The post-covid world looks and operates very differently from before, including the web hosting industry. Remote working took over the majority of businesses leading to a higher need for web hosting resources that helped build websites and platforms that could enable smooth function from the sanctuary of your home. Keeping these changes in mind, here are the top trends in web hosting for small businesses in 2023.
- A decline in data centers with the rise in the Cloud
Research highlights the fact that approximately 45% of IT infrastructure is spent on data centers. However, it is predicted to go down by 10% as a result of industries preferring cloud hosting as opposed to traditional forms of data centers or in-house web hosting. This helps streamline the operation leaving you enough time to focus on your core responsibilities.
- A rise in price competition
As the demand for web hosting goes up, so does the price competition between web hosting services. As the industry changes, web hosting companies need to provide offers that are price-based. The focus is now on discounts and what additional features and resources you can offer at a low price. This doesn’t need to spell a loss for web hosting services, just a rearranging of costs and budget. Plenty of web hosting businesses offer short-term discounts to get more customers that can stay with them for the long term.
- Updated security measures
Covid-19 witnessed a steep rise in the number of malicious attacks being launched online including data violations, scams, and hacking. The basis of containing the wide spread of covid included building an infrastructure, a component of which was to share confidential information with authorities. The names, residences, and much more knowledge were exchanged which made it an attractive time for hackers to get their hands on sensitive information.
It leads to web hosting providers implementing advanced security measures that can protect this sensitive information better. There is a laser focus on the security of web hosting services to ensure the servers are fortified from any attack.
- Green housing
Green housing is a relatively new term that not many people might be familiar with. Web hosting has a massive influence on the environment. It leads to colossal levels of carbon emissions that have a detrimental effect on our atmosphere. The physical location of your servers is called a data center. It contains a lot of hardware including smartphones and computers that employees use. This leads to the generation of a lot of heat as time goes on. Hence, it is vital that appropriate measures need to be enforced to ensure cooling. Unfortunately, it requires a huge amount of CO2 output which can be extremely detrimental to the environment.
Hence, plenty of web hosting services have prioritized environmentally friendly practices that can minimize their carbon footprint. This includes getting carbon offset certificates and renewable energy certificates.
- Emphasis on HTTPS
Google has repeatedly emphasized the fact that websites without HTTPS are not protected enough. This has witnessed a huge surge in HTTPS websites that also rank better on the Google search engine which has an effect on the number of visitors you get, your conversion rate, and revenue. HTTPS websites are also relatively more secure thus helping gain your customer’s trust. It also has barriers against malicious attacks like hacking.
Knowing these advantages that come along with HTTPS encourages visitors to avoid websites without HTTPS. It is a necessity these days rather than just an option. If you choose not to have it, you could potentially harm your website’s growth. Hence, it is one of the top trends of 2023 that is sweeping the web hosting industry.
- Do-it-yourself website builders
Website builders have simplified the whole process of building websites and made it easy to manage as well. Web hosting services see this as a huge competition. While you get complete control over the coding of your website with web hosting, website builders on the other hand make it infinitely simpler with their drag-and-drop option that helps you customize your website easily.
Website builders offer powerful platforms just like web hosting services do to ensure you have a dynamic online presence. Web hosting includes a whole lot of features and resources including network, bandwidth, server, storage, and much more to ensure your website can be maintained. Website builders just have a very simplified structure that does not require code but you can make decisions just based on the visuals. For those that do not have a lot of knowledge of coding, this can prove to be a blessing in disguise that helps them accomplish their goal.
- Conclusion
Web hosting has gone through a huge transformation to adapt to the post-covid world. The trends mentioned above have helped immensely in helping the industry to accommodate the requirements of its customers and businesses worldwide and grow.
