There is a lot of website lingo out there: SEO, domain, backlinks…..and hosting. 

In this post I want to share:

• What is website hosting?
• Is it different from your domain?
• And do you need website hosting?

What is website hosting?

Website hosting is how your website is able to become available on the internet for others to view. It is essentially storage of all the information, or code, that makes up your website and how it should appear (colors, fonts, etc.) as well as any images or files. When someone goes to your website this information is called upon from where your website is hosted and displayed in the browser screen of your website visitor.

Is hosting different from a domain?
If you were to think of hosting as a physical house your domain would be the street address. Yes, they are different. Your domain is your website’s address that lets a browser know where to go to find the “house”, or where your website is storing its information so it can be displayed.

Do you need website hosting?

The short answer is yes, you do need website hosting. You need the space for your website information to live and be called upon to view. However, it might not be the case that you need to purchase hosting on your own.

Many website builders offer hosting in their plans
If you are using a website builder like Squarespace their monthly or annual plans include the hosting of your website. You will need to purchase your domain separately from your hosting. But Squarespace also makes it easy to purchase the domain right from their platform. There is benefit in having your domain purchased through your hosting provider, especially if you are new to the world of hosting and domains.

Self Hosting
When you are utilizing something like WordPress or custom code to build your website you will be opting for finding your own hosting provider. Often times, self hosting is the more cost effective route as the annual cost for hosting and a domain will be less than the annual cost of a service like Squaurespace. However, don’t let that completely discourage you, these builders make building a DIY website a lot easier and hassle free! 

While I utilize Squarespace and other builders when it is the best fit for my client, my personal preference is to always self host so I have peace of mind with complete access, control and ownership over everything on my website.

Okay, you determined you need hosting, now what do you look for in a host? 

I talk more about that in my post 5 things to look for when searching for website hosting.