Web hosting is a service that allows you to put your website (domain name) on the internet. After you have thought of a name for your website and registered the domain name, the next step is to find a web hosting service from a web hosting provider. There are basically three types of web hosting services a web host will offer. They are shared web hosting, dedicated server hosting and virtual private server hosting. A shared web hosting plan is when multiple customers share a server. Each customer has their own unique domain name. This type of web hosting service is generally less expensive and is ideal for those of you who are new to web hosting and are just launching your first website. Dedicated server hosting and virtual private server hosting are types of web hosing services that would be needed for a web site, or multiple web sites, that generates millions of page views or hits a day. These two web hosting services are generally more expensive than shared web hosting. If you choose a shared web hosting plan, and want to keep the same web host the entire time you have the website, look for a web host that offers a virtual private server or dedicated server hosting plan as well. This way, you will be able to upgrade as your site becomes popular and accumulates large amounts of traffic.