting is advisable is if you are receiving a daily site visit of less than five thousand.

Wrapping it up

Even with the myriad of concerns shared hosting presents, it is still the best hosting option available to new businesses venturing online; however, as your business grows it is vital to consider upgrading to one of the other plans that offer more control, security, and flexibility.