You’ve made the leap and now you’re ready to take your business online! Awesome! But hold up, before you dive into the depths of creating a website, there are a couple of terms you need to understand: domain names and hosting. These words get thrown around a lot, and sometimes people use them interchangeably, but they actually represent two different things. Don’t worry, though! I’m here to break it down for you in a non-techie, easy-to-understand way. So, let’s get started!
Domain Names: Your Online Identity
Alright, let’s start in an environment that you’re more familiar with than 1’s and 0’s. The comparison I like to use is: domain names = street addresses. Just like an address helps people find your physical home, a domain name directs folks to your website. It’s like your online identity!
Just like how you can navigate to a specific location using coordinates, remembering all of those latitude and longitude numbers is a hassle. That’s why we plug “123 Main Street” into Google Maps instead.
That’s the same with a website. You could visit a website by typing in the IP address in your browser (like“192.124.249.75”). But remembering the numbers for all of the websites you want to visit is near impossible. So a user-friendly domain name is more practical and will attract more visitors.
Choosing the right domain name is super important. You want something catchy, memorable, and easy to spell. It’s the foundation of your online presence, so make it count! You can go for the classic .com extension but don’t be afraid to explore other creative options like .org, or in my case, .studio. The choice is yours, and it’s all about establishing credibility and recognition in your target market.
Hosting: Where Your Website Hangs Out
Now that you’ve snagged your domain name, you need a place to house your website’s content and files. That’s where hosting comes in.
Let’s step out of the digital world again and back to our real estate metaphor. Hosting is like a land or lot lease for your house. It gives you the space to build your website (aka store or house) on top of, making it accessible to your clients on the internet.
When it comes to hosting, there are a few factors to consider. Think of it like picking the best physical location for your business. What’s the neighborhood like? How long is the commute from home? Is there enough space/land to house your physical store?
The same types of considerations can be made about your hosting provider. You want a reliable hosting provider that offers enough storage (aka land) and speed. After all, you want your site to be up and running all the time, right? Look for a hosting provider that has your back and offers good customer support (aka a good neighborhood).
The Relationship Between Domain Names and Hosting
Let’s summarize what we’ve gone through so far: Imagine your website as a physical store’s building, the domain name as the store’s address, and hosting as the actual lease on the land/lot.
When someone types your domain name into a web browser, they’re basically looking for your store’s address. The web browser then talks to the hosting server, which houses all the files and content that make up your website. The server finds your website’s files and sends them back to the user’s browser, displaying your fantastic site on their screen.
So, your domain name is the signpost that guides visitors to your website, and hosting provides the digital infrastructure and space where all your website’s stuff resides.
Making the Right Choices
Now that we’ve gone over the difference between domain names and hosting, let’s talk about some considerations in your decision-making process when choosing the right providers for your domain name and hosting provider. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Domain Names
Reflect your brand: Choose a domain name that captures your brand’s essence and is easy for people to remember.
Keep it simple: Avoid complicated spellings or hyphens that might confuse visitors.
Explore extensions: While .com is popular, don’t be afraid to check out other extensions that suit your business or purpose better. My website can be accessed as both “tracymak.com” or “tracymak.studio”.
Recommendation: I use and recommend Namecheap* for all of my websites. They have affordable pricing and sales all the time. Plus, I love that all of their domain names include “domain privacy” which means when you register your domain name, your contact information is hidden from public view. That means less robocalls and spam emails from people harvesting contact information online.
Hosting
Reliability matters: Look for a hosting provider with a solid track record of uptime. You want your website to be accessible to people whenever they want to visit.
Scalability is key: If your website grows, you’ll need a hosting provider that can handle the increased traffic and resource demands.
Security first: Protecting your website and customer data is so important. Look for hosting providers that offer robust security features like SSL certificates and regular backups.
Recommendation: I use and recommend the Nexcess Managed WordPress hosting plan*. They offer lots of great features like CDN network for faster speeds, automatic backups & updates, and staging & testing environments so when you want to make a major change to your website, you can test it out before making it public. Their customer service has also been excellent, I always get a response to issues quickly.
Alright, you’re now equipped with the knowledge to take your first steps into creating your business website! Remember, domain names and hosting are two separate but essential elements of your online journey. Choose a domain name that represents your brand, and find a reliable hosting provider that offers the right features for your website’s needs. By making informed choices, you’ll lay a solid online foundation for your successful business. Get ready to rock the web and build an incredible online presence!
If you need help building your new website fill out my Client Application to see if we’d be a good fit!
*This affiliate link means that the company compensates me for the links that are clicked on. I only give recommendations that I have tested and believe are helpful resources. You will not incur any additional costs for clicking on affiliate links (you may even get a discount!)
