Bandwidth is the amount of data transferred between your website and its visitors over a specific period, typically measured monthly. Every time someone visits your site, views images, downloads files, or streams media, they consume bandwidth. Think of it as the capacity of your website's data pipeline – higher bandwidth allows more visitors to access your content simultaneously without slowdowns.

Key factors affecting bandwidth usage include:

• Page size: Larger images, videos, and complex scripts increase data transfer.
• Traffic volume: More visitors naturally consume more bandwidth.
• File downloads: Offering PDFs, software, or media files significantly impacts usage.
• Email hosting: Sending/receiving emails through your hosting account adds to bandwidth consumption.

Exceeding your bandwidth limit can result in:

• Additional charges from your hosting provider
• Temporary website suspension
• Significantly slowed loading speeds for visitors

To monitor and optimize bandwidth:

1. Use your hosting control panel's bandwidth tracking tools
2. Compress images and enable browser caching
3. Consider a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for high-traffic sites
4. Upgrade your hosting plan if consistently nearing limits

Understanding your bandwidth needs helps ensure optimal website performance and avoids unexpected issues as your site grows.