If you are a small business owner who has a website (or is thinking of getting a new website), you may have heard of the terms “hosting” and “domain”. These words can sound a bit techy and intimidating, but don’t worry! They are actually pretty simple to understand. Whether you plan to DIY your website or hire a designer/developer, it is still helpful for you to know the basics of what these two entities stand for. In addition to answering the question “what is hosting and domain”, I’ll also be giving you some simple tips to keep in mind when choosing a domain name and hosting provider.

Let’s break it all down so you can get your website up and running with confidence!

What is the Difference Between Domain and Hosting?: A Quick, Easy Metaphor

When thinking about domain and hosting, I find it fun to use a house as a metaphor. If someone buys a house, the house has a lot of land that it is built on. The house also has an address.

Think of the lot or the piece of land the house is built on as hosting and the house’s address as the domain. Your website itself is the actual house.

Keep this general metaphor in mind as we dig into this a little deeper!

What Is a Domain and Domain Hosting?

Just as the house has an address, think of a domain as your website’s address on the internet. People type in a home’s address in order to reach it. In the same way, people type a website’s domain in their browser in order to reach that website. Some examples of domains include “smallbusiness.com” or “desert-rose.co“.

Your website needs a domain so people can find it easily online. Without a domain, your website is like a house with no address—it will be a lot harder for people to know how to get there!

How to Choose a Domain Name

• Keep it simple and memorable. Shorter names are easier for people to remember. And although Desert Rose Design & Photo Co. uses a dash in the domain name “desert-rose.co”, I actually recommend avoiding dashes if you can!
• Try to avoid awkward misreads. Let’s just say, I bet the company Speed of Art had wished they hadn’t chosen the domain name speedofart.com (go here to read a list of more awkward domain names).
• Try to avoid trends. Finding something timeless that stands the test of time is preferable!
• Reflect your business. Your domain should match your business name if possible (granted it doesn’t include any awkward misreads, as noted above); bonus points if it can describe what you do or what you offer.
• Infuse SEO keywords if possible. If there is a valuable keyword you could infuse in the name, this may be helpful for SEO.
• Stick with common extensions. Popular endings like .com, .net, .co, or .org are often easier for customers to trust and remember.

How to Check Domain Availability

Checking if a domain is available is simple and can be done through domain registrars or hosting providers. Here’s how:

1. Visit a Domain Registrar or Hosting Provider: Go to websites like Namecheap or GoDaddy.
2. Use the Search Tool: Most registrars have a search bar where you can type in the domain you want.
3. Check Availability: The tool will tell you if the domain is available or already taken.
4. Explore Alternatives: If your preferred domain is taken, the tool will often suggest similar options, like different extensions (e.g., .net, .co) or slight variations of your name.

Pro Tip: A lot of hosting providers provide a free year of domain hosting for that first year of website hosting. While it could be tempting to register your domain name right away when spotting it on a domain registrar, it may benefit you to wait until you’ve finalized your choice of hosting provider so you can 1) potentially get that free year of domain hosting, 2) don’t have to split platforms for website hosting and domain hosting. That being said, you’ll want to act relatively quickly if you find an available domain you love—domains can be snatched up pretty quickly!

What’s the Difference Between a Domain (Name) and Domain Hosting?

Domain names, like websites, have to be stored somewhere. A domain (domain name) is the actual name of your website address whereas domain hosting is where that name is stored. Like websites, domain names also need a place to be stored!

Something to Think About: As far as the house analogy, think about how it would be to talk to someone about the location of a house and make it easy for them to remember. Would it be easier for them to remember if you tell them the GPS coordinates or the street address? Think of your domain name as an address that is really easy to remember. So just as “123 Main Street” is easier to remember than GPS coordinates, “smallbusiness.com” is way easier to remember than an IP address.

What Is Hosting (or Website Hosting)?

Hosting is the service that acts as storage for your website. Every website is made up of files, including images and content. Those files need to live somewhere, and that’s where hosting comes in. Hosting providers store your website’s files on their servers and ensure that your site is available for access.

If the domain is like your website’s address, then hosting is like the space or lot where your website resides. Without hosting, your website wouldn’t have a place to exist on the internet!

What are the Different Types of Hosting?

Just like there are different types of lots or land that a house can be built on, there are different types of hosting. Some lots of land can cost more than others because they have a stellar view, are more spacious, or are in a super convenient location. Similarly, different hosting options are considered higher-quality and more valuable than others. As a small business owner, the following information may be helpful for you as you consider different hosting providers for your own website.

1. Shared Hosting: Your website shares a server with other websites. It’s the cheapest option and great for beginners. However, it isn’t the best option overall.
2. Dedicated Hosting: Your website has its own server, giving you more control and better performance. This is ideal for larger businesses or websites with a lot of traffic. It can also be quite expensive.
3. Cloud Hosting: Your website is hosted across multiple servers in various data centers, offering flexibility and reliability. This type of hosting ensures faster loading speeds and minimizes downtime. Cloud-based hosting tends to be more expensive than shared hosting.
4. Managed Hosting: The hosting provider takes care of the technical stuff like updates and security for you. This is perfect if you’re not particularly tech-savvy. Any of the above three types can also be categorized as managed hosting if you are partnering with a professional designer or developer.

What Are the Steps for Setting Up Hosting and Domain?

As we’ve discussed previously, in order to get your website online, you need both a domain and hosting. Here are the steps you’d need to take to get them set up:

1. Pick a domain name like smallbusiness.com and purchase it (Important: Keep in mind that a lot of times hosting providers offer domains, and they sometimes even offer a free domain for the first year!)
2. Sign up for a hosting service to store your website’s files.
3. Connect your domain to your hosting account. If you’ve purchased your domain through your hosting provider, you’ve just made things a whole lot easier and can skip this last step!

Where Do You Get Hosting and a Domain?

This section of the article includes some affiliate links which means that Desert Rose receives a small commission for purchases using provided links at no additional cost to you.

There are plenty of companies that offer both hosting and domain services. Some popular options include:

• A2 Hosting
• Bluehost
• Flywheel
• SiteGround
• GoDaddy
• HostGator

Many of these providers offer packages that include both hosting and domain registration, which makes it easy to get started!

How Much Does Hosting and a Domain Cost?

How much does website hosting cost?

Depending on the quality of your hosting and domain provider(s) and the needs of your website, hosting costs will vary. On average, website hosting ranges anywhere from $10 to $50 per month. More specifically, shared hosting typically costs around $2 to $50 per month, while more advanced options like dedicated server hosting and cloud-based hosting may cost $20 to $100+ per month.

Please keep in mind that the lower end of these costs includes special onboarding pricing that hosts often offer for a certain number of years. These introductory rates then renew at higher standard rates. For example, if you are a new customer paying for four years of hosting upfront with a shared host at their initial onboarding pricing, you could pay $2/month for the first four years but renew at $40/month after those four years are over.

How much is a website domain?

Domain names also vary by the value of the domain name (based on demand and marketing potential) and domain hosting fees. Certain extensions tend to cost more or less than others (.com extensions can be more expensive than other extensions). For example, if smallbusiness.com were available, it would likely be more expensive than smallbusiness.life. Names that have big marketing value (e.g., short, easy to remember, high SEO potential) will also cost more. Domain names can usually range anywhere from $2 to $50 per year.

Which Domain and Hosting Provider Should I Choose?: How to Choose the Best Website Hosting for My Small Business

Choosing the right hosting provider is a critical decision for your small business website’s performance and reliability. Not all hosting options are created equal, so it helps to know what big factors and features to look for as you’re considering hosting providers.

Here are some key features to look for and factors to consider:

Key Features to Look For in a Hosting Provider:

1. Uptime Guarantee: Look for providers that offer at least 99.9% uptime to ensure your website is always accessible.
2. Customer Support: Easy, reliable customer support is essential, especially if you’re new to website management.
3. Speed and Performance: A fast-loading website is crucial for user experience and SEO.
4. Security Features: Check for SSL certificates, backups, and protection against malware or hackers.
5. Scalability: Choose a provider that allows you to upgrade your plan as your business grows.
6. Ease of Use: Look for user-friendly control panels like cPanel or one-click installation options for tools like WordPress.

Other factors to consider include the ability to seamlessly intergrate with website builders such as Divi or Elementor, how the cost of plans fit your current budget, specific needs (e.g., e-commerce, email hosting, advanced tools), and reputation based on reviews and other people’s experiences.

Hosting & Domain Services at Desert Rose Design & Photo Co.

Desert Rose Design & Photo Co. also offers high-quality, Cloud-based hosting and maintenance services (managed hosting) for small businesses. As mentioned above, Cloud-based hosting stores your website across multiple servers in various data centers, which offers flexibility, reliability, faster loading speeds, and minimized downtime. Desert Rose hosting includes:

• A 99.9% uptime guarantee
• Super fast load times that are a hallmark of Cloud-based website hosting
• Security features that protect your website against malware and hackers
• Timely and personable customer support from Vivian
• Hosting optimized for WordPress

If you’re also needing a domain, Desert Rose offers a domain name for free during the first year of hosting!

To learn more about the hosting options provided by Desert Rose Design & Photo Co., visit the Website Hosting & Maintenance page.

Conclusion

Understanding and setting up hosting and domain services as a small business owner doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you are looking into getting a new website or already have one, I hope you found this guide helpful! With a clear idea of what you need and the right provider by your side, you can be equipped to make the best website decisions for your small business!

Do you have more questions about domains and hosting? Or are you interested in having Desert Rose Design & Photo Co. host your website and domain? Leave any questions in the comments or reach out by filling out my contact form to get started! Desert Rose is here and can’t wait to help you navigate your online journey as a small business owner!