A-Z About Web Hosting and Domain Name for Your Brand’s Website

With more than 64 percent of shoppers switching to online purchases, there is no doubt that a brand website is a must. So, if you have a lucrative business idea for an online business, this is the right team to launch your website.

That said, you must remember that 38 percent of online startups end up in the cans within a year of their inception due to inefficient websites. So, a smartly developed website with a name that is easy to look up is what you need to keep your online business afloat.

When it comes to building an efficient website, getting a reliable web hosting service and developing a remarkable domain name should be the foundation stones. That brings us to the most pressing question: choosing reliable web hosting and a unique domain name?

To make things a little easier for you, I have created the ultimate guide with all the essentials to tick off while selecting the web hosting and domain name for your brand’s website. Let dive into it, shall we?

How to Select a Good Web Hosting Provider? 

Before I tell you how to choose a good one, you must know why you need a good web hosting provider. Using web hosting make things easier and cheaper as well. You can pay a small fee every month and get a service provider when you face a problem regarding equipment, infrastructure, or other issues.

That brings us to the steps to host a website using a hosting service provider. To make things easier, I have segregated the process into simple steps. Here you go!

1. Decide which type of website you want

Depending on the website you want – static or dynamic – you need to choose a web hosting. You can go for a WYSIWYG application for static websites and transfer it over to a hosting account.

For dynamic sites, you can go for a CMS app to handle the application-driven database and scripts. The best CMS platforms are Joomla, WordPress, Magento, and PrestaShop.

Again, depending on the type of website you want, your budget for web hosting will differ. A simple static website can cost you a dollar for a month, whereas dynamic sites will cost more since they require more server resources.

2. Compare web hosting types

Website hosting comes in various shapes and sizes. Just like mobile phones, as the features of web hosting scale up, the cost involved goes up too. Now, there are three types of web hosting – Shared, VPS/Cloud, and Dedicated Server Hosting.

Here are the pros and cons to remember when choosing a web hosting type:

• Shared Hosting is cheap and easy to manage, but the lack of advanced controls will fail to handle high traffic. 

• VPS / Cloud Hosting is expensive but versatile; therefore, it can cope with high traffic volumes. You can customize cloud hosting based on what resources you want.

• Dedicated Servers are not only complex but costly as well. If you have a heavy-duty website with multiple applications and features, this powerful hosting option will be the best choice.

Based on the traffic you expect on your website or other specific needs of your website, you need to choose from the three options. When you kick start, you can opt for shared hosting since the traffic volume will be low.

3. Choose and purchase a plan

Once you have chosen a hosting type, the next step would be to ask the service providers about the available variety of plans based on the resources. Irrespective of what kind of website you want to build, the three core resources to focus on are – processor (CPU), memory (RAM), and storage (HDD or SSD). 

The additional features to keep an eye on are a domain name, SSL, a website builder, advertising credits, and other items that will market your website. You will also find certain web hosts offering advantages like special optimizations or enhancements when you go for expensive plans. 

Once you purchase a web host, you will get a welcome email with the login details and name server. Save this email for you will need the information to log in to your server control panel and configure your domain.

Here are some of the best hosting options:

• Hostinger

• GreenGeeks 

• A2 Hosting

• Interserver 

4. Purchase a domain

After you have invested in a web hosting plan, the next step is to choose a domain name that visitors can use to access your site. Many web hosting plans offer a free domain name. The better option for a first-time website owner would be to buy a domain name from the same service provider that offers web hosting.

If your plan doesn’t come with one, you will have to buy a domain name separately. Now, when looking for domain names elsewhere, remember to keep an eye for a sale. Some domain providers often offer unique domain names at steal deals. 

5. Move/Create Your Website to Server

Once you are ready with the web hosting and domain name, it is time to migrate.

Since site migration can be complicated, ask for help from the hosting service provider if you are a beginner. Certain hosting providers offer free migration. So, make sure to ask your provider about the same.

If you have a local website built on your computer, then all you have to do is transfer your files onto the web server using a File Manager or an FTP client. Do not worry, for the process is as easy as copying files from one folder to another on your computer.

How to Choose a Domain Name?

When you’re choosing a domain name, here are certain things to keep in mind:

• For a business website, make sure that the domain name matches your company name. 

• For a personal website, keeping your name in the domain name is the best option.

Now, domain names usually end with .net, .com, or .org. But there have been certain additions to this list, especially for personal websites.

Depending on the product you offer, you can choose from options like .blog or .party. However, I suggest that you avoid unusual extensions and stick with .com, .net, or .org.

Here are some additional tips for choosing a good domain name:

• Make it brandable – For example, if your site offers online assignment help, then a name like Topassignmenthelp.com is a good choice. The name asserts the service provided while showing the quality.

• Make it memorable – Go for a short but punchy domain name that is much easier to remember. Visitors are likely to forget a complicated domain name that is long or spelled strangely.

• Make it catchy – Your domain name must describe your business. Make sure it is the right blend of catchy and memorable. Remember that a too-cool name can slip from your mind.

Parting thoughts

Do some brainstorming and come up with something unique for your domain name that markets your business or blog perfectly.

Remember to keep it down for the web hosting service and go for resources that you really need. That way, you will cut down on expenses and get the best of everything. Keep the above things in mind for the best web hosting solution and a great domain name that keeps your brand in everything’s memory.

Go, break a leg!