Types of Website Monitoring: Which One to Choose for Your Business?

Every online business knows how important it is to monitor the stability of its website and services. One hour of downtime can cost you reputation and money, and sometimes even clients forever. To prevent this, monitoring systems are used. Today we’ll explore the types of monitoring, who they’re useful for, and illustrate each with real-life examples.

1. HTTP(S) Monitoring (Website Availability Check)

The most common type of monitoring, which checks your site’s availability via its URL using various methods (GET, POST, HEAD, etc.).

Real-life example:
Imagine you own an online store. You launch a big promotion, and at the peak of activity the site crashes. HTTP monitoring instantly notifies you of the issue, allowing you to quickly restore service.

Useful for:

• Online stores

• News portals

• SaaS services

• Any online business whose internet presence is critical

2. Keyword Monitoring (Keyword Presence Tracking)

This type of monitoring doesn’t just check availability, but watches for specific words or phrases on a page. If content changes or disappears, you’ll know immediately.

Real-life example:
You run a classifieds site. You regularly verify that an important section (“Sales,” “News,” “Jobs”) hasn’t vanished. If someone accidentally deletes the page or changes it without your knowledge, you get notified right away.

Useful for:

• Media and content projects

• Banks and insurance companies

• Information and legal resources

3. TCP/Port Monitoring

Monitoring specific TCP ports on servers for openness and responsiveness.

Real-life example:
You provide a remote desktop service. Clients connect through specific ports. If a port becomes unavailable, you lose clients. TCP port monitoring warns you in advance.

Useful for:

• Service providers

• IT companies and data centers

• Remote access services

4. Ping (ICMP) Monitoring (Server Response Check)

A simple check for whether the server responds. If it stops replying, it’s the first sign of serious issues.

Real-life example:
You host your CRM or ERP on a cloud server. Ping monitoring instantly detects server problems and helps avoid system downtime.

Useful for:

• Companies with their own infrastructure

• System administrators and DevOps engineers

• Any business with mission-critical systems on remote servers

5. CRON Monitoring (Scheduled Task Execution Check)

Monitoring of scheduled tasks (e.g., backups, log rotations, mailings) that run on a set schedule.

Real-life example:
You regularly back up your data. One day you discover the last backup was a month ago and the server hasn’t been making copies. CRON monitoring lets you spot and fix the problem in time.

Useful for:

• Any business that runs critical scheduled tasks

• Services relying on automated operations (financial, analytics)

6. SSL Monitoring (SSL Certificate Tracking)

SSL monitoring keeps track of your SSL certificate’s validity. If it expires, browsers will show alarming warnings to visitors.

Real-life example:
A major financial service forgot to renew its certificate and users started leaving after seeing security warnings. SSL monitoring alerts you well before expiration.

Useful for:

• Banks and financial services

• E-commerce platforms and online stores

• Any site handling customer personal data

7. Domain Monitoring (Domain Registration Expiry Tracking)

A simple but crucial check of your domain registration expiry. Losing the domain can shut down your business entirely.

Real-life example:
A well-known startup missed its renewal deadline and lost its domain. Recovering it was nearly impossible. Domain monitoring reminds you in advance to renew.

Useful for:

• All website and online business owners

• Online stores

• Media projects and startups

Additional UpMon.app Features:

• Customizable check intervals — from 1 minute to several hours, so you can flexibly monitor vital services.

• Timeout settings — set the maximum wait time for your site’s response.

• Notifications — Email, Telegram, Discord, Slack, and other convenient channels.

• Automatic recovery (Webhooks) — if an issue occurs, the system can automatically restart your service.

Conclusion: Which Type of Monitoring to Choose?
Select monitoring types based on your business specifics and goals:

• E-commerce and online businesses: HTTP and SSL monitoring are most important.

• Content and media projects: Keyword monitoring is essential.

• IT companies and services: Ping and TCP monitoring are critical.

• All businesses: CRON and domain monitoring provide extra safety.

The best approach is to combine several monitoring types to ensure maximum stability for your online business. With a well-thought-out monitoring strategy, you not only protect your business from downtime but also strengthen customer trust — arguably the greatest benefit of proper monitoring.

Try it yourself — it’s easy and convenient with UpMon.app!