If you want to launch a website, you need a web hosting service. There’s no way around it – web hosting is what turns your site from a collection of files and data to an exciting, engaging online presence.

Feeling overwhelmed? It’s all good – White Rabbit’s here to help. We’ll explain everything you need to know about web hosting, how it works, and why it’s important for your business. So let’s hop to it.

Web hosting is the core of the internet. A website itself is really just a heap of files and code – not much fun to look at! The hosting process involves uploading all this information to a server, which is a type of special computer that stores websites and broadcasts them over the internet.

That means that when you purchase a hosting plan, you’re basically paying rent for a place on a server where your website can live.

It’s very simple. Imagine going to a store where everything is kept behind the counter and where you’ve got to ask the store clerk to pass you an item.

When you want to view a website, you type its address (or domain name) into your browser. This sends a request to the server to fetch your website for you – much like asking the store clerk for that bag of bunny food.

The server gets your web pages and delivers them back to you through your browser – much like the clerk handing you your (very important) shopping over the counter.

A domain name is your website address – both literally and metaphorically.

There are hundreds of thousands of websites out there, so how do you make sure your users find yours? Much like a delivery driver using an address to find your flat in a busy city, your domain name is what your users use to find your site in that great, big world wide web.

You might also know domain names as ‘URLs’ – like ‘www.google.com’. That’s probably one of the most famous domain names there is!

You’ll usually have to buy your own domain name before you can get your website hosted. Make sure you choose one that’s available – that hasn’t been taken by someone else – and that reflects your brand. For example, if you’re selling luxury rabbit hutches, you don’t want your domain name to be ‘www.cozybedsforpetcats.co.nz’!

Don’t have a domain name or aren’t sure where to find one? Have a chat with somebunny at White Rabbit. They might be able to help you sniff one out.

It’s simple. Without web hosting, your business won’t exist in the digital realm – which means you won’t be able to market digitally. In this increasingly online world, it’s impossible to really be trusted as a company if you’re only running off direct marketing or word-of-mouth.

An online presence also offers you a great range of benefits. You’ll be able to reach far more people, especially if you target a niche market. You could move into e-commerce, advertising your goods or service for sale online, and access a much wider audience than you would with brick and mortar online.

There are more benefits than just getting online. For example, if you need help troubleshooting your site, your hosting company will be able to help you out. That will take away the hassle of running your website, so you can focus on growing your business.

Don’t fall into the trap of going for the cheapest web hosting service in NZ. While there are many discount plans out there, they’re often cheaper precisely because they lack the security and reliability of pricier alternatives. By going cheap and cheerful, you risk compromising the quality – and security – of your website and customer data.

Cheaper plans often mean slower speeds and loading times for your website, which isn’t just troublesome for your visitors-they’ll also impact your SEO, potentially even lowering your business’ ranking on Google. That could mean less attention, less views – and less sales.

Your website is your business’ digital presence, so make sure you choose a provider that puts quality first, like White Rabbit. We don’t cut corners when it comes to our web hosting plans. That’s why, when you choose us, you’ll get an exceptional range of features designed to make your site as safe as it is a joy to use.

That includes regular backups of your data (both on-site and off-site), support services, lightning-fast load speeds, better security and much, much more.

For example, we offer SSL certificates with our hosting plans. These help keep your website secure against attackers and hackers, protecting your data- and that of your customers.

When you’ve got an SSL certificate in place for your website, your visitors will see a little green padlock in their browser that tells them it’s safe. Without an SSL certificate, on the other hand, visitors to your site might encounter a pop-up that warns them that it’s unsafe! That means that SSL certificates can help you build consumer trust by letting potential clients and customers rest easy that their info’s safe when they browse your offerings or shop in your online store.

We can also set you up with a custom email address that uses your domain name – like rabbit@bunnyfood.co.nz – on Google Workspace, an intuitive, user-friendly platform. That’s an excellent way to establish your brand and make you look more professional.

There’s certainly a lot to consider when it comes to choosing the right web hosting package for your company’s needs.

If you’re not sure where to start, the team at White Rabbit can help. Our busy little design agency in Auckland offers a range of comprehensive services designed to give your brand a great online presence, including website design.

So whether you’re launching a great new business or planning to re-brand, just turn to us for all the help you need creating an exceptional new website. Our digital bunnies are there for the whole process – from fantastic designs to hosting it once it’s ready to go live. So just give us a call at 0800 WHITE RABBIT (0800 944 837) or email hello@whiterabbit.com for a quote.