Before you build your website there are two things you must have. There’s no website without them. 
They are: Your domain name – the address for your website And A website host
Let’s look at your domain name first. You want your domain name to be:
- Easy to remember
- Easy to spell
- Descriptive so potential visitors can guess what your website is about. For example, JanesRecipes is a bit obscure. What kind of recipes? However, CountryCooking or CountryRecipes is more descriptive. Additionally, they contain keywords that people might use to find your information.
Once you have a few domain name ideas it’s time to register them. When possible, choose a .com address. They’re still the easiest to remember and accept as a legitimate website.
When registering your domain name you can register it through your website host or through a separate domain registrar. Price may often be the deciding factor. If you register your domain somewhere other than your host you’ll need to redirect the domain to your new host. Generally, the instructions to manage this process are simple and easy.
Choosing your Website Host
Choosing your host is a bit different than registering your domain name. Price isn’t the most important decider. You’ll also want to consider:
- Is their control panel easy to use?
- Can you upload your files easily?
- Do they have the tools, features and functions you need?
- Are they big enough for your needs? (Look for data space, bandwidth and file size limitations.)
- Are they reliable?
- Are they secure?
- Are they well reviewed? Do they have a reputation for good customer service?
Consider sitting down and registering your domain name and choosing your host at the same time. It’ll simplify the process and you’ll only have to get your credit card out once.
Once you have your domain name and host it’s time to start planning and building your website.
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