5 steps to get your own Domain Name and Web Hosting Space

To create your own website, after the last 2 posts that we have gone through, you should have the following ready with you in order to proceed -

• A Niche or Topic of your choice
• A domain name that is relevant to your topic

Hence, now that we have figured out a niche to start a website in and chosen a domain name, we’ll proceed with registering a domain name and getting web hosting space to host our website on the Internet.

Registering a domain name


There are several reputed companies you can register a domain name from. Some of them we recommend are:https://in.godaddy.com/

http://www.net4.in/net4app/aspx/domains/searchDomain.aspx

We’ll recommend you to get a ".com" domain name, as .com is the most common domain extension available. If you specifically want your website to target Indian people, you can also get a ".in" domain extension. If you are looking for a cheaper option, you can also go with .info extension. You can also Google more about registering a domain name in India and see if any discount deals are going on! Typically a domain name will cost you around Rs.100 to Rs.700 per year.

Steps to Register a Domain name on godaddy.com -

• So to register a domain name, simply visit in.godaddy.com and search for a domain that would be suitable for your website.
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• Keep the topic that you have decided in mind and think of names that would be relevant to it.
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• When you decide on a name that is available on godaddy.com at a reasonable price, click on Select and Continue to Cart.
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• You will be offered with more plans where godaddy.com protects your information online, or provides both domain name and web hosting in a single plan etc. You may consider any of these plans or skip them if you are not interested.
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• You can finally proceed to the payment option and register your domain name.

Note - Avoid purchasing domain names that are too expensive unless you are sure of a particular name for your website.  If you do not wish to get a domain name at this stage, you can get a domain name included for free or cheaper price when you get the Web Hosting plan for your website (steps given later in the chapter)

Getting web hosting

Why do you need Web Hosting - 

A good and reliable web hosting plan is required whether you own a blog or a website. If you want your blog/website to reach its readers, it is very important to get a web hosting plan. This enables your website to be linked to the Internet using very powerful connections, that is, it allows users to access the pages of your website.  If your blog or website crashes or if you face technical problems due to poor web hosting , building an audience or traffic for your product would be very difficult.
The following are some of the reputed hosting companies, we recommend you to take web hosting space from:

       http://www.bluehost.com/  recommended by our experts. Get your domain name and web hosting    plans by following this link. Go to 'products' in the top menu and select any of the plans under Shared Hosting.

        https://www.siteground.com/index.htm?afcode=425c39940722ef25ef80fb1045b3ec36:another    platform where you can opt for a plan to connect your blog/website to the Internet and make it accessible to users.

        http://www.1freehosting.com/:completely free web hosting space, but not very Reliable (maybe        you can choose this one in the beginning, and move to a more reliable hosting in the future)

There are different type of hosting plans available. Opt for the shared hosting one, and choose the Smallest plan to begin with. If you purchase a plan for a short duration, for example, a year, then you would need to renew it again to let your blog/website continue.

Steps to get your own Web Hosting plan through Bluehost or Siteground - 

1) Blue Host  web hosting plans and its steps

• Visit the website Steps to get your own Web Hosting plan through Bluehost or Siteground - 1) Blue Host web hosting plans and its steps Visit the website
•  Copy and paste the link in your browser to reach the website.
• Click on Get Started Now
• Select a 'Starter' plan which can help you host a single blog or website. Opt for the second or 'Plus' plan if you have multiple blogs or websites which also provide you with unlimited space for your pages.
• After you select the plan, you will be asked to enter the domain name that you have already got for your website(through godaddy.com or any other website). If you do not have a domain name at this stage, you can enter a free name that you'd like to get for your website. Check the availability of the name here or try with other name options.
• Reach the next step and scroll down to review the package information. In the Account Plan, you can get the cheapest or the shortest web hosting plan. You may select or un-select the Domain Privacy Protection, Site Backup Pro, Search Engine Jumpstart etc. according to your personal requirement.
• Finally, you may enter your card details and get the web hosting for your blog/website.
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2) Site Ground web hosting plans and its steps

Visit the website :   https://www.siteground.com/index.htm?   afcode=425c39940722ef25ef80fb1045b3ec36

• Copy and paste this link in your browser to reach the website.
• Click on See Plans.
• Select a 'Start Up' plan which is meant for beginners or for owners of a single blog or website. If you have multiple blogs and websites you can choose the 'Grow Big' plan which hosts multiple websites and also offers premium features.
• After you select a plan, you will be guided to a page where you can register a domain name (if you had not got it earlier) for free, or enter the domain name if you have got it from any other website (e.g. godaddy.com).
• Proceed to the next step and fill in your Contact and Payment information. Scroll to the bottom and review the Purchase information. Un-select the Extra services that are included by default if you do not require them. You may or may not get the Domain Privacy plan in your package.
• Accept the Terms of Service and Submit your Order.
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Important Things to Keep in Mind:

• Go for Linux with cPanel hosting. (Note: you don’t need to know Linux, cPanel or other technical things.)
• Once you will order web hosting space, it can take up to 2 working days to get your account setup before you can begin using it.
• Call their support numbers if you have any confusion ordering the domain name or web hosting.
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Once you have got both the domain name and web hosting, we’ll tell you how to get your website live on the Internet. Soon, you’ll have your very own first website on the Internet entirely created by yourself. That’s an AMAZING start to your digital career.

Godaddy offers great support and you can speak to their Customer Care regarding buying a domain name and web hosting. They will help you out and give you a lot of suggestions from their end.
If you need help from Godaddy, please visit the following link:
https://in.godaddy.com/contact-us.aspx?ci=89924%20
(They offer 24 X 7 Support)

Similarly, you can reach out to the support section of all the other websites mentioned. They are all very helpful and will go out of their way to help you out and resolve any issues that you might be facing regarding domain purchase.

After this , you may continue to gather information on your topic that you started in the previous lessons, and start adding it to the website you have created (for example on wix.com / wordpress.com / weebly.com etc).

Make sure to provide only relevant information and not make it too lengthy. A professional website owner also provides proper contact information so that you can be accessible to the reader if required.

Again, if the above sounds too complex, I would recommend that you read the instructions on How to Create a Blog and work on your blog extensively. A good blog will serve the same purpose and you will be able to join affiliate programs and do a lot of other things with your blog. However having a good website will do wonders in the long run, therefore take up the challenge, follow the instructions and launch your very own website. More to come in my next lesson to you.