Websites require several items to be in place before people can go online to view it. To have a website that works, you need to:
- Register a domain name
- Pay for hosting
- Build a website
Your website will not be available online if one of these three are absent.
In this writeup, I will explain the difference between websites, domains & hosting, how they work to make a website visible. I will talk about how to get each one and what they might cost.
What Is A Domain Name?
A domain name is a unique address that is used to access websites. An example of a domain name is www.google.com. It is an important part of your online identity and brand. Your domain name will be used to refer to your website. When you type, say, www.jumia.com.ng .ng, the domain name searches for the computer (server) which hosts the website and displays it on your web browser.
One way of getting a domain name is through a domain registrar or reseller. Some popular ones are www.godaddy.com, www.namecheap.com and www.ionos.com. If you want to register a domain with a .com.ng, .ng or any Nigeria top level domain, you can use registrars such as www.whogohost.com, www.domainking.ng or www.qservers.com.
How To Register A Domain Name
A domain name consists of several parts as shown in the diagram below:
To register a domain, first decide the domain name you would like. Note that domain names are unique, so if the one you prefer is taken, you will need to search for, and register another one. Let’s say you want to register www.ineedadomain.com. If this has been registered by another person, you will need to change the domain or tld. In this case you may choose to look for options such as www.i-need-a-domain.com, or www.ineeddomain.com. You can also try domains with different tlds as much as it matches you brand or aligns with your website. For example, you may try www.ineedadomain.org or www.ineedadomain.expert and many more
How Much Does It Cost To Register A Domain Name
The cost of domain name registration is different across registrars and resellers. The costs also vary based on the tld.
Web Hosting
Your website is stored on a physical computer (server) that serves pages to users on the internet. This is owned and operated by a hosting company. Web hosting is like renting space in a building. The bigger the space you rent and resources required, the more you pay. The cheapest and most popular type of web hosting is called shared hosting. This is where several websites share a server and its resources.
All the domain name registrars and resellers listed above also provide web hosting services.
When choosing a web hosting plan, there are several factors to consider . You need a web host that has a high average uptime. If you already use a host and your website is loads slowly you may need upgrade your web hosting plan or change web hosts altogether.
All the domain name registrars and resellers listed above also provide web hosting services.
When choosing a web hosting plan, there are several factors to consider . You need a web host that has a high average uptime. If you already use a host and your website is loads slowly you may need upgrade your web hosting plan or change web hosts altogether.
What Is A Website And How Does It Work?
A website is a collection of related and interlinked web pages under a domain name. Web pages are documents that can be displayed on a browser such as Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and many more.
Websites are built using hypertext markup language (HTML). However, you could build websites by using tools that allow users design and create websites without writing html or other code. These are called website builders. There are several website builders available today. The most popular ones include WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, HubSpot, etc.
There are also several types of websites based on what they should be used for and what they should do.
Websites: Coding or Website builder: Which is the best option?
To use a website builder or code your website from scratch is a choice that should be considered carefully. Using a website builder gets you up and running within a few hours to days.
You should consider the following to choose how to build your website
What are you business needs: The things you need a website to do for your business
- Time: When do you have to get online. This may be influence by your business needs
- Budget: How much can you afford to spend on a website
- Technical Know-How: How will you update the website after it has been delivered.
Conclusion
Your domain name and web hosting affect your website. If your website is a key part of your business or organisation, as it should be, then you should ensure that your domain name and web hosting are managed by a trusted member of staff or professionals.
If your domain expires you may need to change it, as registration is on a first-come-first-served basis. In this case, the alternative is to pay premium for it. This may be up to a thousand times of what it should have sold for.
If your web hosting expires, you will lose your website unless you have backup stored in a different location. This may mean building a new website.
