Web hosting has evolved significantly since the early 1990s. Today, the reliability, security, and speed of your site can impact customer loyalty and either attract or deter new visitors. After all, if a website took forever to load and was even occasionally down, would you be likely to return to it?
It’s important to find a web host and development team (https://www.bairesdev.com/expertise/custom-software-development/) you trust to keep everything running smoothly. That means staying up to date with the latest trends in the industry. Just what do they look like in 2020? Here’s what’s new and emerging in web hosting.
Powering a typical website produces around 4,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to driving your car for more than 10,000 miles, according to Web Neutral Project founder Jack Amend. Because of the environmental impact of the internet and technology, many web hosting providers are looking to find more energy-efficient solutions.
Green web hosting will not only reduce your carbon footprint but also improve your reputation by demonstrating to consumers that you care about the environment and are doing your part to help it. Green hosting means you’re powering your enterprise with environmentally-sound resources, such as renewable energy.
You can earn carbon offset certificates (VER), demonstrating that you’ve participated in reducing greenhouse gases, and renewable energy certificates (REC), which indicate that you’ve helped fund eco-friendly initiatives.
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Keeping your website and any data it generates or stores private is pivotal to protecting your customers and your reputation. Risk Based Security reported 5,183 data breaches in just the first nine months of 2019, projecting that it would be the “worst year on record” for breaches. That means that 2020 is a year for ramping up security efforts.
Many web hosts are embracing two-step authentication, a process by which users must verify their login information twice for extra security. For example, you might be texted a code to enter on top of logging in with your credentials.
Another important security measure is obtaining an SSL certificate — indicated by HTTPS — which encrypts data exchanged between the web browser and server. In fact, as of 2018, Google Chrome began marking all websites that use HTTP instead of HTTPS as “not secure.”
The cloud is becoming increasingly popular for a variety of purposes, and web hosting is one of them. There are numerous benefits to cloud-based hosting: it offers greater security, it’s cost-effective, it’s scalable, and it’s highly efficient. Unlike traditional hosting platforms, cloud hosting uses virtual resources from a network of servers. It doesn’t depend on a single physical server and allows your data and materials to be migrated to the cloud.
While many businesses still hire professional web developers to make their vision a reality, it’s easier than ever before to create your site on your own. That’s why many web hosting platforms offer website builders as part of their package deals.
These easy-to-use tools enable you to customize your website and make it visually appealing according to your preferences. In many cases, you can simply drag and drop the components to create your layout — no coding knowledge necessary.
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Because of the competitive market of web hosting, many platforms are offering additional features and servers to entice customers to choose them. Some common add-ons include:
From environmental awareness to heightened security, cloud-based hosting to added value, there are many features and changes that will define web hosting in 2020. And with so many choices, it’s important to be cognizant of the top current trends.
Make sure to research any web-hosting platform you’re considering and compare and contrast the value you’ll get with each service. After all, you want the best for your website — it can make or break your entire business.
