Many Beginning affiliate marketers, do not know the difference between a domain name and web hosting. Hence in this article, ” Difference Between A Domain And Hosting.” We will explain the differences between a domain and hosting.
What Is A Domain Name?
Before we can attempt to answer this question, we first want to look at the history behind domain names.
The Internet is a network of computers connected to each other through cables. For the sake of identification, a series of long numbers are assigned to each computer, this is referred to as IP address.
Imagine if you are trying to gain access to computers with each having strings of numbers as it’s address. That will be a challenging task won’t you agree? Especially when you are trying to remember all those long numbers.
To resolve this issue, domain names were created. A domain can have words which makes it easy to remember. Just as a physical house has an address, a domain name is the permanent address of your website, that people type in the browser’s bar in order to gain access to your site.
Just as your thumb print is unique, you alone has that finger print and no one else has it, so also is a domain name. A domain name is unique. For example there can only be one affiliatemarketingguideforthebeginner.com. So again just as a thumb print is unique, a domain name is also unique.
Different Types Of Domain Names Available.
Domain names are made up of two parts. The SLD and the TLD. The SLD stands for the second-level domain, and the TLD stands for the top-level domain.
The SLD is your brand name, it can have any combination of letters and numbers. The TLD is a domain extension such as .com, .org, .net, .us etc. For example in the case of affiliatemarketingguideforthebeginner.com, the SLD is affiliatemarketingguideforthebeginner and the TLD is .com.
And TLDs are also placed into four main categories, based on their purpose and location. Of all the gTLDS(Generic Top-Level Domains), the gTLDs are the most commonly used, such as .com, .org, and .net
There are other lesser known TLDs , such as .biz, .club, .info, .agency etc. I do not recommend using these, but rather I highly recommend you use .com.
How Does A Domain Name Work?
When you type in a domain name in your browser, one of the first thing that happens, is that a request is first sent to the DNS(Domain Name Systems) which is a global network of servers. They manage a gigantic data base of domain names.
Once the request is made, the browser will search through the DNS and find the exact IP address of the site you are seeking to gain access to.
Recall what we said, that each computer is assigned strings of numbers. Those strings of numbers will be hard for humans to remember when ever they want to access different computers. This however does not pose any problem for machines. Recall how the problem was resolved? It was solved, by the creation of domain name. And domain name we mentioned is your permanent web address.
The IP address will tell your browser which web server, host, the website of that domain name. Your browser will then connect to the web server and request for a copy of the website.
Who Is Responsible For Domain Name System?
The Internet Corporation For Assigned Names And Numbers(ICANN) is responsible. The ICANN is a non profit organization. It was established on September 18, 1998, and incorporated on September 30, 1998.
It is responsible for such functions as:
- Allocating portions of the IP address space
- Managing the DNS
- Assigning Internet Protocol Parameters
- Help keep the Internet secure, stable and resilient
- Gives permission to companies called Domain Name Registrars to sell domain names
Domain name registrars can sell domain names, manage it’s records, renewals and transfer to other registrars.
How To Choose A Domain Name
It is very crucial that much thought be given to choosing a domain name. Why? Because your domain name is an essential element of your website.
And have you heard of the expression about making the first impression? True the first impression can either catapult you to success, or completely doom your business aspirations.
Since your url is the first thing that people see, will it not then make much sense, to choose a good domain name, and hence make a good first impression?
So what constitutes a good domain name? If your domain name is to be considered a good domain name, it must be unique, it must stand out from the rest especially your competitors.
Not only must it be unique and stands out, you have to make sure that it is not lengthy but rather short. Just as short sentences are effective, a short domain name is also effective, because it is easier for people to remember it.
Another important factor to keep in mind also, is that your domain name must be easy to spell and pronounce. Choosing a domain name that is hard to spell, will cause you to loose much business.
Furthermore, if you are aiming to rank your site, you have to think about utilizing your Niche keywords in your domain name. Preferably make sure that you put them at the beginning of the domain.
You can find keywords with Jaaxy keyword research tool. This is an excellent tool that you must have.
It is also vital that you don’t use numbers or hyphens. And finally, you must use the right domain name extensions. My recommendation is .com, which is the most common.
How To Register Your Domain Name.
If you are serious about creating and building a business, then it is advisable to register your domain name right away.
Once you have chosen your domain name, and made sure that the name is available, you have to register it with a domain registrar company. With most domain companies, you can register a domain name for a minimum period of 1 year. Before it expires, you will have to renew it.
The process of domain registration is really simple, and most domain companies have tutorials that will walk you through the process.
You can buy a domain name, and connect the domain to your host server. You can buy a domain name and hosting account sometimes from the same company. It is preferable to do so. The reasons are that if you buy a domain name and hosting services from the same provider, the set up process becomes a little easier, since you do not need to change the domain name settings. And connecting the domain to your host server is easier if it is handled by the same company.
If you are going to buy it from the same company, Blue host is one of the best choices. It has an on going deal for WordPress users. They give you a free domain name if you purchase any WordPress hosting plan, for as low as $2.75/m You can also buy the services separately.
Some of the best domain name registrars are:
One thing you must also take into account, is that you are not permanently buying the domain name, rather as mentioned some where, you are reserving it’s usage for a specified period of time.
What Is Web Hosting?
Your web hosting consist of number of files and data. In order for visitors to see your site, the information must be put on a server(computer) that your visitors can access.
We said that in a previous discussion that your domain name can be likened to the address on a house.So if the domain name is the address of your house, then the actual house is your hosting server.
Just as someone renting a house to live in, the hosting providers are in actuality renting to you a section of their web server, for you to store your website files and data.
Just as a landlord has some responsibilities for the up keep and maintenance of the house in general, the web hosting providers, also have to perform many tasks relating to their web server.
For example when a domain name is typed in, your web hosting provider is the one who sends the content or your stored information to the visitor.
They also provide other useful services. Such as making available friendly tools, that will enable you to manage your website with little or no technical skills. They also as part of the package plan, offer customer support, server maintenance, and website builders to help users create and maintain their sites. They also provide security by protecting the server and your website files from attacks.
There are many web hosting providers. As a good business practice, I highly recommend that you do a thorough research before selecting a hosting company. What should you look for?
- Pricing and plans
- Server speed
- User friendliness
- How reliable and helpful the customer service is.
Types Of Web Hosting And Pricing.
There are different types of web hosting. We are going to briefly discuss these, as this will give you an idea, as to what will best meet your needs.
- Shared web hosting- As the name indicates, this is where many websites share the same physical server and have a set amount of storage and resources. Of all the web hosting plans, this is the most affordable. Starts from $0.99-$3.99. Excellent for small businesses and personal websites.
- VPS hosting – VPS which stands for Virtual Private Server, is a hosting service, that utilizes virtualization technology to furnish you with dedicated private resources on a server with many users. It is more secure and stable than shared hosting where you don’t get a dedicated server space. VPS hosting plans start from $3.95/m-$38.99/m
- Cloud hosting- utilizes a group of variety of servers to host your website. If one server malfunctions, another server takes over, to ensure that your site keeps operating. Cloud hosting is recommended for sites such as e commerce stores. Prices range from $9.99/m – $69.99/m
- Hosting for WordPress- This hosting plan provides WordPress related features and customization options, that helps you to easily and quickly manage and grow your site. The plan starts from $1.99- $11.59/m
My recommendation is that if you are just beginning, I will advice that, you start with share hosting first. However, if you are technical minded, and want control over managing your own server then VPS is the right choice for you.
How Is Domain Name Different From Web Hosting?
Domain name and web hosting are two different services for sure. However they are closely related, working together to accomplish a purpose. Is this possible for two different things working together to accomplish a purpose? Life’s experiences teaches us that this is possible.
For example, think of your hand, the fingers of your hand are different are they not? But yet they work together to accomplish a desired purpose. You can use them to catch, throw, make and eat.
Similarly, both the domain name and hosting account, are needed in order to build a website. You cannot build a website without any of the two.
Recall also what we said in regards to your domain name. It was stated that it can be likened to the address to a house and the hosting server to the actual house, and this is where your files and data are kept.
Again how do these two services, though different work together? When a user tries to gain access to your website, by typing your web address or domain name in their browser, the domain name (web address) points the user to the files that are stored in the web Server, which allows them to view your website online. So even though they are different service providers they work together hand in hand.
What Are The Best Web Hosting Servers?
As previously mentioned, there are many web hosting providers. In this blog, I have decided to list the best, from which you can make your choice. Some even train you and pay you, like ANS hosting.
Conclusion
In this blog, ” Difference Between Domain And Hosting.” We saw how domain name evolved. We said it came about to solve an issue. And that the domain name is the permanent address of your website, but the web hosting server, is the actual house where your files and data are stored.
It was also mentioned that domain names are made up 2 parts. The second-level domain and the top-level domain. The SLD is your brand name, and the TLD is a domain extension, such as .com, .org, .net etc.
The fact was emphasized that we choose a good domain name. A good domain name must be unique and it must stand out. It must also be short and free of grammar and spelling mistakes.
Domain names must be registered with a domain registrar company. We stated that you can register a domain name for minimum period of 1 year, but must be renewed.
We also mentioned that domain name and web hosting are two different services or providers. Even though they are different, yet we indicated that they work together. For example we noted that both are needed in order for you to build a website, and if visitors are to view your website, both must work hand in hand if that is to happen.
Finally, we were able to identify some of the best domain name companies and web hosting providers. And that before you choose a hosting and domain name provider, a good business practice, should be that you do thorough research before you make a choice.
I hope dear reader, you found this blog to be informative, useful and relevant. If you found it be useful, I hope you will utilize some of the points and suggestions. It is one thing to take in knowledge, yet another is to apply. You see, if we don’t apply what we have learned, then what we have learned is not going to benefit us.
So make an ardent effort to apply what you have learned either from this blog or any other for that matter. And I have the fullest confidence in you, that you will succeed in your online business endeavor, if of course you do not quit.
And two favors I would like to ask of you. First , help me to improve by giving me points or suggestions that will help me write a better content the next time. And also if you found this content or blog to be helpful, I will appreciate it, if you could share it with friends and relatives.
I will like to take this time to thank you so much for reading this blog.
Sincerely,
Sten