Domain Names and Hosting Them

Domain Names and Hosting Them

By Aaron Guzman


If you are thinking about starting up your own website or blog, one of your considerations should be whether or not to purchase your own domain name (.com, .net, .org, etc.). If branding, customization, and control are important to you, then owning your own domain might be a good idea. Obtaining a domain name and hosting it is a simple process that can be affordable for anyone.

There are plenty of places online where you can register your domain name, including godaddy.com, google.com/apps/, and many others. I recommend using godaddy.com. Here you can not only register your domain, but obtain hosting at the same time. Regardless of what site you use to register, take the time to think about and choose the proper name for your domain. Keep in mind that even though there are other options, .com and .net domains are still the most popular and therefore most recognizable, and they should be your priority choices. Registration can cost anywhere from $6 to thousands of dollars, depending on whether the domain name you are trying to register is already owned privately or in high demand. Generally, though, you should be able to secure a domain name for roughly $10 per year.

Once you have registered your domain, you need to host it. This means that another company will give you space on server computer where you can upload your website and files. The server/host will provide you with hard drive space (for your actual webpage, pictures, videos, and related files) and usually a local email address attached to your domain (yourname@website.com). Most host sites offer various packages and services ranging from more space, more emails, to direct support. All of these factors may affect the price of the web hosting you sign up for. Depending on your needs, web hosting can cost you anywhere from about $50 to over $300 annually.

If you are new to the game and just considering purchasing your own domain, go cheap. Shop around and see who offers competitive prices. Make sure that any registrars or web hosts that you do business with are reputable and have a clean service record for their previous clients. It would be wise to do some quick research before choosing to make sure any company you are interested in hasn’t had problems in the past.

If you are being conservative, you should be able to secure your own hosted domain for about $100-150 per year. That’s a small price to get your enterprise going, or simply to get yourself more motivated. Obtaining your own domain is definitely a sound investment. Get started today!


Photo By Jay Simmons