Even in "the cloud", New Zealand-based servers matter

One of the many good things about Web Hosting is that you can choose from providers around the world. Big name hyperscale providers have servers all over the globe (although it's taken them a long time to reach Aotearoa), but going bigger isn’t always better. In fact, if you’re based in New Zealand and have customers in New Zealand, the choice gets a lot easier.

The #1 reason to stay local is speed

Distance massively affects response rate, which is the time it takes for a request on a website to be completed. To put it another way, it’s the number of seconds people spend waiting for your website to load.

For example, users in Wellington will be able to enjoy faster load times when a site’s server is in Auckland (about 640 kilometres away) than when it is in San Francisco (about 10,850 kilometres). This extra distance can make a huge difference in load time, and therefore in sales, brand reputation and SEO ranking.

Customers have grown more impatient over the years. Today, over 40% of internet users reportedly abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load. When it comes to SEO, Google rewards faster load times with higher visibility in search results.

So if Kiwis are your primary target audience, it’s wisest to stick to a hosting provider with a data centre in New Zealand.

But location is not everything. You must also find a hosting provider that is reliable, and prioritises speed, security and support.

Reason #2: Data sovereignty and overseas law

Did you know that your choice of web host changes which countries' laws apply to your data? It can be confusing, but when it comes to servers and data centres, more than one country’s laws can apply at once, with server location being only ⅓ of the equation. For example, if an American cloud provider used an Australian-owned data infrastructure provider on New Zealand soil, the laws of all three countries apply to your data. You can see how the situation gets messy.

True data sovereignty requires the absence of overseas law, not just the presence of New Zealand law. Even if Google or Microsoft start storing your emails in Auckland, American laws still apply.

As well as being in New Zealand and running our own data centre here, we're also New Zealand-owned. When you host with us you host with a 100% Kiwi provider. It’s hard to get a clearer data sovereignty picture than that.

More to look for when comparing NZ web hosting

You have options here in New Zealand. MyHost’s data centres are spread across Auckland: one that we own in Penrose (that's the picture with the rooftop solar farm) and two others, in the central business district and on the North Shore, where we run our own gear. This ensures that our Web Hosting plans allow you to connect with your local customers more smoothly.

As well as location, hardware differs between providers. Our servers are ultrafast, thanks to high-quality hardware like NVMe (nonvolatile memory express) storage, which contributes to data crunching and response times that are fast enough even for enterprise needs.

Related articles:

• How local is your ‘New Zealand’ web host? 3 tricks to look out for
• Quickstart guide to websites, hosting, domains, and almost everything else
• Web Hosting shopping guide: Features, prices, and more
• Improve your webpage load time to increase your SEO

Service and support

Our Support Team gets great feedback from our customers. No matter what plan you’re on, we provide expert assistance 24/7. We believe that our customer service quality sets us apart from our competitors and helps us build long-term relationships.

As our Technical Director said in a chat with HostingAdvice:

The majority of what MyHost does is look after New Zealand customers. We fully understand what’s happening for them.

Our support team is mostly in Auckland, with a few in other NZ areas and even overseas. No matter where they are, they respond in a matter of minutes, not days. We have a 96% satisfaction rate—a key reason our local customer base keeps growing—and you can always see our latest stats on our homepage.

The power of hosting locally

Hosting your servers here in New Zealand matters a big deal. Whether it’s load speed, data sovereignty, or reliable customer service, local hosting has a great impact. If your audience is based in New Zealand, then your servers should be too.

MyHost is a New Zealand-owned, New Zealand-operated, and New Zealand-located provider. If you know you want to stay local, you can get started with our Web Hosting today.