When it comes to choosing a hosting solution, most people find it easy to choose between a dedicated host and a shared host because of the price difference between the two (the former costs more than the latter,) with people either choosing shared because they want to save money or going with dedicated hosting because they subscribe to the “you get what you pay for” mentality. However, the truth is that there are other factors to consider besides the price when deciding if dedicated hosting is the best option.

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Difference Between Shared and Dedicated Hosting

As the name implies, the main difference between dedicated and shared hosting is the resources they use. A shared hosting shares server resources with other accounts, while dedicated usually get its own server. Dedicated hosting is essentially akin to a web host leasing server hardware to the client, with some hosts also including software as part of the package. The client then has full control of the server, where he can have as much traffic to his website (at least, as much as the server can handle) without worrying about other websites. He can also install applications that he wants and doesn’t have to worry about security concerns normally associated with sharing space with other websites.

Benefits of Dedicated Hosting

Of course, you’re not paying more for dedicated hosting just for the sake of status. There are practical and justifiable reasons why a dedicated host costs more than shared, such as:

1. Flexibility – a dedicated host will allow you to use as many or as little of your server’s resources – be it bandwidth, memory, or hard drive space – provided that it remains within the limits allotted by your plan.

2. Greater Control Over the Server – since you’re not sharing the server with other users, you’ll be given much greater control and access. One great example of this is root access, which is usually not allowed on shared services.

3. Stability – this is easily the most important benefit of a dedicated host. The fact that you’re not sharing the server’s resources means that you don’t have to worry about your site’s performance being affected by other websites. You can also rest assured that you won’t be outgrowing your server anytime soon.

So Is Dedicated Hosting Really The Best Option?

Technically, dedicated hosting is the best hosting that your money can buy, but that doesn’t exactly mean that it’s the best solution for you. A Porsche may be the best car that your money can buy, but is it the car you should buy if you’re just going to drive it a few blocks to work every day?

Basically, if you have a personal site that won’t generate much traffic, a dedicated hosting might be considered as overkill. There’s no need to spend too much money on a dedicated hosting plan if you won’t need the kind of benefits it gives. However, if your site generates tons of traffic and requires utmost stability and security, dedicated hosting is the best solution for you.

We all believe in the adage “nobody is perfect,” and it’s true even for web developers. Even the most experienced ones still commit mistakes that make you scratch your head. Here are some of the most common ones:

Lack of Search Box

Many websites, even ones designed by seasoned web developers still don’t have a search box. All websites need a search box. Even if you have the most user-friendly layout and navigational tools, it is still easier for visitors to just search for the content he wants using a search box. In fact, visitors tend to stay longer by randomly typing search strings at the search box than manually navigating the menus and site links.

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Additionally, adding a search box to your website isn’t even that difficult even if you have no coding skills. Google provides a search box that you can add to your own layout simply by copy and pasting a snippet of HTML code. (more…)