Every website is a set of files sitting on a computer that is switched on all the time and connected to the internet. Renting space on that computer is hosting. It is invisible when it works and very visible when it does not, which is why owners tend to either ignore it completely or overpay for it.
What hosting actually does
Hosting stores your pages and images, sends them to visitors' phones when requested, keeps the connection secure with an SSL certificate, and — on decent plans — backs everything up. Some hosts also run the software your site is built on, such as WordPress, and keep it updated. That is the part small businesses most often assume is included and most often is not.
What it should cost
For a typical local business site in Australia, hosting runs from about $10 to $50 a month. The cheap end is fine for a small static site with modest traffic. The higher end usually buys faster servers, daily backups, malware scanning and someone to call. Paying $100 or more a month for a single-location business site is rarely justified unless it includes actual maintenance work.
Where the site is hosted matters a little
Servers in Australia or Singapore load a fraction faster for Australian visitors than servers in the United States. It is not the biggest speed factor — image sizes matter far more — but if two plans are otherwise equal, choose the closer one.
Questions to ask before you pay
- Is the SSL certificate included and renewed automatically?
- How often are backups taken, and can I restore one myself?
- Who updates the site software, and how often?
- What happens if the site goes down at 9pm on a Saturday?
- Do I own the domain and can I move the site elsewhere?
Hosting versus care
Hosting keeps the lights on. It does not update your prices, swap a photo or fix a broken form. Many owners bundle hosting with a small care plan — YINO's is $49 a month — so that the boring, essential work is done without a separate conversation each time. See pricing for what is included, or ask us what your current host is actually providing.
