With our LiteSpeed Hosting solution, you address speed issues with a blazing-fast platform.  Read on to discover how it can help you build a site fit for the modern consumer.

What Is LiteSpeed?

LiteSpeed — a drop-in, speed-enhanced web server — is available with our Turbo packages. With LiteSpeed, our clients experience 20X faster page loads compared to traditional solutions. If you’re serious about boosting your site’s performance, you should make the switch to LiteSpeed.  Here’s why:

High-Performance

A slow website impacts your bounce rates, SEO rankings, and bottom line. With Litespeed, we take care of your site’s performance so you can focus on other high-value activities. Here’s what we can guarantee with our solutions:

• 40% faster CPU performance
• 2X faster to first byte
• 9X more traffic capacity
• 3X faster read/write speeds

Free Site Transfer

Are you ready to experience A2 Hosting but fear migrating to our servers on your own? Don’t worry; in most cases, we can move sites for free. Call our 24/7/365 Guru Crew Support for more information about our free site transfer.

With our worry-free migration services, you can eliminate all speed optimization barriers.

Developer Friendly

We’ve been serving various website needs since 2003, and we’ve always enabled our clients to enjoy the most popular development software. We support older versions, too! Here is some of the development software we can link to your account:

• PHP 5.6, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, or 8.0
• MySQL
• 6/MariaDB
• PostgreSQL 9.6
• Python 3.4
• PERL 5.10
• Apache 2.4
• js 12
• FTP/SFTP
• Free SSH Access
• SSL & Free SSL

Perpetual Security

Recent cyber security statistics reveal that hackers attack 30,000 sites across the globe every day. With our Perpetual Security feature, we prevent our clients from falling victim to such attempts. A2 Hosting accounts come with free HackScan Protection to block malware before they can do any damage. Also, our reinforced distributed denial of service (DDoS) Protection boosts the likelihood of remaining online even after attacks.

Benefits of Turbo Plans

At A2 Hosting, our goal is to provide our clients with the best web hosting solutions that are both ultra-fast and reliable, like our Turbo plans. These are the options we offer for such services:

• 40% faster CPU performance
• 2x faster to first byte
• Can handle 9x more traffic
• Improved user experience with fast page loads
• Better SEO rankings

Built for Speed

Below are some components that make our turbo plans super fast, apart from LiteSpeed Hosting:

• Non-volatile memory express (NVMe): Through this component, we offer 3X faster read/write speeds.
• HTTP/3: This feature is the new gold standard in providing faster and more reliable connections for sites and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
• Edge Side Includes (ESI): With ESI, you don’t have to designate entire pages as non-cacheable. Instead, you can determine which portions can be cached and those that cannot.
• Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC): This element is an ideal alternative to transmission control protocol (TCP). QUIC creates multiplexed connections between computers, which further enhances your website’s speed.

Advanced Caching Software

Every time someone visits your site, your server has to run a request to convert all information pieces to viewable parts in a web browser. This process sometimes causes sites to run slowly, but it doesn’t have to.

This process doesn’t vary much from visitor to visitor, making caching essential. Turning on your cache stores your files within a much faster random-access memory (RAM). When caching software, your site won’t have to run complicated processes. Instead, your server stores HTML files for a fast load speed.

Upgraded Server Hardware

At some point in your company’s life, peer-to-peer networking becomes insufficient. As you grow, your user demands will exceed the capacities of routers and shared storage devices. For this reason, upgraded server hardware can do wonders for your business.

With a trusty server on your side, you can manage email campaigns for more people, grant access to multiple users, and manage shared resources in the workplace.

Optimized Configurations

Our experts know our hosting infrastructure inside and out, making it easy to optimize our solutions for various sites. Whether you have a CSS, JS, or HTML site, we have the right hosting infrastructure to meet your needs.

With our optimized configurations, you can enjoy faster load times while reducing overall page size. We can help you save up to 80% bandwidth and boost your site’s performance tenfold.

The A2 Hosting Edge

A2 Hosting is nothing like your typical hosting company. We designed our Turbo plans for super speed, limited occupancy, and various performance add-ons to provide clients with the fastest web hosting services available anywhere.

With our solutions on your side, you can boost your user experience and conversion rates. Read on for more reasons to switch to A2 Hosting.

Super Speed

Fast web hosting servers allow you to customize your website in a way that addresses your unique requirements. These services are essential to thrive in the modern world.

Fast hosting leads to a quick load time — a crucial SEO component that encourages clients to hang around. Additionally, a fast website equates to better security and more revenue. If your slow internet is driving away clients, It’s time to say goodbye to mediocre hosting.

Guru Crew Support

With A2 Hosting, our exceptional services don’t end when you sign up with us. Our 24/7/365 Guru Crew Support proves it.

When you manage a company, you typically observe normal business hours. However, overseeing a website is a different story.

Websites require 24/7 support because anyone can access the internet from anywhere in the world. Any time of the day, you have visitors reading your content or making purchases. Every time you experience technical difficulties, you can lose traffic and credibility.

Whether you experience a breakdown or network outage, our support team will be there for you 24/7/365.

Money-Back Guarantee

We believe in all our groundbreaking solutions, inspiring us to offer a money-back guarantee. There’s nothing to lose but everything to gain from our offer, so why not give it a shot?

We don’t think you’ll cancel because we offer up to 20X faster web hosting to help you thrive in the modern world! However, if you do, we’ll give you a hassle-free refund. We hate breakups as much as the next person, but we won’t hold it against you.

99.9% Uptime Commitment

Uptime refers to a measure of system reliability expressed as a percentage of time a machine has been available. When hosting providers boast impressive uptime rates, it’s a good indication of high-performance servers. Our 24/7/365 support staff will get your site running in no time.

Upgrade Your Website Now

In today’s modern world, your website speed can make or break your online presence. A fast load time can boost your SEO, conversion, and sales efforts. Whether you need shared web or managed dedicated services, there’s an ideal Turbo Hosting for your needs. With its LiteSpeed Hosting feature, you never have to lose an online client again because of a slow website.

Contact our sales team today to discover how working with us can transform your business.  We’d love to help you achieve your 2022 business goals.

The post What is LiteSpeed? The Ultra-Fast Web Server You Should Know About appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Continue reading to discover what a web host manager is and why it is important. Learn what types of web host managers are available to business owners and web professionals like you and explore the benefits of using WHMCS for your websites. Finally, learn how you and your team can experience the advantages of web hosting with the assistance of A2 Hosting.

What Is a Web Host Manager?

A Web Host Manager (WHM) is a computer program that grants users like you the ability to supervise various cPanel-based sites. It allows you to manage your dedicated server or Virtual Private Server (VPS). This control dashboard provides you with administrative access to the back end of cPanel.

As an end-user, you can utilize WHM in tandem with cPanel to set up individual accounts, add new domains, handle hosting features, and conduct basic maintenance. It is possible for you to oversee MySQL databases and to add and remove email accounts with the assistance of WHM.

Why Is a Web Host Manager Important?

A Web Host Manager (WHM) is important because of its connection to cPanel. This website utility enables you to efficiently handle the operation and maintenance of your websites. It provides numerous functions that are related to database, domain management, backup, mail, and security.

cPanel’s automated and configurable platform allows you to create and automate all server management tasks. However, WHM is necessary to maximize the usefulness of cPanel. After all, cPanel needs the support of WHM to supervise multiple accounts.

What Types of Web Host Managers Are Available?

There is a wide range of web host managers (WHM) that are available to business owners and web professionals such as yourself. The type of WHM that is suitable for you depends on the particular needs of your business team.

These are the popular types of web hosting plans:

1. Shared Web Hosting

Shared web hosting involves the sharing of CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), and other server resources by multiple websites. This hosting type is suitable for you if you only need entry-level website hosting at a relatively affordable cost.

2. Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

VPS hosting allows every website to be hosted in its own dedicated space on a server while sharing a physical server with other websites at the same time. It is a viable option for you if you need more storage space and customization features without having to splurge on dedicated server hosting.

3. Dedicated Server Hosting

Dedicated server hosting is a form of hosting where your website has one dedicated server so you don’t have to share your resources. It is the ideal choice for you if you are willing to invest in its premium cost so you can access a higher level of resource allocation and control for your website.

4. Managed Hosting

Managed hosting is a form of service where the provider is fully or partially responsible for the regular management of the hardware, operating systems, and applications involved in web hosting. It is appropriate for you if you wish to relegate the technical aspects of web hosting to your provider.

What Are the Benefits of Using WHMCS?

A2 Hosting offers the benefit of using WHMCS to help navigate the backend of your website. These are the major benefits that you and your team can experience if you use Web Host Manager Complete Solution (WHMCS) for your website:

1. Multiple Functions

WHMCS makes it simple and easy for you to manage your website because of its multiple functions. Its handy suite of tools enables you to fulfill the following tasks:

• Keep track of your websites regularly
• Create, suspend, or delete your cPanel accounts
• Monitor and change the DNS zones of your domains
• Grant permission to keep track of your server status and data
• Configure the support requests of your clients via cPanel
• Set up your default page as you form a new account
• Make adjustments to your client user names and domain names
• Personalize your hosting and control panel with your branding
• Oversee the cPanel and change the aspects which do not require SQL access

2. Increased Cyber Security

Using WHMCS can increase the online security of your websites. Just in case one of your sites is compromised because of a cybercrime attack, a WHMCS will minimize the risk that your other websites will also be affected. A WHMCS also prevents hackers from finding out that the various accounts on different cPanels are linked to the same WHM account.

3. Greater Flexibility

WHMCS offers you flexibility by allowing you to adjust your bandwidth and disk space. These adjustments are critical to the continuous operations of your website, which may crash or become suspended if it goes over the maximum bandwidth.

4. Efficient Credit Card Processing

WHMCS enables your multiple websites to accept credit card payments from your customers. Your site will need an SSL certificate and dedicated IP address to process credit card transactions. Since only one dedicated IP address is allowed for each cPanel, you can choose a Reseller account that lets you manage multiple cPanels.

What Types of Hosting Plans Are Offered by A2 Hosting?

The right hosting plan will make it possible for you to achieve your work goals so you can grow your business.

No matter what type of web host manager you require for your websites, A2 Hosting offers a wide range of feature-rich hosting plans that you can choose from. We can empower you to manage your websites through our Shared Web Hosting, Dedicated Hosting, VPS Hosting, WordPress Hosting, and Reseller Hosting.

Contact our sales team to discover which one of these powerful A2 Hosting solutions is perfect for your business needs.

The post Why Do I Need a Web Host Manager? appeared first on The A2 Posting.

What is Magento?

First, let’s discuss what Magento is and why it may be a helpful platform for you. Magento is one of the top e-commerce platforms today. It is made with open-source software so users are able to control their online store’s look, functionality, and content without compromising the shopping experience. Also, Magento provides its users with a number of useful tools and features including marketing, SEO, and catalog-management tools. With Magento, users have access to a wide variety of plugins and themes to customize whatever they want. Such customizations can also improve customer experience.

In general, the platform is scalable to any store size and will adapt to your business, whether you are catering to a few customers or a million. This means that as your business grows you won’t be forced to change platforms.

What is Managed VPS Hosting?

Managed VPS Hosting is a managed service where you don’t need to worry about managing your server. With Managed VPS Hosting, your hosting provider will take care of server maintenance such as core updates, software installation, backup, security, and more.

Benefits of Magento as an eCommerce Platform

Magento offers numerous advantages to e-commerce businesses. As an e-commerce platform, it provides:

• Increased performance and scalability
• Improved ability to persuade customers
• A powerful platform that can support thousands of products
• A responsive and mobile-friendly experience
• Advanced search engine optimization features
• A helpful community with developer support

Benefits of Managed VPS Hosting with A2 Hosting

• Enjoy Full Root Access: With full root access you can tailor your managed server to meet your specific needs as you’re not sharing it with other entities.
• Cost Savings: With managed virtual hosting, you can eliminate expenses incurred on hiring dedicated staff to take care of the technical administration and management tasks.
• Scalability: Managed VPS Hosting services also take care of scalability, which is an important requirement for growing businesses. With rising traffic, your server resources can be easily ramped up to meet the increasing demands.
• Security: With Managed VPS Hosting, you get an IP address that is unique to your server, which offers increased website security.

Conclusion:

At A2 Hosting, our goal is to offer fast, responsive, and reliable hosting solutions to meet your unique needs. This recent integration with Magento is one way for us to show our support to all of our customers.

If you’re a growing enterprise, increasing business demands can place undue strain on your website and online operations if they’re not designed to handle high traffic and other challenges. In addition, the demands of an expanding business can divert attention from more valuable business activities. This is where A2 Hosting can come to your rescue. By opting for our Managed Magento VPS Hosting, you can focus your time and attention on operations such as marketing, promotions, sales, and customer service that directly contribute to the growth of your business.

Leave the hosting challenges to us while you attend to your customers. Benefit from our hassle-free and seamless hosting plans!

Click here to check out our Managed VPS Hosting plans. If you have any further questions, contact our sales team today!

The post A2 Hosting Now Offers Magento Support on Managed VPS Hosting Plans appeared first on The A2 Posting.

That is the question. And we don’t blame you for asking it. With dozens of web hosting packages available, choosing the correct plan is a daunting task. Plus, on top of it all, you’ll have to choose between a managed or an unmanaged plan. But what are they really and which option is right for you? We’re going to review the key differences to help you make the best choice for your needs. 

In this blog we’re going to review:

• What is VPS hosting?
• How does a VPS work?
• What are the key differences?
• How to choose the right management level

What is VPS Hosting?

If you’re already deciding between management levels, chances are you already know what a VPS is. In case you don’t, we’ll give you a quick refresh. 

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) uses virtualization technology to allocate the resources of a server into smaller servers. In other words, it’s one physical server functioning like several separate servers. It’s called a private server because your server’s resources are reserved solely for you so you won’t share resources like RAM, CPU, or any data with other users on the physical server. 

How Does a VPS Work?

VPSs are mini dedicated servers. They simulate the experience of a dedicated server even though you’re sharing the physical server with other users. 

We install a virtual layer (our older Managed and Unmanaged VPSs use OpenVZ virtualization while our newer VPSs use Virtuozzo) on top of the operating system (OS). This separates the server into its individual compartments. Picture an apartment building. Every apartment in the building shares the same building, but each is separated by walls and doors with locks. VPSs are split by virtual walls. By separating the server into separate compartments, the layer allows every user to install their own operating system and software. 

In a VPS environment, your website lives within a secure container with its own resources. 

So let’s take a look at the key differences between management levels

Managed vs Unmanaged VPS Hosting

Managed VPS 

With a managed VPS, we give you the keys to your own fully furnished server. 

Managed = additional resources. We provide these additional services free of charge including: 

• 24/7/365 support on chats, phones, and tickets
• server configuration
• server maintenance
• server security
• server upgrades
• malware scanning
• and more

Built with CentOS 7 and cPanel, it’s a stress-free solution for users wanting to design their website but not worry about server-related issues. 

Important: We don’t assist in matters related to your website’s design including CMS applications, so you’ll need to speak with a developer. 

Root Access Option

With managed VPSs, you have the option to add root access upon checkout. With root access, you have administrative-level access to install and configure files on your server to your liking with access to our 24/7/365 support on chats, phones, and tickets.

Root access is intended for experienced users, engineers, and developers in the event of server misconfiguration, deletion of critical files, and certain server customizations not supported or able to be corrected by our staff.

Unmanaged VPS

You have the keys to your own unfurnished server.

Unmanaged = few additional features. These servers don’t include 24/7/365 support on phones, chats, and tickets.

We only provide the physical infrastructure, the initial installation of the server, and manage hardware issues and uptime only. 

You are solely responsible for installing software as well as 

• your own control panel
• script installation
• database installation
• software upgrades
• maintenance
• security
• and migrations.

How to Choose the Right Management Level

Now that we’ve defined each, let’s review how to choose which is best for you. You may be scratching your head, still confused between management levels, but hopefully, this section clarifies which one you should choose.

Because Managed VPSs come fully managed with many additional resources, they are best for: 

• Beginners who need the power of a VPS but aren’t too technically savvy
• Intermediate developers who know how to design websites but don’t have server-side knowledge
• Businesses without a server technician
• Advanced developers who don’t want to worry about the server configuration

They’re more expensive plans, but you’re paying for our 24/7/365 technical support and access to extra resources like security. 

With Unmanaged VPSs, you have full root access to configure and install the server in any way you choose. Unmanaged VPSs are intended for:

• The most experienced users with knowledge of and experience with servers
• Users wanting to fully customize their VPS to their liking
• Developers familiar with server functionality

These plans are less expensive because they don’t come with the extra services guaranteed with a VPS. You don’t get any access to our support team, no security guarantee, and no help with your server beyond the initial installation. 

To review, there are differences between management levels, and choosing the best plan for you is tricky. Just remember:

• Managed VPSs are hands-off servers for those with little to no experience with server functionality. 
• Managed VPSs are more expensive but include a host of additional services like advanced technical support, security patches, server upgrades, and more.
• Unmanaged VPSs are intended for advanced developers only or individuals who are experienced with server functionality.
• Unmanaged servers are the cheapest VPS option but come with nearly ZERO additional services. 

Related Articles: 

• Managed vs Unmanaged Hosting Plans: Which Is Best for Your Website?
• Managed VPS vs Unmanaged VPS
• What Is VPS Hosting (And When Should I Choose A VPS Server)?
• How a VPS Works: A Beginner’s Guide

The post Should I Choose Managed or Unmanaged VPS Hosting? appeared first on The A2 Posting.

What is a VPS Reseller Hosting Package?

A VPS Reseller server is a virtualized server that a user can split into several hosting packages. Here’s how it works:

1. You purchase a VPS package from us with as many cPanel licenses as you need.
2. Then, you can resell the cPanel accounts to individuals.
3. Then, using the WHM system, you can create additional client accounts and give each individual their own cPanel. 
4. That’s it! 

Who Would Want a VPS Reseller Plan?

VPS Reseller plans are for clients with multiple sites that need individual cPanel accounts for each site. It’s also for clients who are reselling to clients requiring the power, resources, and scalability of a VPS. Regular shared reseller plans are more limited in resources than their VPS counterparts. 

So, is VPS Reseller Hosting Actually Worth It? 

Privacy and Configuration 

VPS Reseller packages offer more privacy and greater server admin control. With a VPS server, you can have root-level access to configure the server to your liking. 

Not only that, but VPS packages are in their own virtually-allocated server environment so your clients have greater privacy. Your resources are also your own. In a shared Reseller package, you’re still sharing a server with many other individuals. With a VPS Reseller package, you’re sharing the same physical server, but not sharing the same virtual server. Your server is your own. 

Resources 

VPS servers have more resources than their Reseller counterparts. For example, our entry-level shared Reseller package Kickstart only offers 60GB of disk space whereas our entry-level VPS plan offers 150GB of disk space. 

Speed

Because you’re not sharing the server with many others, you’ll experience faster loading speeds on a VPS server. 

Why Should I Become a Reseller?

Low Bar to Entry

If you aren’t used to web hosting, there’s a learning curve at first. But if you’re familiar with web hosting or have your own website, it’s not much harder to become a reseller. Pricing for VPS Reselling packages is reasonable, starting at $54.99/monthly for a Lift 8 plan with 150GB of disk space and 8GB of RAM. 

Scalable

It’s easy to upgrade to a higher-tiered VPS at any time. Our reseller hosting accounts are scalable so you can start small and expand as your client list grows as scaling up doesn’t cost anything. 

Easy to Manage

When you sign up for a VPS Reseller hosting account, you’ll need to manually create users in WHM. Once you create the accounts, you can give each client their own cPanel account and manage them accordingly. Within each cPanel is a client’s allocated disk space and bandwidth. Their cPanel also contains the necessary tools to manage their website, set up email addresses, and add databases. 

If you have your own shared hosting package or have used web hosting before, setting up a reseller account is similar. Instead of setting up your own domain, you set up the framework for your clients to manage their own websites.

Your clients can manage their own accounts which saves you the hassle of administrating their websites yourself making this an easy way to make passive income. 

In conclusion, VPS Reseller hosting has a myriad of benefits ranging from server privacy, easy configuration to scalability and speed. With the right setup, you can start reselling today!  

Related Articles: 

• Reseller Quick Start Guide
• How to Make Your Reseller Hosting Business a Success
• How to Start a Hosting Business and Join the Remote Working Revolution
• What Reseller Hosting Is (And How You Can Take Advantage of It)

The post Is VPS Reseller Hosting Actually Worth It? Making the Case for Easy Passive Income appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Who has the best eCommerce hosting for small businesses? We tend to be a little bias when we answer A2 Hosting, but in this article, we’re going to review why we’re the industry leader in small business hosting and which plans are best for small businesses. 

How Does A2 Hosting Support Small Businesses?

A2 Hosting takes pride in supporting small businesses. We not only celebrate Small Business Week, but we celebrate Small Business Month. For the entire month of May, we offer some of our lowest prices of the season, increasing the affordability of our plans but still offering the same, first-rate service.

Apart from discounts, we also highlight the most important aspect at A2 Hosting: the people. From Katie Davis, author, and entrepreneur, to the Pyrenees Cycling Company in France, to music producer Gemtracks.com, we celebrate the backbone of our company, the small businesses that make us who we are. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have small businesses supporting us along the way. Knowing this, we like to give that support back by offering the fastest servers on the market and help from our advanced technical support team. 

Our CEO, Bryan Muthig said, “Small Businesses are so important and we’re trying to do everything we can to give them the prices and plans they need to flourish, everything we do is with the intention to help our customers thrive online.” We love our small businesses here at A2 Hosting and we’re committed to providing the speediest solution available for your business to thrive. 

Speed might not seem like an obvious way to support small businesses, but website speed directly influences a business’s conversion rate and profitability. Also, speed isn’t a preference but an expectation. More than 45% of consumers expect pages to load in 2 seconds or less. After 2 seconds, many users leave to find another fast-loading page. 

In fact, for every additional second of loading time after 2 seconds, conversions drop by 7% and continue to drop by intervals of 7% for every consecutive second.  

Amazon performed site speed tests that concluded they would lose $1.6 billion every year if their site slowed down by one second. Now, Amazon isn’t a small business, but as a small business owner, you can’t afford to lose money. Sure, it’s not going to total a $1.6 billion loss, but any loss is a loss for your business.

For small businesses, a one-second improvement in page load speeds leads to $70 more revenue per day (over $2000/monthly) for sites earning $1000 a day. 

That’s why it’s vital to invest in a speedy server. We offer our Turbo line of products that feature NVMe drives and our AMD EPYC processors. 

NVMe stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express. These drives are the fastest on the market, delivering sustained read-write speeds of 2000MB per second, miles ahead of its SATA SSD III counterpart, which tops at 600MB per second. 

We offer the NVMe drives for Shared Hosting, WordPress Hosting, VPS Hosting, Reseller Hosting, and Dedicated Hosting. 

As a small business, you won’t have the traffic of larger corporations like Amazon or Etsy. Your needs are smaller and it’s important to choose a plan that correctly matches your needs. 

We recommend the following plans for small business owners:

Shared Hosting – Turbo Boost or Turbo Max 

The Turbo Boost and Turbo Max plans both use the NVMe storage and AMD EPYC processors. They boast unlimited resources and include our 24/7/365 support on phones, tickets, and LiveChats. The reason we recommend these two plans is because of speed. Again, slow websites kill conversions but fast websites keep your customers coming back. These two plans are the speediest we have for shared hosting. 

If you only have a small database, use very little, and have a tiny budget, you can opt for a Startup or Drive plan. Keep in mind, the Startup plan doesn’t offer backups and neither plan offers a Turbo option. If you choose Startup or Drive, you can upgrade to a Turbo server at any time. 

VPS Hosting – Mach 8 or Mach 16

If you have a larger volume of traffic, the Mach 8 is your best bet. It offers 8GB of RAM and 150GB of NVMe storage with the privacy of a VPS server in the body of a much speedier physical server. It only offers a single cPanel though so if you’re looking for another cPanel account, it’s best to go for the Mach 16 plan.

Dedicated Hosting – Warp 2 Turbo AMD 

If you’re a small business with an unusually high volume of traffic, the Warp 2 Turbo AMD is for you. This is a state-of-the-art Bare Metal Dedicated server with NVMe storage, Turbo caching, and a whopping 64GB of RAM. For most small businesses, this plan is overkill but for those exceeding our highest VPS plan, the Mach 32, this is the best next step. 

All of the above plans feature our 24/7/365 support team. They’re available on phones, LiveChat’s, and through tickets and they work diligently to troubleshoot your server problems. 

Keep in mind that with all of our plans, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one small business may not work for yours. Every business has different needs and it’s important to find out what’s best for you. When in doubt, contact our sales team. They are web hosting experts and will set you up with the best plan for your exact needs. 

In conclusion, A2 Hosting is committed to the success of your small business. By offering fast, affordable hosting, you’ll quickly rise in SEO rankings, lower your bounce rates, and increase your conversion rates, leaving your corporate competitors behind in the dust. 

Related Articles: 

• A2 Hosting: Web Hosting’s Small Business Champion
• Who Has the Fastest Web Hosting? Matching Your Need for Speed
• When Is It Time to Upgrade from a Shared Hosting Server to a Virtual Private Server (VPS)?
• How to Write Better Product Descriptions that Drive eCommerce Sales During the Holidays

The post Who Has the Best eCommerce Hosting for Small Businesses appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Why Do Hosting Costs Matter?

Hosting costs occur over the lifetime of your website. If you have a website, there’s no getting around the price tag associated with hosting it unless you own and run your own server (if you do–great!). Chances are you don’t run your own server so cost is important. 

At initial sign-up, most hosting companies offset the costs of starting a new website by offering promotional discounts for your first billing cycle. After this billing cycle is over, your hosting package goes up to the original price which is considerably more expensive. This is a common complaint we receive. But why does the price go up? 

Beyond the dollar figure, quality and performance impact your website first and foremost. Money is important, of course, but if your site is slow, you’ll lose customers and as a consequence, lose money. In this sense, cheaper isn’t always better. 

Paying for subpar hosting can mean slow loading times, leading to more bounces and fewer conversions–an estimated 7% drop. 

If you’re trying to save money, save it in other places. Skimping on your hosting is the last place to start because you don’t want a poorly performing website. 

The trick is to keep costs low but find the perfect ratio of quality to affordability. This is what we offer at A2 Hosting. 

So, what are you paying for? 

With the cost of managed web hosting, you’re paying for:

• Security and security patch updates
• Turbo-fast speeds
• High-quality 24/7/365 support on tickets, phones, and LiveChat
• 99.9% uptime 
• Scalability 
• Backups 
• Free email
• Free SSL certificate 
• And more, depending on the plan

Basically, you’re paying for the additional services required to keep your website secure and up-to-date. 

Notice we said managed web hosting above. Managed web hosting includes these additional services that unmanaged servers don’t. 

That’s why our Managed and Unmanaged Dedicated server plans have vastly different prices. 

As you can see, our unmanaged Dedicated hosting plans are less expensive than their managed counterparts. That’s because unmanaged plans don’t offer the support, security, and updates that managed plans do. 

Unmanaged plans are priced cheaper because they don’t offer:

• 24/7/365 support
• Server configuration
• Security
• Regular server-side updates

With an unmanaged server, you get what you pay for. They’re great for experienced developers who know how to handle the complications of maintaining a server, but for everyone else, stick with its managed counterpart. 

How can I lower the cost of my web hosting?

1. Choose a hosting provider you can trust. 

At A2 Hosting, our introductory Shared Hosting Startup plan starts at $2.99/monthly. Even though it’s a low-cost server, it still includes stellar performance. 

We have servers around the globe so you can choose the location to best meet your needs for latency and reliability. 

2. Choose a longer contract.

The longer contract you choose, the less expensive your web hosting package is. 

Once your first contract expires, your plan often renews at a higher rate. To offset the higher cost down the line, lock in that discounted rate for as long as possible. 

For example, our Turbo Boost is on sale for $83.88 for three years or $6.99/monthly. Then, after three years it renews at $755.64 yearly. If you choose only a monthly billing cycle, the first month is $15.99, but every consecutive month is $20.99. Choosing a longer billing cycle saves you money long-term if you’re willing to make the short-term investment. 

3. When in doubt, start with a Shared plan.

The majority of new websites are better off starting with a shared web hosting package. It’s an entry-level hosting package allowing costs to stay low in the beginning. Unless you’re expecting a large volume of traffic at your website’s launch, shared hosting is enough for your needs. 

You can always upgrade at any time. As our sales team always says, it’s easier to upgrade than to downgrade. Upgrades are free, but downgrades cost $25 to migrate so it’s best to start small and scale-up. 

At A2 Hosting, we couple affordability with speedy plans. We offer generous discounts to get your business going and if you’re an existing customer, our sales team will work with you to come up with a more affordable solution. 

Related articles:

• How to Choose the Best Web Hosting Plan for Your Needs
• Web Hosting Resources: What You Need to Know to Choose the Right Plan
• How Much Should You Expect to Pay for Web Hosting?
• Why Web Hosting Matters for Your Business (4 Key Reasons)

The post Is Dedicated Web Server Hosting More Expensive? The Full Guide to Web Hosting Pricing appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Continue reading to explore what web hosting is and what the common types of hosting are. Learn why it is important to find a first-rate web host provider and discover which web host provider has the fastest hosting service and what kinds of plans they offer.

What Is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is an internet hosting service that hosts websites and web pages on behalf of businesses and individuals.

The backend and files of websites are stored on servers. Internet users can view a website by typing its URL address on their browser or by clicking on a link. The users’ computers will be linked to the server so that the webpage will load on their browser.

During the early days of the Internet, companies and persons were required to have their own computer or server to host a website. However, not everyone could afford to buy technological equipment or hire in-house professionals who specialize in website hosting. The need for web hosting services started to grow as the number of Internet users all over the world began to increase exponentially.

These are some of the popular types of web hosting:

• Shared Hosting: It involves the sharing of server space among various websites. The shared resources typically include the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and RAM (Random Access Memory). It is ideal for businesses that plan to build new websites because it is priced relatively low and allows for growth.
• Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting: It offers more control than shared hosting, but less control than dedicated hosting. Every website is allotted its own space and reserved resources within the parameters of the server making it a virtual private environment while still sharing hardware. It is appropriate for businesses with existing websites with low to medium amounts of traffic.
• Dedicated Hosting: It allows the webmaster, who is the owner of the website, to have almost full control of the site. The webmaster can manage the administration access, select the security features, and pick the operating system of the server. It is suitable for businesses with existing websites that have a high amount of traffic. This arrangement is usually preferred by companies with an in-house IT department that can oversee the site unless they have a managed plan which we outline below.
• Managed Hosting: This is most common type of web hosting service and can be added to Shared, VPS, and Dedicated hosting. In this scenario, the web host is in charge of server maintenance rather than the webmaster. The webmaster is freed from the responsibility of maintaining the operating system, software, and hardware related to the website. The website owner just needs to select the hosting package that will suit the needs of the business. This form of hosting is appropriate for businesses that plan to build and maintain websites with minimal effort. A2 Hosting has managed shared, VPS and dedicated hosting plans to choose from!

Why Is It Important To Have a Good Web Host?

A web host is a company that provides web hosting services to businesses and individuals. There are several reasons why any business needs to have an excellent web host:

1. Optimized Data Storage

It is critical for a business to have a dependable web host that offers ample data storage options. Proper data storage enables a website to handle more online traffic. Storage limitations can cause a site to shut down when the amount of traffic is high.

2. Secure Server

A competent web host can improve the cyber security of a business website. It ensures the safety of the network space to safeguard the website files and customer information from being accessed by outsiders. It blocks hacker attacks, phishing attempts, and other kinds of cybercrimes.

3. Zero To Minimal Downtime

Downtime refers to the timeframe when the website is not available online for various reasons. Whether it is scheduled or unscheduled, downtime can be detrimental to a business if it occurs often. It reduces opportunities for lead generation and conversion. Plus, frequent downtime makes a website seem unprofessional. That’s why it is critical for a business to select a dependable server with zero to minimal downtime.

4. Backup Protection

A business should work with a website host that offers backup options. Backup measures will allow the team to roll back the website in case of technical issues. A website must have backups so that a business will not lose important data.

5. Email Services

A business will appear more professional if the team members use customized email addresses that are related to the domain name, instead of communicating via free email accounts from popular email services.

Official work email addresses can help a business build a reputation as a credible, legitimate organization. Email hosting is one of the basic but essential features that a web host should offer in their packages.

6. Customer Service

A commendable web host should always be prepared to provide technical support to a business in case they encounter problems with their website. The company should provide alternative ways for their clients to contact them whenever they need professional assistance.

7. Flexible Pricing Options

Different businesses have varying budgets when it comes to web hosting. That’s why a business should choose a web host that offers multiple packages that they can choose from. This will allow the team to pick the plan that suits them best, based on their estimated budget and the specific services they need.

The availability of various packages also grants flexibility to a business. It allows the team to customize their plan in the future, in case they will need more server power, data speed, and storage space as their business expands over time.

8. Speed

Speed is one of the most important factors that a business should consider when choosing a web host. Slow website speeds can discourage users from spending time on a website. The user experience of website visitors will suffer if each web page takes too long to load. A business team should select a web host with the fastest hosting service to ensure swift loading speeds.

Why Is It Important To Have a Fast Website?

Having a fast website can be advantageous to any business in various ways. These are some of the benefits of having a quick-loading website:

1. Online Visibility

The website is a central marketing tool because it can increase the online visibility of a business. It has a significant impact on the marketing efforts of any company, in spite of the availability of other social media channels. The content and structure of a website should be strategic for it to be effective.

A website must feature basic information about the business, as well as its products and services. It should include compelling landing page copy that catches the attention of the audience. It ought to focus on results-driven solutions to the problems or needs of the target market.

Last but not least, a website should have fast loading times. No matter how well-crafted the content is, Internet users will not explore a website if the web pages are loading too slowly. A speedy website will motivate visitors to read the content so that they will learn more about the business and the brand.

2. Lead Generation

A fast website can result in lead generation for a business. Lead generation is the process of attracting attention and sparking the interest of future customers. Leads are people with the potential to purchase the products or subscribe to the services of a company someday.

A website that functions smoothly and swiftly can transform website visitors and prospects into leads. It can enable a business to develop connections with leads by featuring relevant content that is tailored to their wants, needs, and demographic information.

3. Lead Conversion

A website is a tool that can promote lead conversion for a business. Lead conversion is a sales and marketing procedure that converts leads into actual customers through retargeting, behavior automation, and relationship development.

A website that is quickly and easily accessible allows a business team to nourish their leads in each step of the marketing process. It can serve as a central venue where leads can morph into customers by taking concrete action, such as buying a product, utilizing a service, or signing up as a paid subscriber.

4. Sales and Profits

An official website can play a role in increasing the sales and profits of a business. Sales refer to the total amount of income that a business earns from selling its products and services. Profits are defined as the amount of income that remains after the costs, expenses, and taxes have been subtracted from the sales.

A fast website has the potential to boost the sales and profits of a business by showcasing the benefits of its products and services through text information, photos, videos, testimonials, blog posts, and customer reviews.

5. Business Growth

A website can be instrumental to the overall growth of a business. It can help the team to achieve their goals and objectives in every stage of the marketing and sales process. It can also increase brand awareness and improve the reputation of the company over time. It gives the team more opportunities to establish new professional connections and to strengthen existing customer relationships.

Nevertheless, the general efficacy of a business website in achieving optimal results is largely dependent on its speed. That’s why a business team should ensure that the web host they select can provide fast loading times for their website.

Which Web Host Provides the Fastest Hosting Service

The speed of a website can determine how effective it is in contributing to the success of a business. That’s why you must choose a web host that is capable of providing impressively swift speeds for your business website.

A2 Hosting is the ideal option for startups, reseller agencies, companies, and organizations who need the fastest hosting service for their websites.

Who Is A2 Hosting

A2 Hosting is a website hosting provider that offers up to 20X faster web hosting speeds for businesses. Our high-performance solutions are suitable for everyone in the business industry, ranging from first-timers who wish to develop new blogs to professional developers with high-traffic websites.

A2 Hosting was founded by our CEO Bryan Muthig in 2001 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He utilized his strong technical background as a UNIX systems administrator and his passion for technology to establish a global hosting company.

At present, we have more than 200 hundred teammates and various data centers in 223 countries all over the globe. Our company has provided 120,000 active services and counting to our clients. An estimated 110,000 people have already used A2 Hosting products.

Our mission is to help people to thrive in the online world so that they can succeed in the real world. We harness our skills, knowledge, and resources to make it possible for others to bring their digital visions to life.

A2 Hosting has gained recognition as a reliable hosting provider in the web hosting industry. We have received awards and accolades that highlight the accomplishments of our team as we continue to empower our customers with the best web host solutions.

What Are the Benefits of A2 Hosting Services

These are many reasons why A2 Hosting is superior to other web host providers. These are some of the important advantages of choosing A2 Hosting and our services:

• Faster Speed: We offer up to 20X faster web hosting speed for business websites.
• Better Results: We can help small businesses and agencies gain improved SEO rankings, reduced bounce rates, and increased conversion rates.
• Accessible Customer Service: We provide 24/7/365 technical assistance through our friendly, skilled, and knowledgeable guru crew support team.
• Free Account Migration: We can move your website from your previous web host to A2 hosting for free.
• Risk-free Trial: We offer you a money-back guarantee if you are interested in trying our hosting services.
• Reliable Servers: We commit to 99.9% uptime so you can rest assured about the dependability of our servers.

What Plans Does A2 Hosting Offer

A2 Hosting offers a variety of web hosting packages to suit the multiple needs of our different clients. These are the plans from A2 Hosting that you can choose from:

Shared Web Hosting

The Shared Web Hosting service of A2 Hosting is powered by our top-of-the-line servers. All our servers are optimized for speed. Each server is only limited to a certain number of clients. This industry-leading web hosting service features 20X faster page load times at an affordable cost. You can experience an excellent combination of performance enhancements, resources, and limited occupancy if you subscribe to one of the shared hosting packages.

Here are the pricing plans for Shared Web Hosting:

• Startup: $2.99 USD monthly*
• Drive: $5.99 USD monthly*
• Turbo Boost: $6.99 USD monthly*
• Turbo Max: $12.99 USD monthly*

VPS Hosting

The VPS Hosting service of A2 Hosting features dedicated resources for maximum power. Because you will be allotted your own dedicated resources, you will have the advantage of enhanced server reliability and performance. This cost-effective model allows you to experience the benefits of a BMD server without the price tag. Our plans include 24/7 Guru Support, free SSL Certificates, and free website migrations.

Here are the various VPS Hosting plans with assorted VPS features for different management levels:

Unmanaged VPS Hosting

Unmanaged VPS Hosting allows you to configure the settings and requirements of the server operating system and other software that you plan to run at the server level. Keep in mind that this level of configuration is ideal for people with a high degree of technical skills.

• Runway 1: $4.99 USD monthly*
• Runway 2: $7.99 USD monthly*
• Runway 4: $9.99 USD monthly*
• Supersonic 8: $34.99 USD monthly*
• Supersonic 16: $54.99 USD monthly*
• Supersonic 32: $74.99 USD monthly*

Managed VPS Hosting

Managed VPS features high-level maintenance service from our team. It ensures that your server is regularly upgraded, fixed, and adjusted to increase the security levels of your business website. Managed plans are worth the extra investment because we will efficiently handle all the crucial management tasks on your behalf.

• Lift 4: $39.99 USD monthly*
• Lift 8: $54.99 USD monthly*
• Lift 16: $67.99 USD monthly*
• Mach 8: $59.99 USD monthly*
• Mach 16: $89.99 USD monthly*
• Mach 32: $99.99 USD monthly*

Bare Metal Dedicated Servers

The Bare Metal Dedicated Servers of A2 Hosting will allow you to select between Intel or AMD processors. They also include advanced NVMe storage options for your business website.

Here are the available Bare Metal Dedicated Servers plans:

Unmanaged Bare Metal Dedicated Servers

• Hyper 1: $129.99 USD monthly*
• Hyper 2I: $199.99 USD monthly*
• Hyper 2 Turbo Intel: $219.99 USD monthly*
• Hyper 3 AMD: $509.99 USD monthly*
• Hyper 3 Turbo AMD: $539.99 USD monthly*

Managed Bare Metal Dedicated Servers

• Warp 1: $179.99 USD monthly*
• Warp 2 Intel: $249.99 USD monthly*
• Warp 2 Turbo Intel: $279.99 USD monthly*

Reseller Hosting

The Reseller Hosting service of A2 Hosting enables you to begin your own hosting business. Selling our white-labeled reseller solutions allows you to make income, manage your customers, and run your own hosting company. We will grant you full control of the various aspects of your business. We will utilize servers with AMD EPYC CPUs and NVMEe drives to set up your reseller package.

Here are the Reseller Hosting plans we have available:

• Kickstart: $18.99 USD monthly*
• Turbo Kickstart: $24.99 USD monthly*
• Launch: $24.99 USD monthly*
• Turbo Launch: $32.99 USD monthly*

Turbo Web Hosting

All our web hosting packages have turbo versions for increased power and speed. These are the impressive features of Turbo Web Hosting plans that you can take advantage of:

• LiteSpeed Web Server: It is a speed-enhanced, drop-in web server alternative to Apache. It allows you to experience up to 20X faster page loads.
• NVMe: It is a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) Hosting solution that generates 3X faster read/write speeds.
• HTTP/3: It is a cutting-edge web standard that enables quicker and more stable connections for APIs and websites.
• ESI: Edge Side Includes (ESI) lets you conveniently designate portions of your web page as cacheable or non-cacheable.
• QUIC: Quick UDP Internet Connections (QUIC) is a speed-enhanced alternative to TCP. It minimizes latency by forming multiplexed connections among computers in a network.

Learn more about our Turbo Plans by viewing the turbo options for each type of web hosting package that A2 Hosting offers.

Contact the A2 Hosting Sales Team to Sign Up for the Fastest Hosting Service

Whether you own a reselling agency, startup, or company, a fast website is a powerful marketing tool that allows your business to reach new heights of success. Partnership with the fastest hosting service allows you to transform your site for the better.

A2 Hosting is the best option for you if you are committed to leveling up the speed and security of your business website. Contact our sales team today if you have questions about our exponentially fast web hosting services. Sign up for our web hosting plans to start speeding up your website.

The post Who Has the Fastest Web Hosting? Matching Your Need for Speed appeared first on The A2 Posting.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is the most popular website builder and content management system on the internet, powering more than 40% of all websites. It is a free and open-source software that anyone can use to create blogging platforms, business websites, online stores, and more. A domain name and a web hosting account are required to launch a WordPress website. There are numerous excellent WordPress hosting providers that provide 1-click WordPress installation and super simple setup, such as A2 Hosting’s  Managed WordPress service.

What is Webflow?

Webflow is a drag-and-drop website builder that allows you to create professional-looking, responsive websites without the need for coding. You have the option of starting from scratch or selecting from the built-in templates or compatible templates from other sources. Webflow is a hosted software and hosting service, and feature upgrades and all services are charged according to the subscription plan.

WordPress vs Webflow Snapshot

Before delving into the specific features of each, here’s a quick comparison of WordPress vs. Webflow:

WordPress Key Features

The following are WordPress’s important feature descriptions:

• Simple and responsive: WordPress enables you to quickly publish content for any type of website, including blogs, business websites, professional portfolios, and even community websites.
• Straightforward publishing tools: WordPress allows you to create, review, and publish pages or posts, as well as easily format and publish them with the click of a button.
• Design and template customization: WordPress not only comes with three default themes, but it also allows you to upload free or paid themes from various repositories.
• SEO friendly (search engines): WordPress is search engine optimized, and users can further optimize the site for SEO by using various SEO plugins.
• Extend with Plugins: The official plugin directory contains over 54000 plugins that allow users to customize their website without any technical knowledge.
• Massive WordPress Community: WordPress is an open-source content management system with a large supportive and active community to assist with any problems at any level.
• Mobile-friendly: WordPress allows you to optimize the size for mobile users by using appropriate plugins and themes.

WebFlow Key Features

Here is a description of Webflow key features to go along with the items listed in the comparison summary snapshot in the introduction section: 

• Webflow’s designer platform is powered by CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, allowing you to create a professional website using the visual designer without writing any code.
• Dynamic content authoring tools: Webflow comes with simple content publishing tools that allow users to create and publish content with the click of a button.
• Templates that can be customized: Webflow offers over 500 paid and free HTML5 responsive templates.
• SEO optimization: Webflow allows users to change page names, meta descriptions, and photo descriptions for SEO purposes. It generates sitemaps automatically for search engines to understand the structure of the new site, and it handles redirects, which is an important part of SEO.
• Plugins: Webflow includes plugins and integrations to extend the functionality of the business or personal website.
• Mobile-Friendly: In the Webflow editor, users can toggle between desktop and mobile views, allowing them to customize each page for different resolutions. A header used for a website version, for example, will not be suitable for a mobile preview; however, Webflow allows you to open the page in a mobile preview and replace the image and font to make the website mobile-friendly.

Conclusion

Obviously, in most cases, WordPress features are still preferred, but Webflow is a good alternative especially for web designers. Managed WordPress Hosting from A2 Hosting is built on Cloud Container Technology and optimized for WordPress sites. This optimized hosting environment allows you to deploy WordPress websites faster and with less configuration. 

A2 Managed WordPress Web Hosting account comes loaded with innovative features like:

• Auto WordPress installation and pre-configuration (based on best practices on over 100,000 WordPress sites)
• Easy-To-Use Staging – quickly and easily deploy a development copy of your site to test on
• A2 Optimized – performance caching on both server-side and on the WordPress application level
• Easy WordPress Backups – automated and provides daily backup protection for ultimate peace of mind
• Automatic WordPress core updates & patches – Stay focused on building your site. Our team of WordPress experts will ensure you have the best WordPress version and patches.
• Enhanced security both at the WordPress application side and server-side
• Free SSL certificate
• Developer-friendly features include WP-CLI, SSH, GIT, and more!

The post Webflow vs WordPress: What’s the Difference? appeared first on The A2 Posting.

ANN ARBOR, MICH–NOV 22, 2021–Black Friday sales in 2021 are forecasted to break $900 billion in online shopping globally, according to the Adobe Digital Economy Index. To prepare, eCommerce companies have begun to buckle down and enhance their websites for the recording-breaking traffic coming their way. A2 Hosting, a leading player in the web hosting industry, just released an accompanying ebook to aid online entrepreneurs in their preparations. “With the impacts of Covid 19 in 2020 and 2021, we know that now more than ever it’s imperative for our customers to experience a win during the holiday sales. We’re trying to give them as many resources as possible to help them succeed,” says Bryan Muthig, A2 Hosting’s CEO. 

This ebook is changing the game for eCommerce owners in 2021. It covers backend technical website improvements, front-end website optimization, and digital marketing do’s and don’t. eCommerce owners will find a thorough guide with step-by-step instructions on how to upgrade their websites as well as insight from A2 Hosting’s top-end development team, marketing team, and support gurus. Along with this ebook and a number of preparatory guides on their blog, A2 Hosting is also offering a Black Friday and Cyber Monday sitewide discount with their lowest prices of the year from 11/22-12/5. 

“We want to give our customers the right resources to succeed,” says Muthig. “Not only does that include the right hosting, but it also encapsulates the hosting experience in general. Our guru support crew will be available 24/7 for our customers throughout the holiday season so we’re here for you when it counts. Whether it’s a website crashing on Christmas Day or client questions on Black Friday morning, we’re a team that values supporting our customers in any way we can all season long.”    

About A2 Hosting

Recently awarded Leader in Web Hosting for Summer 2021 by G2 and Best Cheap Dedicated Web Hosting by Digital.com, A2 Hosting, Inc. is a high-performance hosting services provider located in Ann Arbor, MI. The company delivers ultra-reliable solutions and 24/7/365 US-based support from its Guru Crew team. Since 2003, A2 Hosting has offered innovative, affordable, and developer-friendly hosting for small- and medium-sized businesses as well as web development agencies worldwide. Customers seeking the fastest hosting options in the industry can host websites of any size on A2’s Turbo Performance server platform featuring page load speeds up to 20X faster compared to competing solutions. To learn more, visit https://www.a2hosting.com.

The post Win 2021 Black Friday Website Preparations with A2 Hosting’s Free eCommerce eBook appeared first on The A2 Posting.