If, by chance, you’re here to launch your first website, you might find yourself asking, “What exactly is web hosting?” To answer that, let’s compare web hosting to a typical business in the “real” world. Let’s say you want to start a retail or wholesale business that sells merchandise. One of the first things you’ll do is look for a suitable physical space, maybe in a strip mall or in a standalone building. Factors you might consider during your real estate search could include: easy accessibility for your customers, strong security, and the quality of fast service from the property manager to answer questions and tend to any maintenance needs.