Domains & Hosting (First Step)
Before we get started, you should understand that EVERY
website must have two things…
1) A domain name
2) A web host
Domain Names
The domain name is the address of your website
(yoursite.com) and the web host is the company that allows you to
publish your pages to the Internet, create e-mail addresses (name@yoursite.com)
and develop additional features like chat rooms, forums, shopping carts, feedback forms
etc.
I recommend getting your domain name and web hosting from WebsitePalace.com.
This is my reseller store. I offer free tutorials, free e-book
creation software and videos to help you get started with your site.
(The links to the freebies are on the THANK YOU page after you order so don’t miss them!)
(The links to the freebies are on the THANK YOU page after you order so don’t miss them!)
However, if you have a company in mind, feel free to use
whatever registrar you wish for
registering your domain and getting a web host. Registrars
typically provide the same
services.
Web Hosting
A web host is the company that provides the server space
for your web pages and whatever
files you need for your website. You will be uploading
your website files to your host. This is
how a website becomes visible on the Internet.
They also provide you with e-mail addresses
(name@yourdomain.com), scripts for forums,
blogs, chat rooms, feedback forms, etc. A website
cannot exist without a host.
When you go to
WebsitePalace.com you will see two kinds of hosting
plans…
Option 1: Regular Hosting
The first one is located under the Hosting tab.
This is the most common type of host that
most people use for their websites and blogs. It’s the
most economical and you can do
whatever you want with your site in terms of adding
forums, chat rooms, user uploads, video, etc.
Most people (especially beginners) who use this type of
host opt to buy website building
software (see below). You don’t have to, but if you don’t,
you’ll have to code your web pages
by hand.
If this interests you, there are some great tutorials at W3Schools.com
and HTMLDog.com.
If you take this route, no software is needed. You can just
use Notepad or any text editor to create your pages. Then you can upload your pages to the
Web via your web host’s control panel or an FTP program.
The other option with this host is to buy your own web
editing software like Dreamweaver. You can create and manage your site
in the program, and then upload your pages directly to the web via your hosting account.
Option 2: Website Tonight
The other hosting option is called Website Tonight.
It is a template-builder and you do not
need any software
to create your pages. In fact, you can build your pages right from the
Web and use any computer as long as it has Internet access.
All you do is select your design template (choose from
hundreds), add your text and pictures
and your site is live in minutes. This is a great option
for very simple sites that will only
involve text and pictures. Vacation, resume and “about me”
sites are great for this kind of
host.
I would NOT suggest using Website Tonight for any
websites that will involve user uploads,
networking, blogs, interactivity, etc. Choose
option 1 for this kind of site.
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