Isn’t it frustrating when a certain web page does not load? Even worse, imagine if your website does not open at all. In a world where users expect websites and applications to load within milliseconds, even the slightest delay can impact user experience. There’s a reason why businesses want a 99.99% website uptime. Apart from figuring out ways to optimise their bottom line, business owners also need to understand the importance of maintaining a stable website with almost no downtime. After all, even a website impacts your bottom line as it drives conversions, builds brand reputation, and enhances customer engagement. Jakob Nielsen’s quote ‘’A bad website is like a grumpy salesperson’’ perfectly sums up the relationship between a business and its website.

This deep dive into website uptime and monitoring explains the importance of keeping an eye on the key parameters of a website and how businesses can improve their website’s performance.

Let us begin by understanding what website uptime is and explore what you can do to improve it later on in the blog.

What is Website Uptime?

Website uptime primarily refers to the amount of time a website is up and running without any hiccups or downtime. It is an important parameter to gauge a website’s performance and identify whether further tweaks are required.

Why is Website Monitoring Important?

Website monitoring is important to ensure your website is accessible to users at all times. Additionally, it also highlights the technical issues between your website and the hosting provider, potential errors in the DNS settings, and whether cyberattacks have altered your website’s environment.

Here are a few reasons why website monitoring is important.

  • Search Engine Ranking

Apart from a significant drop in website traffic and conversions, any downtime will have a negative impact on your search engine ranking. Spoiler alert, Google isn’t a huge fan of buggy and unreliable websites.

When your site’s search engine ranking takes a hit, it also affects your traffic for a few weeks and months if not longer. If Google bots, also known as Googlebot find that your website is down, it reports back to Google stating that your website is inaccessible. Research also suggests that website downtime leads to a significant drop in keyword rankings, and at times, pushes the rankings outside the top twenty.

  • Brand Reputation

Ask yourself whether you will buy bread from a bakery that is open on all days or a bakery that is open on random days. You are likely to patronise the bakery that is open on all days because -. Similarly, your website’s uptime has a direct impact on your brand reputation. In fact, nearly 25% of a company’s value primarily depends on its online reputation.

Frequent website downtime is an unpleasant experience for users, resulting in diminishing confidence in your brand and business. If your website experience is not up to the mark, your audience will waste no time to look for alternatives. Website monitoring is important to not only minimise monetary losses but also ensure your brand’s reputation is intact.

  • Preventing Cyber Attacks

It is no secret that cyber attacks have increased exponentially in recent years. Nearly <href=”#:~:text=Headline%20Cyber%20Crime%20Statistics&amp;text=Around%20236.1%20million%20ransomware%20attacks,a%20cyber%20attack%20in%202022.”>236 million ransomware attacks were reported in the first half of 2022 and a whopping <href=”#:~:text=The%20total%20damages%20caused%20by,2023%20(Vojinovic%2C%202022).”>33 billion online accounts were breached in 2023. These numbers are a clear indication of the increasing number of cyber-attacks and the onus is on you to protect your website and digital assets from cybercriminals. One of the ways to combat these threats is by monitoring your website’s core parameters regularly and implementing robust measures.

How Website Uptime is Calculated?

A website’s uptime is calculated based on the number of hours it is running in a given time.

The formula to calculate website uptime is:

Uptime/Total Time = Website Uptime%

For example, if a website is running for 99 hours out of 100, it has a 99% uptime. However, users cannot access the website for one hour resulting in a poor user experience, zero conversions, and even revenue. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor your website’s performance and ensure you are not losing out on business or damaging your brand’s reputation.

Things to Monitor to Improve Website Uptime?

Now, let us look at some of the key parameters to monitor to improve website uptime.

  • DNS

A domain name system or DNS is the core component that enables computers and servers to interact with each other. This is how data is transmitted from one machine to the other. DNS monitoring is one of the most crucial aspects of website uptime since users cannot access a website without a functional DNS.

  • CDN

Data or the content we see on our computers or smartphones is transmitted to our devices via content delivery networks. The closer the CDN, the faster we can download content. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on your CDN to improve website uptime and smooth and consistent content delivery.

  • Server

Servers keep your website running at all times. If a server crashes, it will result in website downtime since it stores all your crucial information. When servers go offline, your website will crash. Therefore, it is important to keep an eye on your servers and be prepared to switch to backups during unforeseen events.

How to Improve Website Uptime

This section highlights some of the most effective ways to improve website uptime. All businesses need to craft and implement various website maintenance strategies to ensure maximum website uptime.

  • Active Monitoring

Nodes and agents enter the picture when we speak about active monitoring. These nodes mimic user behaviour in different tests that are utilised to detect latency issues, server downtime and more. Additionally, these tests are active throughout the day, empowering businesses to take timely measures when they detect potential threats.

  • Real User Monitoring

Unlike active monitoring where nodes and agents are utilised, real-user monitoring collects data from real users who have recently used an application or a website with performance monitoring software. Websites or platforms like downdetector.com are the best examples of how real user monitoring works.

Wrap Up

We hope you have understood what is uptime in web hosting and why it is important to monitor your website’s availability. Your website is one of the most important assets of your company in the online world and in many ways the face of your business. If your website is inaccessible, you are not only missing out on potential opportunities but also – your brand’s reputation.

Do not underestimate the importance of website status monitoring while running a business since it is one of the most important mediums to drive conversions and most importantly increase revenue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the industry standard for website uptime?

Typically, the industry standard for website uptime is 5 9’s or 99.999%.

What is the average lifespan of a website?

A website’s average lifespan is around 2 years and 7 months.

What is uptime in web hosting?

The uptime in web hosting refers to the time a website is accessible during the total time available. For example, a website that is accessible 24/7 throughout the year has a 100% uptime.

How do businesses monitor and track their website uptime?

Business monitor the website uptime by utilising on real user and active monitoring.

If you have any queries or suggestions feel free to send an email on [email protected]