Hosting can seem confusing at first, but it's more manageable than most people expect. This guide walks you through what hosting is, how to set it up, and what it will cost you.
Your website is a collection of files, including HTML, images, and possibly some code. Hosting means renting a computer (called a server) that stores those files and delivers them to anyone who types your web address into a browser. Without hosting, your website only exists on your own computer.
Think of it like renting a shop unit. Your website is the stock and the signage, and hosting is the physical space it all lives in. Someone needs to keep the lights on, the door unlocked, and the building standing, and that's what a hosting provider does.
Your domain name (like yourbusiness.ca) is separate from hosting. The domain is the address, while hosting is the building. You buy the domain from a registrar and then point it at your hosting provider. They're two different services that are often sold together but technically independent.
Some well-known Canada-friendly hosting providers include Hostinger, SiteGround, A2 Hosting, and DigitalOcean. For a simple small business website, shared hosting is the cheapest option and perfectly adequate for sites that get under 50,000 visits a month, which covers almost every small business. Plans typically run $3 to $12/month when billed annually.
If you don't have a domain yet, most hosting providers will let you register one during signup ($15 to $20/year for a .ca or .com). If you already own a domain, you'll need to update its DNS settings to point to your new hosting. This means changing the nameservers, and your hosting provider will give you the specific values. It's a straightforward copy-paste job, but it can take up to 48 hours to propagate.
Most hosting providers give you a file manager (a browser-based tool) or FTP access. You upload your website files, usually into a folder called public_html. If your site is a single HTML file with some images, this takes about two minutes. If it's a WordPress site, most hosts have a one-click installer.
SSL encrypts the connection between your site and your visitors. Without it, browsers show a "Not Secure" warning that tends to scare people off. Most hosting providers offer free SSL through Let's Encrypt, and you just need to enable it in your control panel. Some do it automatically, and if yours doesn't, it usually takes only a few clicks.
Your hosting provider may include automatic backups, or you may need to enable them. Either way, you want at least weekly backups of your site files. If something goes wrong, whether it's a bad update, a hack, or an accidental deletion, backups are how you restore your site without having to rebuild from scratch.
Most hosting plans include email hosting, so you can have an address like hello@yourbusiness.ca. Setting this up involves creating the mailbox in your control panel and configuring it in your email client. If you already use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you'll probably want to keep your email there and just update your MX records, which is a separate process.
Setting up hosting is a one-time task, but maintaining it requires some ongoing attention.
Hosting and domain registrations expire. If you forget to renew, your site goes offline and someone else could register your domain. You need to track renewal dates or set up auto-renewal (and make sure the card on file doesn't expire).
If you're running WordPress, you need to keep the core software, theme, and plugins updated. Outdated WordPress sites are a favourite target for hackers. Static HTML sites are much lower risk, but you still need to keep your SSL certificate active and monitor for issues.
Sometimes things break. An SSL certificate might fail to renew, a server update could cause an issue, or your email might stop working because of a DNS change. When this happens, you're the one who has to figure it out or wait on hold with your hosting provider's support team.
New phone number? Updated pricing? Seasonal hours? Every change means opening the file manager, editing HTML, and re-uploading. It's not hard once you know how, but it's one more thing on your plate.
Self-hosting is entirely doable, but it does add things to your plate: renewals to track, backups to monitor, SSL certificates to keep current, and the occasional issue to resolve when something breaks unexpectedly.
If you'd rather not deal with any of that, that's what my care plan is for. For $350/year, I handle hosting, SSL, daily backups, and three minor content updates. You email me when something needs changing and I take care of it. There are no control panels, file managers, or DNS records for you to worry about.
It costs a bit more than doing it yourself, but if your time is worth anything and you value the peace of mind of having someone to contact when something goes wrong, the maths usually works out in its favour.
Either way, every site I build is yours to take wherever you want, and there's no lock-in. If you start with the care plan and later decide to self-host, I'll help you move. If you start self-hosting and later get tired of it, I'll take it off your hands. There's no pressure either way.
Custom-built websites for small businesses, starting at $500. I handle the design and the code, and I can take care of the hosting too if you'd like.