WebMail 
WEB HOSTING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Have you noticed most of the blogs you visit these days carry ads on web hosting? And then you wonder, what is the fuzz about web hosting? Well, smart entrepreneurs are starting to see the importance of moving their business online. To do this, web hosting plays an essential role.
Here is what you should know on web hosting.
To own a website, there are 3 things you need, domain name, web hosting and a website (obviously).
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is the place(server) where all the files of your website are stored. A web host enables you to publish your website on the internet.
Web hosting can be likened to renting an apartment in Lagos, where you have to pay before moving in and keep renewing your rent annually. The apartment is the web hosting where your website lives, the rent is the charges you pay annually to the company for having space on their server. Instead of moving in with furniture into the apartment, you are storing all the digital files and data of your website
Whenever someone searches for your website online, your host transfers all the files necessary to serve the request.
Web hosting provides more service than just hosting your website. This is to make the transitioning of your business online easy and seamless, With that, you get all you need to have your unique online presence all in one place. Some of these services include:
Domain registration: To purchase and manage your domain and hosting from one provider.
Email hosting: To have your own personalized business email.
Website building: Drag and drop web editing tool to create your website.
Web security: Protect your website against hackers and malware.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is the name of your website. Before you can own a website, you need a domain name. For instance, Tucana.ng is our domain name. It is the name peculiar to your website, that is why you can’t find 2 websites with the same domain name.
Remember the apartment we mentioned at the beginning, a domain name is the registered address of that apartment. Google.com, Ipigroupng.com, Twitter.com, Facebook.com are all examples of a domain name.
Your domain name is what people type into the address bar of their browser to gain access to your website. Also, your domain name is what makes up your business email. If your domain name is exquisitebakers.com, your email will be info@exquisitebakers.com, Ted@exquisitebakers.com, Frances@exquisitebakers.com. This shows the authenticity and professionalism of your company.
Creating your unique online presence starts with registering your domain name with a domain registrar.
Domain vs Subdomain:
A domain is a unique name associated with your website and must be registered with a domain registrar; while a subdomain is an additional part to your main domain. They are usually created to organize and navigate to different sections of your website.
For example:
In this example, ‘host’ is the subdomain, ‘tucana’ is the primary domain and ‘ng’ is the top level domain.
Subdomains are created for different reasons, such as; online e-commerce store, for particular users, mobile websites, amongst others.
How to register a domain
Research on the best and affordable domain registrars.
Prepare a few variations – just in case the name you really want is taken.
Make a search on the domain registrar of your choice to check the availability of the name.
Order instantly by paying the required fees.
Difference between a domain name and web hosting?
Although they are often sold by the same providers, they are two different things.
A domain name is the address of your website, while a web host is a computer where all the files and data from your website are stored. They walk hand in hand, as you cannot host your website without having a domain name.
