How To Host An HTML Website & Best Options

Whether you run a small business, you’re an eCommerce store owner, or you’re simply looking to start your own side hustle, an HTML website (by which we mean a plain HTML site) is the perfect solution for your needs. These websites are easy to maintain, perfect for search engines of all kinds, and super cheap to set up. In this blog post we will explain what an HTML website is, its pros and cons, how to host an HTML website, and some of the best options available if you’re planning on starting your own side hustle or running your business from home. Let’s get started!

What Is An HTML Website?

HTML is the standard language that is used to create a website or application. It’s the same language that is used to create simple websites like WordPress or Joomla that are viewed in a browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer. However, beyond this simple application, there are many more options that can be used to create the next level of functionality. Some of those options include Node.js, Angular, Python, etc.

An HTML website in this context is one that doesn’t use any of those options. It’s keeping things as simple as they can be. It’s launched in the same way, though: once you’ve created your HTML website; you can host it on any number of hosting services including Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, Digital Ocean, and many more.

So why would you want to take this route instead of creating a regular website? Or would you want to do that at all? Let’s cover the main pros and cons:

Pros of an HTML Website

• No Software to Install: Since HTML websites are just plain HTML files, anyone with a browser can view them: there’s no extra software needed. This is particularly good for accounting for people using old hardware and/or software.
• No Maintenance: Because plain HTML sites don’t rely on frequently-updated languages and tools, they’re extremely easy to maintain. (It helps that they’re rarely edited, for reasons we’ll mention later).
• Affordable: Most hosting services are relatively cheap and can be used on a monthly basis with no long-term commitment. If you’re not looking to spend much, this is a great way to go.
• SEO Friendly: Since an HTML website is just a website written in HTML, it’s extremely likely to be crawled by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and more. And given the ease of crawling it, it should rank relatively highly.
• Can Be Easily Converted To a Native App: If the popularity of your website increases, you can easily turn it into an app and make money from it.

Cons of an HTML Website

• May Not Get Enough Crawl Depth: Since an HTML website is just written in HTML, it is unlikely to get the same crawl depth as a normal website. In other words, it is unlikely to rank as highly in search engine results as a normal website.
• Security Issues: Plain HTML can be relatively vulnerable, making it possible for hackers to hack into it and cause security issues. This is especially true if the website is completely public-facing.
• No Customizability: Since an HTML website is just written in HTML, it is usually not customizable through a straightforward editor. This means you can’t simply change the colors of the text, add images, or tweak the layout of the website.

Hosting of HTML Websites

As with any other site type, the hosting of an HTML website is the process of putting that website on a server somewhere, allowing it to be accessible to the internet. This can be done via cloud hosting services like Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, and Digital Ocean. Alternatively, you can set up your own server and use that instead.

Using a third-party provider is always the simplest and easiest option. Using a static site allows you to choose without worrying about different levels of support for different languages. All you need to do is review all available hosting options; choose the solution (particularly the bandwidth tier) that aligns with your individual or business goals; then look for a provider that offers the right solution at the right price.

When you reach that point, though, you might wonder about different types of hosting. Do they matter? What do you need to know? Here’s a breakdown of the main types:

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is ideal for hosting beginner websites. Your website will be kept on the same server as many other websites in this location; with the RAM (Random Access Memory) and CPU (Central Processing Unit) of the server shared by all domains with a shared hosting plan. However, because all resources are shared, these hosting plans are relatively inexpensive; which makes them a great choice for website owners who are just starting out.

A beginner will typically find using shared hosting to be the easiest way to host their website; as it keeps costs down and involves minimal stress. Additionally, this approach (despite the reduced performance) can be viable for people with greater demands (small business owners, for instance, or managers of community organizations) by offering useful features such as website builders and email marketing services and tools.

VPS Hosting

The ideal compromise between a shared server and a dedicated server (where you rent an entire server just for your website) is a VPS hosting package. Each website hosted on a VPS server has its own server at the software level; even if it shares a physical server with many other sites. For website owners who want more control but don’t have the financial resources to accommodate a dedicated server; it’s an ideal solution.

Although VPS hosting gives website owners more affordable customization options and storage space; however, it can still have performance issues due to the impact of other websites using the same hardware. A massive spike in demand can thus lead to loading problems, making it less than optimal for high-end websites.

Cloud Hosting

The “cloud” describes a network of machines running software jointly using their computational power. Cloud hosting, then, is a hosting solution that uses such an interconnected network; granting users access to near-unlimited resources without needing to move across servers or manage their own computing infrastructure.

When you use cloud hosting, a server problem is less likely to result in downtime because the resources are distributed across numerous servers. When one goes down, the other servers can step up to accommodate the load. And since cloud hosting is fundamentally scalable, you can grow your website while only paying for the resources you need.

Managed Hosting

You will probably come across many managed hosting solutions online. Managed Hosting providers (such as Cloudways’ WordPress hosting solution; which includes its own staging environment) offer technical services like patching, monitoring, hardware and software setup, configuration, maintenance, and hardware replacement. This hosting involves the provider managing the hardware, operating systems, and standardized applications.

Managed hosting isn’t so important when you’re using a plain HTML website with no major plans to update the content on a regular basis, but it’s still useful to have, particularly if there’s any chance you’ll want to outsource development work down the line. Being able to leave the technical management (particularly the backups) to a suitable company will give you the freedom to focus on other things.

Although there are many alternatives available when it comes to web hosting; the most important thing is to pick a package that meets your demands. Realizing your demands for a website will help you choose the correct plan for you and your business because every plan is tailored to the requirements of various groups.

Best HTML Hosting Options

There are multiple options available when it comes to choosing how to host your static website, but we’ve narrowed down three of the best options out there:

• You can publish web projects from Git repositories using Netlify without complicated configurations or server upkeep. By utilizing its CI/CD pipeline for web developers, you may automate key procedures. Even better, you may preview the complete website to see how it will look before posting it.
• Through Grunt, NPM, and Gulp, Surge offers developers a simple way to deploy applications on a high-quality CDN. You may use support for a custom domain, pushState support, free SSL certification for Surge domains, custom 404 pages, restriction-free CLI deployment, Grunt toolchain integration, and cross-origin resource support with every project.
• It’s not necessary to be intimidated by cloud hosting. You can obtain all the benefits of the top cloud hosting providers through a platform that is much more user-friendly by using a service like the aforementioned Cloudways. Creating a WordPress website is just as simple as with a regular host; while you’ll also benefit from the optimized performance, maximum uptime, and 24/7/365 hosting support.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are many pros of a plain HTML website; it’s cheap to set up, requires little maintenance, and needs no additional software, just to name a few. And when it comes to hosting a static website, there is a multitude of available options, from cloud hosting to a managed hosting service.

If you’re setting up (or already running) an HTML site for your business, blog, or side hustle; make sure you know your hosting requirements and opt for the best solution for your needs. This guide will get you started on selecting the best hosting solution for your HTML website. I hope you like this article on How To Host An HTML Website & Best Options. Good luck!