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Search engine optimization, most commonly abbreviated as SEO, can simply be described as the relationship between your website and different search engines. A relatively new concept that began to pick up speed in the 2010s, SEO is constantly changing, evolving and adapting to the innovative products, user queries and requirements. However, not one single search engine provides exact information in relation to the factors that they utilize for their artificial intelligence systems when it comes to ranking divergent websites on the Web.
While most engines do provide certain hints in relation to keywords, user experience metrics and content, the algorithms remain a mystery that will likely never be solved. And even if someone happens to crack the code, it is guaranteed that new code will be implemented in order to alter the current algorithms.
Judging by the information that we have currently from more famous search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing, it is obvious that user experience has begun to play a more significant role in determining search engine results rankings. Some of the factors that combine to form this overall metric are hinted to be:
- Ease of access
- Intuitive navigation
- No intrusive, obstructive or obscure elements
- Fast response time
- Fast loading speed
Most of these can be designed and developed from a programming standpoint, however, the latter 2 can be achieved by selecting the appropriate server type and the correct hosting provider.
How does the server type influence website speed?
There are predominantly 3 types of hosting – shared, VPS and dedicated. Each of them has its own advantages and drawbacks and making the most optimal choice is essential when it comes to increasing your overall user experience score.
Shared hosting is the cheapest choice that you can go for. Admittedly, if you run an online store or business, you would wish to stray away from this hosting type due to the fact that your website is required to share the server’s resources with other websites also located on the same server, which can result in slower loading and information exchange speeds, ultimately making your customers unhappy.
Dedicated hosting, on the other hand, is the most expensive option, which also provides you with the most benefits, not to mention a whole entire server just for your website. However, the price tag is extremely high and you should consider dedicated hosting only if you require a substantial amount of speed and total server customization. This makes it a less appropriate choice if you run a personal blog or a small online information website for your local brick-and-mortar store.
A VPS, short for a virtual private server, can fit the mold regardless of your website’s type. A VPS utilizes virtualization technology to create multiple virtual machine instances on the same server, each with their own independent resources, meaning that you are not required to share them with anyone else. Furthemore, a VPS provides you with a substantial amount of customization options including complete root access, which you can utilize to install additional applications and software. Moreover, due to its scalability, you can pay only for the resources that you use, allowing you to either add or subtract resources depending on the traffic that your website experiences. In terms of price, a virtual private server is less expensive than dedicated hosting and slightly pricier than shared hosting. As for the speed, a VPS can help you achieve better loading times and improve your overall user experience score.
Should I invest in a VPS?
The short answer is yes, even if you are a large-scale ecommerce or service providing company, due the incredible amount of features that you get for your money. Additionally, there are also hosting providers that offer their customers options like a Bitcoin VPS, which can be paid for using cryptocurrencies and are an excellent alternative if you do not have access to traditional payment methods or want to make cheaper international transactions. Ultimately, the scalability and the customization options that a VPS can provide you are definitely worth considering, but not only that – the incredible amount of fast information exchange and reduced server response time are also going to help boost your overall user experience score, allowing you to rank higher in the search engine results pages.
