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What’s the Difference Between Website Hosting and Website Maintenance?

Tags: website care, Website Content Maintenance, website design, Website Hosting, website maintenance

Difference in Website Hosting and Website Maintenance

Each year when we send out annual invoices to our WordPress website hosting customers we get the same questions. In most cases, customers are curious about the difference between website hosting and website maintenance. I understand why there is confusion and I hope to offer clarity on what website hosting includes and what is meant by website maintenance in this blog. Most of the information to follow is applicable for all types of websites. However, we specialize in WordPress website design, development, hosting, and maintenance and I will cover WordPress websites mostly. The rules also apply to all geographical areas too. It’s not limited to Michigan or even the United States. We are located in Michigan however we design, develop, host and, maintain websites from all over the United States. Let’s get started with the frequently asked questions.

Hosting vs Website Maintenance

Simply put website hosting is the storage of your website data, all of your website files. Website maintenance services are tactics to help keep your website updated and functioning properly. There are various levels and types of website updates from back-end code updates to front-facing content updates. We’ll get into that more in-depth later.

To answer the question on website hosting and website management more clearly it will be helpful to explain what website hosting is. I intend to simplify explanations and resist using highly technical terms. I believe explaining this in layman’s terms will help those users who need to hear it most. If you want more technical information please reach out to a web technologist and take notes!

What is Website Hosting:

All live websites are accessible because they are connected to the internet. The www in URLs -www.yourwebsite.com- stands for the world wide web – mind blown yet? The worldwide web also referred to as the web, is the pages you see when you are online, pages are pieces of a website.

All websites and web pages must be stored on a server that is connected to the internet for people around the world or around your town to access it while online. The internet is a network of these servers (or computers) that are connected (networked). The web works on the internet which is made up of all these servers. You are able to access these sites by paying an internet provider or (ISP) then connects to this network of servers.

An analogy could be that your web page, for example, the About Us page, is a page in a book. Your website is the book. The www/web is the bookshelf you see your book is stored on and the internet is the library (or bookstore) people visit to search for your book. Your internet service provider (ISP) is the library card that allows you to access that book.

All that to say, website hosting is when your website files are stored on a server that is connected and part of the internet.

Why Does Web Hosting Cost Money?

Although your website files are not physical they take up digital space. Digital space is costly. Anyone who pays for cloud services or large computer hard drives knows the more files you store the higher the cost. Servers are actual physical hardware. The servers used for storing websites and connecting to the internet are costly to build, purchase, and maintain.

Some businesses have in-house servers. This is a smaller server for your internal company communications and file storage. These personal servers range from $1000-$3000 depending on your needs. These are puppies compared to the big dog web servers used by most web hosting firms. Beyond the cost of the hardware, there is the expense of software, continuous maintenance, security, and all of the human brainiacs making sure everything is flowing smoothly to the internet.

At the beginning of website development, they were simpler (until we website designers got added in the mix…. but that’s another story the coders and engineers still have nightmares about.) Suffice it to say, making websites pretty, adding cool functionality, e-commerce, and content management capability, etc. adds – you guessed it – more space on servers.

Why is There a Large Range in Cost for Website Hosting?

A big differentiator with hosting is whether you are on a shared server or a dedicated server. Shared servers can have 100s to 1000s of websites on one server. This can cause bottlenecks because all of those websites are sharing the same CPU, RAM, etc.

As well, WordPress websites perform best on dedicated WordPress servers that include optimized features for WordPress.

Some Advantages of Dedicated WordPress Website Hosting:

Increased security
Predictable server usage
Ease in updating – plug-ins and themes
East of Set up
Optimized speed from shared hosting

Does Website Hosting include Website Maintenance?

By now you understand the difference between website hosting and website maintenance. In most cases when you purchase website hosting you are just paying for hosting. Website maintenance is an add-on service you can choose.

This is a critical differentiation to understand. If you purchase website hosting only and nobody is updating or maintaining it, you are leaving your website at risk. Be sure to determine if you will handle the maintenance required to keep your website fresh and safe or if you need help. When you choose which hosting company to use ask about hosting and website maintenance. Be honest with yourself and your vendor about your comfort level and the likelihood of you or your staff making updates.

What to ask when pricing website maintenance and hosting:

Will your website be hosted on a shared server or a dedicated WordPress server
Are plugin updates included – how frequently and at what cost
Are theme updates included – how frequently and at what cost
What level of security is included
Does maintenance include content updates
Other additional services included (design, SEO, blog writing, etc.)
Is email included, how many email addresses,
Is email set-up support included

Ask for pricing and the tactics they will use and the frequency each will be done.

What is WordPress Website Maintenance?

All websites rely on shared code, languages such as php and sql, etc. These languages are constantly evolving and code gets outdated. If you are a website owner who doesn’t add new content such as text or photos, etc., and you never look at the back end of your site you can be prey to issues.

Sometimes there are major updates to this code. In 2021 PHP had a major update and many older websites became disabled or had sections that no longer functioned properly.

Often times it is a minor update. These smaller updates are in response to security vulnerabilities. So although small, they are important to pay attention to.

What we encounter most often are WordPress plug-in updates.

Plugins are pieces of software/code that work with your WordPress website and add functionality. A plug-in allows a user to perform a specific set of actions easily. For example, a donation plug-in builds in the capability for users to donate money by clicking a donate button. The plugin automates the action behind the scenes and allows the user to just click a button while performing multiple steps behind the scenes.

WordPress plugins require maintenance regularly. This can be a very simple task even for novices. we suggest logging into the back end of your website monthly to check the status. When you log on you will see an alert if there are any plugins that need updating. Go to the plug-in page and click update. Save yourself from features being disabled and protect your website from hackers and malware.

Updating one plug-in can sometimes affect another plug-in. When there are major updates to your WordPress theme it may be wise not to update instantly. That is because some plug-ins you use may not have updated to the new version and may no longer work.

It’s important to keep this in mind when you or your website developer is building your WordPress website. Automated features are included in your website development with the use of WordPress plug-ins. However, the more bells and whistles you add, the more often you need to check to be sure they are all current and functioning optimally.

The more complex the features on your website the more time-consuming keeping it updated and optimized will be.

What is included in Website Maintenance Packages?

Website development and website design firms offer a variety of options for website maintenance. Some website design firms only offer plans for keeping your front-facing website content updated.

Types of Website Content Maintenance:

Updating your office hours and other page content
Adding important time-sensitive announcements
Adding a new product or service, etc.
Blog writing and optimization
Adding new photos or videos
Adding client testimonials, etc.
On page SEO

Website Design and Development Maintenance Plan

Updating data / content (as above)
Adding additional sections and pages
Updating themes and plugins
Troubleshooting issues
Security updates, etc.

We offer a variety of website care packages to suit. If you do not update your website or log in to your WordPress website backend monthly we recommend at minimum hiring us or another firm to monitor and update your website plug-ins. Plug-in update service is only available to our web hosting customers. Save hundreds or thousands of dollars in missed sales inexpensively by making sure your website is not compromised.

I hope I answered the questions about Website hosting and Website Maintenance clearly. Be sure to connect or call if you have any other questions. It has always been our mission to stomp out ugly websites and we also want to help keep websites secure from hackers and optimized for search engines. Keeping your website current and fresh is your best means of defense from hackers. It is also your best practice for keeping your site optimized for search engines.

How Do I Start My Small Business WordPress Website Design?

On August 10, 2020 / Branding - Marketing, Graphic Design and Web design, Web Hosting Web Security / 1 Comment

Tags: small business, website design, website development, wordpress

Before marketers or advertisers start any advertising or brand campaign they start with the 5 Ws. These basic problem solving and information gathering questions set a framework for small business WordPress website design and development too. Matter of fact they come in handy for a lot of life choices. In this post, we will focus on using them for website design planning.

Let’s start with the Why

The first ‘Why’ is why do you need a website? Why do your customers want to work with you instead of your competition? What are the differentiators that set your company apart? Clarify a value proposition for prospects and customers to connect with.

Begin to compile evidence of this expertise. Include all the content that proves your claim throughout the website.

testimonials
awards
client list
reviews
certifications
quantitative facts

The What is the Website Format and Function

What type of website do you need for your business? Are you selling products online? What style do you want for your website? What type of content will be included? What features need to be included? Have you looked at different WordPress themes that are suitable for your industry? Some themes are industry-specific and include plugins that are targeted to increase functionality based on the needs of your company such as calendars, easy to edit contact forms, woo-commerce shops, and more.

As You Begin to Research Themes and Styles Consider the Who

In marketing speak, who is your specific target market? While planning your small business website, think about who it is intended for. Who will benefit from the content on the website? Who do you want to attract to the website?

Determining the Who, in the beginning, will help you select the appropriate website style and the tone. If your website is meant to reach professionals as a business to business service the colors, features, and tone will be very different than if you are a company needing an e-commerce website selling kids pay supplies.

Where Does the Information Go?

The ‘Where’ gets into the actual design and flow of your small business WordPress website design. As in all design, your website layout needs to consider eye flow. When a visitor lands on your website what do you want them to see first? Where will you place key information so the visitors see the most important information first? Placement of website elements, including calls to action, contact information, photos, and videos can either help guide the visitor or confuse them.

Placement and flow considerations also include the website navigation. The goal of your website navigation interface is to maximize usability. When you know what information and media you want to include, begin to categorize it. Select no more than 6 categories for your main navigation. Once these main categories are defined start placing your content on pages under the main sections and quickly a site map will begin to develop.

For more robust websites with a lot of content and pages, there are additional options for website navigation built into the user interface.

Optional navigational schemes include:

Hierarchical navigation systems – The primary navigation system that allows users to navigate within the site using levels
Global Navigation – serves as the outline and template to allow users ease in maneuverability throughout the site
Local Navigation – helps visitors in a specific area of the site (often referred to as sub-navigation)
Adaptive web navigation – Personalized website experience based on a user’s browsing pattern in order to find relevant information more quickly and efficiently

Considering all aspects of navigation in advance allows for more efficient experiences for visitors to the webpage.

Moving Deeper into the Website Content Leads us to the When

The goal of every successful website is to lead the prospect to action. Whether it is a step by step funnel, a short contact form or a quick chat option the goal is to encourage visitors to act and act now before they are distracted by another cat video alert. Calls to action (CTAs) with a sense of urgency are key here. In some instances, you may want to offer limited-time specials. Other times offering a lead generator such as a free download or a 15% coupon with your next purchase will capture their contact information right away. This helps to stay connected with every website visitor even if they don’t purchase or contact you on the first visit.

Lastly, We Get to the How to Begin a Small Business WordPress Website Design

There is a couple of considerations when we look closely at the ‘How’ question.

How includes the securing of your domain name and choosing where your website will be hosted. Also the actual building of the pages uploading the theme and website content to the webserver. When choosing website hosting make sure you select a WordPress hosting plan that offers fast page load speeds and also helps to keep your website secure. For over 20 years Connection Group has chosen to work with Network Solutions for our customer domain registrations and we use Liquid Web for our small business WordPress website hosting. There are many companies offering these services. Choose one that is reputable and make sure you track the name and the URL of the companies you are working with and note your login credentials.

The other ‘How’ is the actual building of the website. The beauty of a small business WordPress website design is that you don’t have to be trained in website code and development to build it yourself. There are many WordPress website design tutorial videos on YouTube, local community education courses, and colleges that offer WordPress design classes.

If you are an entrepreneur who hopes to build your own company website I suggest starting on YouTube with some introductory videos. If the videos are easy to follow and you are starting with a small website, answer the questions above and begin your build-out. If you require a website that is more complicated or if the website design tutorials are confusing save time, money, and sanity and hire a professional WordPress website design firm.

Connection Group provides small business WordPress website design and development and we offer training once it is complete. We help you get to the business of running your business by doing the heavy lifting of building the entire website for you. Then when you need to make updates or edits you can choose to do that in-house without additional cost. Our goal is to lighten your workload and create a website design that contributes to the success of your business. Give us a call, we’re available for a consultation and we’re always here to assist with making critical updates for you as needed.

A Fresh, Smarter Website On A Safer, Friendlier Internet ?

On December 7, 2016 / Entrepreneurs - Small Business, General, Graphic Design and Web design, Web Hosting Web Security / Leave a comment

Tags: discounted website maintenance, SSL certificates, website back up, Website Hosting, website security

A Safer, Friendlier Internet AND Discounted Website Maintenance

WordPress rocks as a responsive website solution that non-coders can update easily, the challenge is that, it eats up space. It’s popularity also leaves it susceptible to hackers when it is not maintained properly. New website hosting features, discounted website maintenance and website security solutions are affordable and necessary solutions for small business websites.

Safe surfing for everyone

Earlier this year we penned a blog about Google’s plans for a safer, friendlier internet. In short, member-based websites, e-commerce sites, any website that requests customer log-in or visitor information will be required to have a secure website (https vs http). Beginning in 2017, Google will begin putting warnings on all non-secure websites that request log in information or websites that offer items or services for sale. As a result, these warnings will effectively shut down website visitors.

Google prefers all sites be trusted and certified.

Finally, after the initial phase, the plan is to target other websites in an effort to increase security across all of the internet. As a result, it is recommended all websites include an SSL certificate and choose secure website hosting.

Cost for SSL Certificates and Set up

Secure Security Socket (SSL) certificates for small business websites vary from 128/256 bit to 2048 bit encryption. If your website doesn’t retrieve personal information you could choose a lower level of coverage and see a cost savings. If your website accepts payments, customer or member information, and if you have a large amount of visitors monthly we recommend the highest security level.

Additional Benefits of Secure Websites:

Higher search engine rankings
Increased credibility and relevancy ratings
Referrer data – creating more accurate website analytics

Discounted Website Maintenance for Hosting Customers

Website hosting means your website and domain emails are stored on web servers. Web servers share your website content with the world. That is all basic website hosting is. If you would also like to reduce susceptibility to hackers, have regular back ups, and assistance with website updates and staff emails, a website maintenance plan should be added .

Connection Group offers our hosting customers an exclusive quarterly maintenance plan . Small business customers who do not need a lot of updates or who don’t receive 1000s of visitors each month are eligible for the discounted website maintenance. Small website hosting customers can receive the benefits of website maintenance with all of the services listed in our basic plan for $100 per quarter ($400 annually) instead of paying $75 per month or ($900 annually). Please review the quarterly plan to see if it suits your company.

Benefits of Website Maintenance

Increased search engine placement (SEO)
Current content on your website helps your visitor stay informed
Website updates show visitors that your company is progressive (and still in business!)
WordPress version updates helps to keep your website running smoothly
Google Analytics integration and access helps you see website visitor trends
Daily back ups help protect you in case of unforeseen issues
3rd party plug-in updates keeps your website safer from hack attacks and compatibility issues
Email control allows you to create, delete, back up all company email or ask us to help you

Reap the benefits and savings of discounted website maintenance. Websites that have current information instill visitor trust. The majority of websites that get hacked are those that are not maintained. In conclusion, take precautions, maintain your website, have staff check it regularly or outsource the service. The time to clean up a hacked website can take many hours or days. If you sell directly from your website the cost in lost sales alone can be devastating.

Please give us a call today. We’re here to help.