Hosting — is a service in which a provider hosts your website on its server. A server — is a powerful computer that runs around the clock and is always connected to the internet. It stores the website's files, and when a user enters the website address, their browser loads the page from that server. The company providing this service is also called a hosting provider.
To make a website accessible through an easy-to-remember address, a domain is connected to the hosting. The domain — is the address, while hosting — is the place where the website is physically located.
In marketing, hosting affects how advertising performs. If a website or landing page takes too long to load or doesn't open at all, the user leaves, but the money for their visit (click) has already been spent.
Types of hosting
Hosting types differ in how much server power your website gets and how much freedom you have to configure it:
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Shared hosting — websites belonging to multiple customers are hosted on the same server and share its resources. This is the cheapest and simplest option: everything is already configured, so no technical knowledge is required. However, your options are limited: you can't install your own software, and if another website on the same server suddenly experiences a spike in traffic, yours may also start slowing down;
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VPS, or VDS, — a virtual server. A physical server is divided into several isolated parts, each operating like a separate computer with its own resources. On a VPS, you can install any software and configure everything to your needs, but you'll have to manage it yourself. These terms are often used interchangeably, although they may differ slightly from a technical standpoint;
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Dedicated server — a physical server rented entirely by one customer. The most powerful and expensive option for handling heavy workloads;
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Cloud hosting — a website runs on several interconnected servers, and computing resources can be quickly increased or reduced when needed.
Hosting in traffic arbitrage
Affiliate marketers need hosting to publish their own pages: landing pages, pre-landing pages and White Pages. Cloaking software or a tracker can also run on the server.
Shared hosting is often sufficient for simple landing pages. A VPS is used when you need to install separate software. For example, the popular Keitaro tracker is installed on your own server. Cloud-based trackers don't require your own server, but a VPS can still be useful if you want to host your landing pages yourself.
When choosing hosting, pay attention to several things:
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loading speed — if a landing page takes too long to open, some users leave before it loads, and you waste money on those clicks;
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server location — the closer it is to your target GEO, the faster the pages load;
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IP reputation — advertising networks treat IP addresses from different data centers differently, and an IP from a cheap data center with a poor history may raise suspicion;
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stability — if the server goes down, your ads continue running and spending your budget, while the landing page remains inaccessible.
That's why you shouldn't choose hosting based on price alone. If your landing page loads slowly or doesn't open because of your hosting, you'll lose more money on advertising than you saved on the hosting plan.
Abuse-resistant hosting
An abuse report (from the English word abuse — misuse) — is a complaint about a website submitted to its hosting provider. For example, a copyright holder reports that their content is being used on a website. A regular provider responds to such reports and may block the website. An abuse-resistant provider ignores them, which is why this type of hosting is chosen by projects that frequently receive complaints. As a rule, these providers' servers are located in offshore jurisdictions, and the hosting itself is more expensive than standard hosting.
Important: abuse resistance is not absolute. If a provider comes under serious pressure, a website can still be blocked even on this type of hosting, so it doesn't offer complete protection.
