What is hosting and why do I need it?
You need a place to store your website’s files (software, database/s, code, and images). These files are stored on a website host’s server. When someone clicks on a link to open your website page, everything needed to show that page will be sent from the hosting server to your visitor’s browser screen. (The hosting server will ‘serve’ the webpage to the viewer).
How does my computer browser know where to get the webpage from?
Each link contains a domain name, for example, mysite.com. Think of the domain name as the name of the cyberspace territory that your website occupies.
The domain name isn’t the address though. For example, think of the name of the place you buy your groceries. That is just a name – it doesn’t tell people how to get there. For people to find the store location, you would need to give them directions in the form of a street number or coordinates.
It is the same for your website. Hosting servers use IP addresses made of numbers and dots (E.g. 192.205.150.112.). Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate cyberspace to find the correct webpage address, your computer browser knows where to look. It will look up the domain name in a ‘directory’, and then retrieve the website files from there to show you the page you wanted to see.
See the illustration below of how this works:
Browser Mission > locate page > return page
What is a domain name and why do I need one?
The need for a domain name comes in because we want our websites to have names that are easy for people to remember.
Imagine telling someone they can visit your site at 192.205.150.112. It would be like saying “Join me at erf no. 5673 for dinner”, or “Let’s eat at 33° 54’ 42.89” S 18° 24’ 59.546” E”. That is not practical.
- Using a text domain name, such as mysite.com, makes it easier to remember what to search for.
- A domain name is easier to remember if it is the same as your business name. This helps with building a solid and memorable brand.
- Domain names are unique – no two are alike, so they set you apart.
- There are different types of domains, for example: .com, .org, or .info. You can choose which works best for your needs.
Where can I buy a domain name?
When purchasing hosting for a new website, you can purchase your new domain name at the same time, and often you won’t have to pay for the domain for the first year. The hosting company will manage registering the domain with the domain registrar and set up the DNS records for you. It is quite handy having just one company to manage your website requirements for you.
You can also use a domain registrar, such as GoDaddy to purchase your domain and then set records to point the name to your hosting server.
TIP: remember to pay for annual domain renewal, or your website will stop working. This could happen when a credit card expires, and payment doesn’t go through.
Is it just a once-off payment to purchase a domain name?
Domain names are yours to use as long as you’re paying to use them, so you don’t really ‘buy’ them. You will renew your domain name usage each year. Whoever paid for the domain, will be sent an email reminder when it is time to pay the renewal amount.
TIP Explain the need for both hosting and domain to your bookkeeper. We have helped to calm down a few bookkeepers over the years, thinking they’ve been charged twice for ‘the website’ when they notice separate charges for hosting and domain.
Need help with website hosting and domain registration?
We will happily guide you in selecting the best hosting for your project.