Whether it’s through a web hosting company like Go Daddy and Fatcow or actually owning your own server, having control of the web hosting and files for your web site has clear advantages over using website builders like Wix, Structured Web, Yodle or Super Media.
The most obvious reason is ownership. With website builders, they host the files for you so anything you upload is technically their property. Some companies, like Super Media, even make you register your domain name through them. (See our article about the importance of owning your domain name) Not owning the files to your own website means the company hosting it can take your site down if you ever decide to leave or switch companies. It basically forces you to stay with them if you want to keep your site.
The biggest advantage of owning your hosting from an SEO standpoint is full control. Full hosting access will give you the ability to implement all the tools necessary to successfully optimize your website. For example you will have the ability to install onsite blogs, put proper 301 redirects if you ever change URLs, use FTP access and build sitemaps.
Website builders like Structured Web does not have the ability to build site maps. Without a site map, search engines will have a more difficult time of indexing your site and you cannot control which pages are indexed.
Yodle requires you to pay to ‘unlock’ the titles and meta descriptions of each page. If you do not, a generic title and description is automatically generated which is no help at all for SEO. Don’t make it more difficult for yourself, own your own web hosting to avoid these disadvantages.
By: Tony Fong