What Is Hosting?
Quick Answer
Hosting (web hosting) is the service that stores your website's files on a server and makes them accessible to anyone who types in your domain name. It's different from your domain — the domain is your address, hosting is where the site itself actually lives.
Hosting vs. Domain Name — What's the Difference?
| Hosting | Domain Name | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Storage for your site's files | Your site's address |
| Bought from | A hosting provider (or your platform) | A domain registrar (or your platform) |
| Analogy | The building | The street address |
Why Does Hosting Matter for a Small Business?
- Your host directly affects how fast your site loads and how often it goes down — both of which can quietly cost you customers.
- A cheap or overloaded host is a common, often unnoticed cause of slow load times and downtime.
How Does Hosting Work?
When someone types your domain into a browser, a DNS lookup points them to your host's server, which sends back your site's files. Page-builder platforms (Wix, Squarespace) bundle hosting into their subscription; WordPress requires buying hosting separately from a provider.
Key Takeaways
- Hosting stores your site's files; your domain is a separate, different thing.
- Host quality directly affects site speed and uptime.
- Page-builder platforms bundle hosting in; WordPress requires buying it separately.
How NetNav Helps
NetNav monitors your site's speed and uptime, so hosting problems get flagged before they cost you visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to think about hosting if I use Wix or Squarespace?
Barely — it's bundled into your subscription and managed for you automatically.
What's the difference between shared and managed hosting?
Shared hosting is cheaper but splits server resources across many sites; managed hosting costs more but is optimized specifically for your platform, commonly WordPress.
Can bad hosting hurt my SEO?
Yes — slow load times and downtime are both factors Google's ranking systems can penalize.