Have you recently decided to launch a website and purchased hosting and a domain? The first step in this process after domain registration is selecting and purchasing a suitable hosting plan. Many people mistakenly believe that buying hosting and a domain is enough to get their website up and running. In reality, this is only the first step, and there are important steps that must be carefully followed to properly set up and run the website.
In this article, we will show you, completely and step-by-step, what steps you need to take after purchasing hosting and a domain to ensure that your website is set up correctly and that there are no problems with its performance. This article is specifically for those who want to understand the process of setting up a website from start to finish.
Necessary Actions After Purchasing Hosting and a Domain
After purchasing hosting and a domain, the first step is to properly configure the connection between your hosting and domain. This step is very important because simply buying hosting and a domain is not enough; you must point the domain to the hosting so that your site is accessible to users. The domain acts as your site’s address, but the hosting acts as your site’s home and storage space.
The steps for domain configuration and website setup generally include the following:
- Configuring DNS or Domain Name on the Hosting: The first step is to configure the domain’s DNS to connect to the hosting.
- Ensuring Domain Connection to Hosting Using the Ping Command: You can ensure the correct connection of the domain to the hosting using the ping command.
- Uploading and Launching the Website: If your website is ready, you need to upload it to the hosting.
- Transferring the Website from the Old Hosting to the New Hosting: If your website is hosted on an old hosting, you need to perform the data transfer steps to the new hosting.
- Implementing Hosting Settings and Creating Databases: If necessary, you need to create new hosting settings and databases.
- Creating Email with the Domain Name: This step is especially important for branding and the professionalism of your emails.
- Adding SSL: This increases the security of the site and builds customer trust.
Migrating from Your Current Host to a New Host
If you intend to migrate from your current host to a new host, you need to follow specific steps to ensure the transfer is done correctly and the site is moved to the new host without any issues. These steps include the following:
- Choosing a New Host: First, you need to select a new host that meets the technical requirements of your website.
- Backing Up Your Website: Before doing anything, create a backup of all your website files and databases.
- Uploading the Website to the New Host: Transfer the files and databases to the new host.
- Updating Configuration Settings: Update the database and new server connection settings on your website.
- Updating DNS: Change the domain’s DNS to the new server addresses.
- Monitoring and Testing After Migration: After the migration, test your site to ensure it is functioning correctly.
Migrating to a new host can be complex, but if you follow the steps carefully, you shouldn’t have any problems.
What Issues Should We Consider Before Choosing a Host?
Choosing the right host for your site before purchasing hosting and a domain can significantly impact its performance. In this section, we will tell you what to consider when choosing a host:
- High Speed: Choose a host that increases your website’s loading speed. This has a significant impact on user experience and site ranking in search engines.
- Security: Reputable hosts should guarantee the security of your site. This includes SSL certificates and support against cyber attacks.
- Technical Support: 24/7 and fast support from hosting services is very important.
- Needs Assessment: The type of website you have should determine your choice of hosting. For example, an online store needs more resources.
Understanding Hosting and Domain Before Choosing a Host
Before you proceed to selecting and purchasing a hosting plan, it’s essential to understand the two fundamental concepts of hosting and domain. These two form the foundation of any website. A proper understanding of these concepts will lead to a more informed choice and prevent future confusion.
What is Hosting?
Hosting is essentially the space where your website’s data and files are stored. This space is provided by a powerful server that is always connected to the internet, allowing users to access your website at any time. If your website is a store, hosting is like the physical building of that store, where the products, shelves, and equipment are located. Without a building, there is no store. To fully understand the concept of web hosting, be sure to read the content: What is Hosting?.
Important Hosting Features:
- Storage Space (Disk Space)
- Bandwidth
- Processing Speed and Server Resources (RAM and CPU)
- Control Panel Type (e.g., cPanel or DirectAdmin)
- Hosting Operating System (Linux or Windows)
What is a Domain?
A domain is your website’s internet address that users enter into their browser to access the site, such as www.example.com. This address is connected to the server’s IP Address so that the browser knows where to go on the internet. If your site is like the previous store example, the domain is like the storefront sign or its postal address. Customers can find your store using this address. To learn more about this concept, read the content: What is an Internet Domain?.
Structure of a Domain:
- Domain Name: like
example - Domain Extension: like
.com,.ir,.net,.org, etc.
The Relationship Between Hosting and Domain
Hosting and domain are two separate but complementary components for building a website:
- A domain is just an address, without any content in it.
- Hosting is just a space, without anyone knowing how to access it.
Therefore, to have an active website, you must purchase both and connect the domain to the hosting.
Conclusion
Choosing the right hosting and domain for launching a website is one of the vital and fundamental steps in creating a successful online presence. Since hosting acts as the home and storage location for your site’s information, and the domain provides the access address to it, these two factors directly affect the performance, loading speed, security, and credibility of your site. Therefore, choices should be made carefully and based on your actual needs.
Also, keep in mind that launching a website is not limited to purchasing hosting and a domain; rather, steps such as DNS configuration, content uploading, SSL implementation for security, and technical support must also be performed accurately for your site to function without problems. Don’t forget that even after launching the site, monitoring its performance, periodic updates, and continuous technical support are also essential to ensure that your site is optimized.
Ultimately, by taking the right steps and making the right choices with appropriate support, you can launch a fast, secure, and user-friendly website that shines in the online world. Remember that choosing the right hosting and domain is only the first step, and you will need to manage and maintain your site for long-term success.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is shared hosting suitable for my website?
Yes, shared hosting is a good option for small to medium-sized websites that don’t require a lot of resources. However, if your website has a lot of traffic or requires a lot of resources, dedicated hosting or VPS may be more suitable.
2. How can I ensure my hosting is performing correctly?
To ensure your hosting is performing correctly, you should always check its uptime. The best hosts have a high uptime percentage (99.9%). Also, it is important to check the technical support and the quick response of the support team in case of a problem.
3. Is it necessary to use SSL for my site?
Yes, using SSL not only ensures the security of users’ information but also increases the credibility of your site. In addition, search engines like Google mark sites without SSL as insecure, which can hurt your site’s ranking.
4. How can I back up my website?
Most hosting companies provide users with automatic or manual backup capabilities. You can back up your site through your hosting control panel or using dedicated tools like cPanel or Plesk.
5. When should I upgrade my hosting?
As your website grows and attracts more traffic, you may need to upgrade your hosting. If your site slows down, pages load slowly, or server resources are quickly exhausted, this is a sign that you should upgrade your hosting.