Shared servers have software that stops certain websites from slowing down the other websites on the server. Each web server can only have a certain amount depending on the plans used. This is based on the resource limit each plan has by default. For example, the Pro plan is made for simple websites so there can be a lot more of those on a shared server. Whereas the Advanced plan which allows more power has a lower amount of plans allowed on each server. This is all balanced by how much load the website uses. Load is CPU, RAM, and IO used from the website.
If you are overloading your CPU, RAM, or IO, you probably need more power which would be available on the next plan up. Or in a lot of cases, your site just needs to be optimized. If you use WordPress which is famous for overloading, there is an article here that will help a lot. WordPress load issues
More than 95% of all websites never overload. When they do, it's usually because of an issue with the active software or PHP pages on the account. It could also be that the website has just become too big for the plan it's on. If you are having continual overloading issues, you probably need a VPS or dedicated server.
Here are some tips on how to optimize your website(s) if it is overloading or running slow:
- If you have addon domain(s) or subdomain (s) you can split those into their account. Having too many websites that need a lot of power together can cause overload issues.
- Try shortening your page scroll-down length. Having long loading pages takes a lot of resource power and time to load. Try keeping the page around double or triple the length of the above fold area.
- Compress your images. Most if not all web page images should be less than 200kb and on average less than 80kb. Bigger images take more time and power to load.
- Avoid cron jobs. Cron jobs can be really handy, but the number one way to have load issues is running one incorrectly or with a script or page that is not made correctly for it. If you do run a cron job, try to have it run no more than twice a day. Scripts that require cron jobs to run every couple of minutes usually require a VPS.
- Clean up your code. Sloppy themes and PHP pages can cause many issues including overload issues. Make sure your website is made correctly or at least close.
- Remove any pages or content you don't need. Sometimes you just build up a lot of junk on websites. Old pages, old images, and old sections are not used. Fewer files mean more power available to run the website as a whole.
- Make sure you don't have any old comments or contact forms being spammed. These spammers can set an auto post to your form and cause huge load issues. All forms and comment sections should be protected by a captcha or some sort of security.
- Enable hotlink protection. It's easy to hotlink your content on another website where the visitors never even know about your site. This type of content stealing is easily blocked by our hotlink protection tool in cPanel. You can choose what external websites are allowed to hotlink your content or just block everyone.
- Add a welcome page. High-traffic sites that are trying to stay on a low-priced web hosting plan normally add a welcome page. This slows down people who entered the site on accident from loading a full big content page. A good welcome page is simple and clean, allowing them to choose to enter, verify their age, or leave.
Hopefully, some of these tips help! We keep our prices as low as possible and allow huge spikes because we have fewer accounts per server than most web hosts. Unfortunately though if your website is overloading too often and too high on a shared server we will have to have you move it to its own VPS or server.
