Questions about domain name and web hosting when building a website
There is a certain confusion when talking about domain name and web hosting and the costs they entail when building a website or online store.
Some people think that domain name and web hosting are the same. Some know they are not the same, but don’t know exactly what each does. So, let’s examine in detail their concept, usefulness and their correlation.
What is a domain name?
Domain name is the address of your website. It is the address that internet users type into the URL bar of various search engines to visit your website.
To put it more simply, the domain name is the address of your business. Give your business address to your customers so they can find your business online and visit it.
But let’s get back to the basics:
The internet is a huge network of computers, which are connected to each other by cables. To be able to locate each computer, each one has a unique identifier called an IP address. The IP address is a number in the form of e.g. 96.67.523.133.
Computers have no problem storing or remembering these numbers. But because it is impossible for people to remember these numbers and use them to navigate the internet, domain names were created.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is where your website files reside. Each website consists of files, usually html or php, for static websites and dynamic websites, respectively.
In the example we mentioned above, where the domain name is the address of your business, the web hosting is the headquarters of your business, i.e. the place where your business is housed or the place where you have your products.
Internet users type the domain name into a search engine, and it is automatically translated into the IP address of the computer of the web hosting company hosting your website.
What does domain name have to do with web hosting?
The domain name has nothing to do with web hosting but they work together to make your website accessible to users. As we said, the domain name is the address of your website and the web hosting hosts the files of your website.
Practically speaking, if the domain name expires it means that someone else can take it. It also means that your website no longer has an address, so no one can find it.
If, on the other hand, the web hosting expires, it means that your website has an address, since you have a domain name, but your website files will not exist at this address.
Why do I need a domain name and web hosting for my website?
Every website should have both.
First you need web hosting to host your files and once that is done, you need to buy a domain name and configure it to show your web hosting provider where your files are located.
When you buy a domain name, you get the right to use it for a certain period of time, usually one or two years. The cost for a domain name is usually around 25€ for two years.
On the other hand, there are monthly or yearly paid website hosting packages. Web hosting can cost from 40-50€ per year and go up depending on the requirements of your website. You should certainly be careful to choose the right web hosting even if you need to allocate a few euros more per year.
Should I buy a domain name and web hosting at the same time, from the same company?
Domain name is independent from web hosting, so the answer is no for both.
For example, you can buy web hosting for as long as it takes to build your website, without the need to have a domain name. You can access your website through a subdomain, which the web hosting company will create and configure appropriately so that you can access your website files.
Once your website is ready you can buy a domain name from the web hosting company that hosts your website or from any other company.
Usually, of course, both are purchased at the same time, from the same company, so you don’t have to deal with the needs of your website twice.
Can I transfer my domain name or web hosting to another company?
As we mentioned above, the domain name is independent from the web hosting. This means you can do whatever you want. You can move the web hosting to another company and keep the domain name or vice versa. You can also move them at the same time, together, to any company you want.
We would advise caution though, because there is a practice by web hosting companies, in which as soon as you decide to stop your cooperation, they try to make it a little difficult for you. How exactly?
In the case of web hosting, they will continue to show your domain name with your previous website files because you have now moved your website to another company.
That way, your domain name now points to two different locations, which confuses search engines and works against the good credit of your domain name and by extension your website. That is why it’s better to stay with one trust-worthy company for your domain name and web hosting.
Can I have more than one domain name?
You can have as many domain names as you want, which will point to the same or different website. The correct (common) of course is the existence of a domain name for a website.
The domain name, as well as the content of your website, are of great importance for the so-called website ranking. It is good to constantly try to post content if you want your website to appear on the 1st page of search engines.
You should pay special attention to the domain name and the content of your website as they will play an extremely important role in the SEO of your website. That, of course, is also connected to your website design.
Why you should choose Webed for the web hosting and domain name of your website
In this day and age, building a website for your business is a prerequisite for the success of any business. With so much potential to grow through it, it’s a shame to miss out on opportunities and clients.
At Webed we have the knowledge, experience and expertise to offer you complete website building proposals, tailored to your needs and desires to get your business exactly where you want it, offering attractive and reliable web hosting packages.
Our knowledge in SEO and web design enables us to offer you a wider range of solutions in terms of website, content, structure and customer acquisition. Contact us today at 21 6070 2930 or find us at Artemidos 1, Glyfada to achieve your every business goal!