The emphasis on following the best practices of Search Engine Optimization has made experts optimize every aspect of digital performance. Ask any SEO expert about ranking on the SERPs, and they will be able to draw up an exhaustive list.
Factors like quality of backlinks, or detailed long-format content pieces usually figure on that list. However, it is only the best of SEOs that realize the importance of other factors.
In this regard, one area that has been found to affect SEO performance is web hosting. We all know that websites need to be hosted. Therefore, choosing the best Web Hosting Provider has become a priority for site owners and SEOs pursuing top performance.
In this article, we are going to look at some ways web hosting affects SEO performance. If you are someone who wants to rank on the first page of the SERPs, you should be reading this article till the very end.
Web Hosting: Meaning and Definition
The purpose of having a website is to make it visible and accessible on the World Wide Web (internet). In simple words, web hosting allows you to place all your brand website files on the internet.
Web hosting requires a server that stores all the data that your website carries. It then shows the same to individuals who are using search engines in trying to find relevant data. Businesses can either set up their own server and web hosting (an expensive proposition) or, they can opt for a credible website hosting service provider.
It should be pointed out that there are multiple types and formats of web hosting available. Businesses and individuals have the option of choosing between-
- Shared web hosting services
- WordPress hosting services
- VPS hosting services
- Cloud hosting services
- Dedicated hosting services
In the following sections, we look at why choosing the right web hosting is essential for your SEO efforts.
List of 5 Ways your Web Hosting can affect your SEO performance
- Security-
If you are keeping yourself up-to-date with some of the recent challenges affecting the internet, you must have come across cybersecurity.
The pandemic period saw cyberattacks increase by 3x times. Google and other search engines prioritize and prefer websites that are running SSL certificates.
SSL is a sign that the entire flow of data between the website and the user is secure. A great web hosting provider always provides the best and latest in cybersecurity infrastructure.
- Uptime-
For search engines, a site that is experiencing server downtime is a bad sign. Every time someone is trying to access your website, but it is not responding, Google takes it seriously.
Great web hosting providers pride themselves on delivering the best possible uptimes in the industry. This means that your website is always up and running on the internet.
Server downtime negatively impacts SEO and makes your website slip on the SERPs. Search engines label websites that experience a lot of downtime as unreliable.
1. Speed :
There are millions of websites in different niches, which means that Google always wants to show users the best ones. It takes into account the site and page loading speed.
This is because loading speed is considered a critical component of a positive user experience. If your website has a loading speed of more than 2 seconds, it will increase the bounce rate.
The higher the bounce rate, the poorer will be the user experience. Google will flag this as its algorithms will understand your website as one that is slow, tedious, and heavy.
2. Support :
Business websites, including Ecommerce platforms, can experience tons of problems. this is why you need a web hosting provider that offers the best tech support.
Issues like site migration, installing new add-ons, optimizations, or even addressing downtime are why you need support. Look for web hosting providers that offer 24×7 tech support.
You need to understand that a good web hosting provider can be an asset on your digital journey. They can themselves suggest methods that can help you improve SEO performance.
3. Capability :
Businesses need to go for web hosting that can be capable of handling increased loads and volume. We are living in the day and age of things going viral on social media.
Imagine if something from your brand goes viral, leading to thousands visiting your website to buy the product or service. What happens when the hosting cannot support the load? It crashes!
You do not want such a situation to occur. This is why you need a web hosting provider that is capable enough to scale according to your requirements.
The Bottom Line
Good SEO agencies and experts are always finding ways and means of improving search performance. They have found out that web hosting plays a critical role in affecting a site’s SEO performance. With every business, big or small, pursuing SEO, looking after such small areas can play a significant role in improving overall performance.
