To explain the difference between your domain, hosting and website, think about your home where you live. Your website is your house/apartment/condo.
The domain, also known as your domain name, also known as your URL, is your street address, your mailbox.
Your hosting is the plot of land your house sits on.
When you type a domain name/URL/address into the address bar on your browser (your browser being Safari, Firefox, Chrome, etc.), it’s like going to visit a family or friend far away. You plug their address into your GPS and it shows you the directions to that address.
So for example, when you type the domain name/URL/address “in-sheeps-clothing.com,” and hit “Enter,” you arrive at In Sheep’s Clothing’s house/apartment/condo; that is, their website. The same is true for every single website on Earth. From big to small, from Amazon to In Sheep’s Clothing, their domain name is their address.
You purchase your domain name from a domain registrar such as Domain.com, Go Daddy or A2 Hosting.
If your website is the house, and your domain/URL is the address, then your hosting account is the plot of land your website sits on. You rent that plot of land from your hosting company. Examples of hosting companies are A2 Hosting (Sue’s favorite for WordPress websites), Flywheel (my favorite), WP Engine, BlueHost, and Host Gator. Hosting companies charge monthly rent, but you can prepay one year or even three years.
In order for your website to “go live,” you will need a domain name and a hosting plan, just like you need an address and a plot of land in order to build a house.
If you don’t have a domain or hosting company yet don’t worry, we’ll help you. Email Donna to get started today.