Web hosting is something every small business has and uses, even though most business owners don’t really understand how it works or what they are paying for. In the past, that wasn’t such a big issue. These days, however, the quality of your web hosting package can directly affect your search engine visibility. So, it’s a good idea for business people at every level to understand a few things.
The first is what web hosting represents. When you click a link or type a web address into your browser, the resulting URL actually directs you to space on a server (which is a disk) somewhere. That server is owned and operated by a web host. If you think of the domain for your website as its address, then the web host is the plot of land below it.
Where you store your website can have all kinds of effects on your business as a whole. Recently, however, companies of all sizes have been paying more attention to the way Google and the other search engines look at hosting details, because that’s the part of the bottom line that shows the biggest impact.
Let’s look at a few of the ways your choice of a web host can affect the flow search engine traffic to your website.
Speed and Reliability are Search Signals
It frustrates searchers to click through to a page and find that it either isn’t there, or takes a very long time to load. Accordingly, Google has adjusted its algorithm (after years of studying users) to analyze websites that use substandard hosting or go offline too often. Both of these problems can be fixed with better hosting, and make your website more useful without having a big impact on your budget.
Google Prefers Secure Website Connections
In the last few months it has been announced that Google is prioritizing websites that utilize SSL connections. That’s because these better protect both businesses and customers from hacking and information theft. Upgrading your website to add SSL functionality isn’t expensive, but it typically requires you to have a premium hosting package since it’s not a feature that’s available at the lowest price tiers. Biondo Creative uses WPEngine for hosting its customers website and offers a WPEngine Hosting Discount.
Being in a Bad Neighborhood Could Hurt Your Search Position
Google and the other search engines regularly block servers and IP addresses that are home to questionable businesses or websites. If you are using a bargain-basement shared hosting plan, you could find yourself unknowingly parked next to just such a company. If that happens, you may discover that your search engine ranking plummets without any obvious reason why.
As with the connection between web hosting and search engine optimization, there are many details about web design and Internet marketing that are difficult for business owners to understand and keep up with. If you’re looking for knowledgeable team who can help keep your business and technology on the right path, call Biondo Creative at our Yardley, PA location today to schedule a free consultation!