Creating a website on the WordPress platform requires two very important decisions – the domain name and the web hosting.
Domain name is the address people type in a web browser to access the website, and hosting is the space where everything – files, database, images, etc. – is stored on a web server.
Choosing the wrong domain name or hosting can cause problems from branding and performance to migration and expenses.
The good news is that it does not need to be that difficult!
Whether you are building a personal, business, portfolio, blog, eCommerce, or professional service website, this article will help you make an informed and practical choice.
What Is a Domain Name?
A domain name is the address people type in the address bar of their browser to access our website.
For example:
• yourbusiness.com
• premraiwp.com
• myportfolio.in
Instead of a long and hard-to-remember numeric IP address, we can register a domain name to redirect to our website.
It generally consists of two parts – the name and the extension.
The latter is the ending of the domain, like .com, .in, .org, or .net.
For example, in example.com, example is the name, and .com is the extension.
Why Is Your Domain Important?
The domain name is an important aspect, influencing a lot – branding, credibility, memorability, and marketing.
The best domain name is the one that is easy to:
• Remember
• Misspell
• Pronounce
It must also be relevant, short enough and suitable for the long term.
For example, if you are going to provide web design services, a domain name related to the field will be helpful because people can more easily remember it.
How to Choose a Good Domain Name?
A domain name choice is not an easy task, and we must go through several crucial steps before buying it.
Let’s see what they are!
1. Keep It Short and Simple
Short domain names are much easier to remember and share.
Compare the two examples below and think which one you would prefer:
• bestwebsitedesignservicesfordelhibusiness.com
• delhiwebdesign.com
It is clear that the second option is much more attractive and offers more value. A long domain name is a pain to type and share.
Of course, the name does not have to be very short, but we should avoid extra and hard-to-type combinations and words.
2. Make Sure It Is Easy to Spell
Suppose someone asks you what your domain name is.
Are you going to tell them a long, hard-to-remember address, and hope that they will type it correctly?
If something is challenging to spell, we tend to ask multiple times for clarification.
That is why we should avoid unusual combinations of letters that can be mistaken for others.
3. Make It Relevant or Include Your Brand or Name
The domain name can represent our brand, company name, or niche.
It can be relevant, include keywords, and describe what the website is about.
For example, a personal brand website can have a domain name that includes the person’s name:
premrai.com
A company website, on the other hand, should have a domain name related to the brand:
yourbrand.com
A domain name that describes the website’s niche is also a viable option and can be great for SEO. For example, if we have a website about WordPress, a domain name like premraiwp.com can work.
The most important thing is to ensure there is enough headroom to grow and develop in the future.
4. Choose a Practical Extension
The most popular extension is undoubtedly .com, but there are many others like .net, .in, .org, or .co.
A domain extension choice depends on the target audience, purpose, and available budget.
Generally, the .com extension is the most common and recommended one for business purposes. There are also country-specific extensions like .in for India.
If the .com extension is expensive or unavailable, there is no need to panic.
We can always choose a different extension or invest in a .com domain.
5. Avoid Numbers and Dashes If Possible
A domain name with numbers and dashes is not easy to spell, remember, or share.
For example, if my domain is my-business-247.com and someone wants to reach out, they might ask how to spell it.
Are they going to type my-business-247 or my-business-24/7 or my-business-twentyseven?
It is much better to avoid numbers and dashes and opt for something short and easy to remember.
6. Check if the Name Is Not Reserved or Taken by Someone Else
Before buying a domain name, we have to ensure that it is not already taken or registered by someone else and does not conflict with existing trademarks. It is a good idea to double-check the availability on social media networks and company directories as well.
We do not want our precious domain name to become a trademark infringement lawsuit against us.
It is worth spending the extra time and energy searching for a domain name that is available and would not conflict with any existing trademark.
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What Is Web Hosting?
A website needs a domain name and a hosting provider to store all the site’s data and make it accessible to the public. Hosting is where our WordPress database, files, and images are stored on a web server.
When someone tries to access our website by typing the domain name in the address bar of their browser, their browser communicates with the hosting server. After that, the browser displays the contents of the website.
Simply put, a domain name directs the website visitors to the correct server, and hosting stores all of our content and makes it available to the public.
In other words, we cannot host a self-hosted WordPress site without either domain and/or hosting.
Types of WordPress Hosting
There are five hosting types, and the choice between them depends on a variety of factors, including the needs of the website, traffic volume, technical expertise, budget, and many others.
1. Shared Hosting
Shared hosting allows us to share the server space with other websites.
This is a cheaper and beginner-friendly option, which makes it the perfect choice for personal blogs, small business websites, portfolios, etc.
It has a number of limitations due to shared resources.
2. Managed WordPress Hosting
A managed WordPress hosting option is the ultimate solution for those who want to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing that someone takes care of the hard work of maintaining the server.
Depending on the hosting company, managed hosting can offer a variety of services and tools like WordPress updates, backups, enhanced security, performance optimization, and more.
3. VPS or Virtual Private Server Hosting
A VPS hosting option is a step above shared hosting in terms of performance, flexibility, and control. It is much more expensive and requires some technical knowledge.
4. Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is a popular option among developers and businesses that need greater flexibility and scalability.
Cloud hosting can be a good fit for both small and enterprise-level WordPress sites.
However, there are significant variations between different providers, so it is essential to do your homework and research before making a final decision.
5. Dedicated or Enterprise Hosting
With this type of hosting, we get an entire server for our WordPress site.
While it is undoubtedly powerful and offers excellent performance and flexibility, it is also the most expensive and requires technical expertise to set up and manage a server.
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What Should We Look for in WordPress Hosting?
When choosing a WordPress hosting plan, there are many factors to consider. The most important ones are price, performance, reliability, backups, support, security, and more.
1. Performance
Website speed is one of the most critical aspects when choosing WordPress hosting. When comparing performance between different hosting providers, it is essential to consider server resources, modern infrastructure, and performance optimization.
2. Reliability and Uptime
Website uptime is vital and must be prioritized when choosing a web host. Uptime guarantees can vary between different hosting companies, so it is essential to investigate and research the fine print.
3. SSL
Most web hosting providers offer free SSL certificates with most shared and managed WordPress hosting plans. We must ensure that the website has an SSL certificate and uses a secure HTTPS protocol. Having an SSL certificate boosts our SEO performance and is much safer for our site visitors since HTTP connections are not secure.
4. Backups
Website backups are arguably one of the most critical aspects of managing a WordPress site. A website can go down due to various reasons like plugin conflicts, theme issues, human errors, or hacking.
That is why it is essential to choose a hosting plan that offers regular and automated WordPress backups.
5. Support
When something goes wrong, we will need round-the-clock support from the web hosting provider to get our WordPress site back online as quickly as possible. It is a good idea to go with a company that offers 24/7 support via chat, ticketing system, and phone support. We should also check whether the support team has the technical know-how to assist us with WordPress-specific issues.
6. Storage and Bandwidth
We need to make sure that the selected hosting plan offers enough storage space for our WordPress site files, images, videos, and other media.
A basic business WordPress website will require significantly fewer resources than an image-heavy portfolio or an eCommerce site with thousands of products.
7. WordPress Compatibility
We should choose a web hosting provider that is compatible with the latest WordPress requirements and offers a one-click WordPress install.
Features like WordPress staging, WordPress backups, caching, and WordPress optimization are also a big plus.
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Domain and Hosting – Should We Buy It From the Same Company?
Many web hosting companies allow us to buy the domain and hosting together. However, there is no need to do that. We can buy the domain from one company and the hosting from another. Then, we need to make sure that our domain is properly pointed to the hosting server.
As a beginner, it is much easier to use one company for both the domain and the hosting.
As an experienced WordPress developer, I prefer to keep my domain and hosting separate for greater flexibility.
How Much Should I Spend on Domain and Hosting?
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the domain name and web hosting expenses. The final decision depends on the domain extension, domain registrar, WordPress hosting plan, resources, renewals, and many other factors.
Some hosting companies offer great introductory pricing, which can skyrocket when the renewal date arrives. Before making a final decision, it is essential to compare the annual price, renewal pricing, backup options, free SSL certificate, storage, support, and other essential features.
A Simple Domain and Hosting Checklist
The following checklists will help you to choose a domain name and WordPress hosting without missing any important details.
Domain Name Checklist
• Easy to remember
• Easy to misspell
• Easy to pronounce
• Relevant
• Not too long
• Does not have confusing numbers or hyphens
• Has a practical extension
• Is not reserved or taken by someone else
• Is not conflicting with any trademarks
• Social media accounts availability
• Hosting Checklist
• Good performance
• Good uptime
• Free SSL
• Regular backups
• WordPress compatibility
• Enough storage space
• Appropriate server resources
• Good customer support
• Transparent renewal policy
• WordPress one-click install
• Security features
• Upgrades for growth
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
When it comes to WordPress hosting, one of the biggest mistakes beginners make is to go with the cheapest option.
A WordPress hosting plan with a low introductory price is not always the best value for money solution. The truth is that the cheapest hosting option is often the worst choice since it tends to offer poor performance and support.
Another big mistake is to buy an expensive WordPress hosting plan without knowing the requirements of the website.
A simple portfolio or personal blog does not need the same resources as an eCommerce site with thousands of products. There is no point in paying for something we will not use.
Finally, beginners should avoid buying unnecessary add-ons without knowing what they are for, and blindly following the advice of domain name registrars and web hosting companies.
Do not forget that the purpose of the domain name is to build a brand, and not to fill the address bar of the browser with random characters. The same goes for the domain name and web hosting choice. We have to focus on the value, not the price.
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What Should We Choose as a Beginner?
If we are a beginner and want to create a simple WordPress website, our options can include:
Domain name: A short and easy to remember brand or personal name.
Extension: A .com extension, if available, or another practical option.
Hosting: Reliable WordPress-compatible hosting with good performance, security, backups, support, and enough resources for the expected traffic.
SSL: Always enable SSL and use a secure HTTPS protocol.
Backups: Regular and automated WordPress backups with the option for an independent backup, if possible.
Performance: Enable caching and optimize images.
Security: Strong passwords, regular WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates, only trusted plugins, and additional security measures.
Upgrades: We can always move to a better and more reliable WordPress hosting plan in the future. There is no need to over-pay for resources we will not use.
Final Thoughts
The domain name and web hosting choice are among the most important decisions when building a WordPress website.
Our domain name has to be easy to remember, relevant, and valuable in the long run, and our web hosting plan has to offer the reliability, performance, security, backups, support, and resources we need.
Do not forget that the cheapest WordPress hosting plan is often the worst choice, and always go for an extended value.
A beginner-friendly WordPress website hosting option should offer performance, security, value, support, ease of use, flexibility, and enough resources for the expected traffic.
After buying the domain name and web hosting, the next step is to familiarize ourselves with the process of installing WordPress, choosing a theme, building the website, setting up essential WordPress settings, optimizing the website, and getting it ready for launch.
If we are a WordPress beginner, it is much easier to have a step-by-step guide we can follow.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between a domain name and web hosting?
A domain name is the address people type in a web browser to access your website, and web hosting provides the server space where your website’s files and database are stored.
2. Should I choose a .com domain name for my WordPress website?
A .com extension is a universally recognized domain extension and a great choice for most businesses, but a .net, .org, or .co domain name can also be a viable option, depending on the brand, audience, and availability.
3. Can I buy my domain name and hosting from different companies?
Yes, you can. Your domain name and web hosting do not have to be from the same company. You can connect them by changing the DNS settings of your domain name to point to your web hosting server.
4. How much hosting do I need for a beginner WordPress website?
It depends on the type of website and its traffic, but a small blog or a personal WordPress website generally does not need as many resources as an eCommerce site with thousands of products.
5. Is cheap WordPress hosting good for beginners?
Some cheap WordPress hosting plans can be a good choice for a beginner, but you should research and compare the features, resources, performance, and value for money before making a final decision.
6. Do I need SSL for my WordPress website?
Yes, you should always have an SSL certificate and use a secure HTTPS protocol for your WordPress website.
7. Should I buy hosting for several years in advance?
It depends on your budget and how confident you are in the chosen company. Some WordPress hosting companies offer excellent introductory pricing for a longer-term commitment.
8. Can I change my WordPress hosting provider later?
Yes, you can. Migrating a WordPress site from one hosting provider to another is a complicated task that requires an experienced WordPress developer. A solid WordPress backup is essential during the migration process.
9. Should my domain name contain keywords?
A domain name with keywords in it can be beneficial, but it is not mandatory, and a great brand name can often be a much better option for long-term growth and brand building.
10. What should I do after I have bought a domain name and web hosting?
The next step is to connect the domain name with the hosting, install WordPress, enable SSL, set up essential WordPress settings, choose a theme and plugins, create the required pages and content, optimize the website, and prepare it for launch.
