When building or commissioning a website it won't be long before you come across terms like "domain name" and "web hosting". For someone building website for their small business these terms can be confusing at first, but never fear, learning about domain names and web hosting needn't be confusing!
In this article we'll give you an overview of these terms so that you can move forward with confidence. By the end of the article you'll be all clued up and wondering what all the fuss was about.
A domain name can be thought of as the website's address whereas web hosting is where the website is physically stored. If we use the analogy of a delivery driver and a parcel, the domain name is the address written on your parcel and web hosting is the actual house that the driver takes your parcel to.
When you use the internet, entering the domain name tells your browser software where to look and the browser then retrieves the information (the website) from a server that is owned by a web hosting company. The web hosting company "host" your website which is to say that they provide some space on their server for you to store your website. To amend our previous analogy, the domain name is the address and the server is the actual house the driver goes to.
If you are planning to build a website for your business then it's likely that you will need to pay a subscription fee for both your domain name and web hosting. Most web designers can provide you with a package deal that includes both the domain name and the hosting with the added bonus being that you don't have to deal with either.
Alternatively, you can purchase domain names and web hosting from companies on the web such as Namecheap or GoDaddy. It is worth consulting your web designer first to make sure you get the service that is most suitable for your application.
A domain name is the text you enter into a browser to access a website such as "google.com" which takes users to Google or "jimimac.co.uk" which takes users to our homepage. Behind the scenes the domain name is mapped to an IP address that points to the server where the website is actually stored.
The domain name is usually made up of two parts; the domain which is the text before the dot and the Top-Level Domain (TLD) which is the text after the dot.
Lets start with the second part; the Top-Level Domain or TLD. Some TLD's are available for individuals and corporations to use and some are reserved for particular organisations. The most common TLD is ".com" which is an abbreviation of ".commercial" and is used by brands wanting to attract global visitors. In the UK ".co.uk" is commonly used by small businesses where as the government uses the TLD ".gov" for all of its official government websites and pages.
The text before the dot is called the "Domain" and often includes the name of the organisation such as "Google" in Google.com. The domain combined with the top-level domain or TLD is referred to as the "domain name" or can be thought of as the "website address".
In some cases the domain name may also include a subdomain at the start of the string of text eg "admin.google.com". Subdomains are useful when you want to keep sections of your website separate even though they all belong top the same brand.
As the blog section of this website grows we might decide to split it up from the main part of the website to better organise information and resources. If JimiMac.co.uk was to do this we might use the subdomain "blog.jimimac.co.uk".
The whole string of text used to find a website is called the Uniform Resource Locator or URL and is made of different parts including the domain name (combination of the domain and TLD), any subdomains (such as "blog." or "admin.") along with the bit at the very beginning which is called the "protocol".
In the past most websites used the protocol "http://" which stands for "Hyper Text Transfer Protocol". Today most websites have upgraded to the "https://" protocol which stands for "Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure" and as the name implies is a secure, encrypted connection that increases the security of the connection.
The HTTPS protocol is particularly important for websites dealing with user information and card payments. Google will now warn users when they try to access a site that doesn't use an encrypted HTTPS connection.
Domain names can be bought and sold easily on websites such as namecheap.com. Websites that sell domain names usually have a search bar where you can enter your desired domain name and check to see if it's available to purchase. The search will usually show you some variations and alternative TLDs with prices being higher for more popular TLDs like ".com" and lower for TLDs such as those
Web hosting is a service that allows individuals and organisations to make their websites accessible on the internet. It involves storing website files and data on servers (these are basically buildings full of hard drives or computers) that are connected to the internet, enabling users to access the website anytime, anywhere.
There are a range of companies providing web hosting services out there on the internet but not all web hosting is the same and different business owners require different types of web hosting.
Multiple websites are hosted on a single server, allowing them to share resources. It offers a budget-friendly solution but may have limitations in terms of performance and customisation.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting provides dedicated resources within a shared environment, offering improved performance and control compared to shared hosting.
With dedicated hosting, a website gets its own server exclusively, allowing for maximum performance, customisation options, and control. This type of hosting is ideal for high-traffic websites or those with specific requirements.
Websites hosted on a network of interconnected servers benefit from cloud hosting, ensuring scalability, flexibility, and high availability.
Web hosting companies include a range of extras with their hosting packages so it's worth considering what extras might make your life easier.
Opt for a reliable web hosting service that ensures speedy website loading, minimal downtime, and seamless performance to impress your users and keep them satisfied.
Safeguard your website against cyber threats and data breaches by choosing a web hosting provider that offers effective security solutions like SSL certificates and firewalls. These days most providers include all the necessary security solutions as standard but it is worth checking if you plan on storing user data or taking payments.
Take advantage of the customisation and control options provided by web hosting services to design and enhance your website according to your specific business requirements and branding preferences. If your web designer is building your website using WordPress or an e-commerce platform then your hosting company might have packages specifically designed for those platforms.
With many web hosting packages, you can also enjoy the convenience of having professional email addresses associated with your domain name, giving your business a more polished and credible image. While we usually recommend using Google's "Workspace" platform to create your branded email addresses, in some cases it might be more suitable to use the service provided by your hosting company.
We hope this article has been informative and has helped to demystify the concepts of domain names and web hosting for you. Understanding the difference between the two is not as complicated as it may seem, and with a little knowledge, you can navigate the online landscape with confidence.
Remember, if you ever feel unsure, your web designer is always there to assist you and provide advice.
