How to Start a Website or Blog

Nowadays, many resources and favorite brands have a website. You can easily find information or browse catalogs at the click of a link. But we don’t see all the technological aspects that work together to allow you to browse a page from a simple URL. We’ll briefly explain what most are, how they work, and how you too can set up your own website.

• What’s a website and how it works
• How to make a website
• Top recommended web hosts

What’s a website and how it works

A website is essentially a central location o a collection of files containing the actual content you see. A website is hosted on a server or computer identified by a domain URL. For a website, you’ll need 3 things: a domain name (such as yourwebsite.com), a web hosting location (usually through a web host provider), and the content itself.

Domain

Firstly, a website needs a domain for its URL. A domain is an alias used to access the website easier instead of using its IP address. For example www.example.com can be 12.34.56.78. Domains consist of many tlds such as:

• .com
• .org
• .net
• .pro
• .info

and many others. They can be purchased from a domain registrar, who manages the registration and correlation between the domain and IP. Some web host providers also offer free domains for their premium plans.

Namesilo↗ is a top registrar that offers cheap prices on registration and web hosting.

Hosting

Secondly, a website also needs a web host. You can host a website on most servers, but its best to buy a subscription from a reliable web hosting company for stability and up-time. They provide dedicated shared space and allocated resources to users. As your website grows, you can always upgrade to premium plans or self host on a rented server for better handling and website performance.

Content

Thirdly, a website will need content. Along with the design, template, and structure, this include pages, posts, images, etc. Depending on your needs, you’ll want different pages, such as an About, Contact, Support, Topics, etc. You’ll also want images for your logo, products, etc.

A site is just a collection of files with code with small sections of this code containing the actual content you see. If you’re not an expert in coding or know how to create a template, you can either purchase or use a free one.

There are also many different frameworks and content management systems available like WordPress that provide a portal for the management of configuration, templates, pages, media, accounts and more so you can focus on actual content.

How to make a website

There are many options to creating your website. You can self host, use website development services or choose an external provider for free or premium hosting. Depending on the time you can dedicate to your website, there are many hosts that allows you to easily manage your website and emails through a dashboard.

Tools in their dashboard or control panel, such as an auto installer, can install the most popular applications or content management system like WordPress in a matter of clicks.

Hostinger and Interserver, for example, offer an auto installer, which assists in completing a base website installation within a few clicks.

Wix, another website host, offers a seamless drag-and-drop option for a simple interface.

Content Management

WordPress is one option for a content management system on a web host for new website owners and has lots of benefits you can take advantage. It has an easy-to-navigate admin dashboard so you can quickly focus on your actual site. Some include simple editing and customizing of pages and posts, access to thousands of themes/plugins, full control of sections from a single dashboard, and much more.

For a detailed guide with visuals on how to set up WordPress on your website through your host or on your own, read our Create a WordPress Website tutorial.

Top free / premium web hosts

Depending on your goal, you need a host that fulfills your needs. For most new sites, basic plans are enough and many hosts allow you to upgrade mid-month. Make sure to research, review the befits and terms, and take advantage of trials so you know it’s a good fit.

Cloudways is another web host with a performance focus. Their managed hosting includes 24/7 support and seamless scaling. Learn more on Cloudways’ website↗.

Wix is another popular option for easily creating a website with an easy dashboard and drag-and-drop features. While more premium, they do offer a free plan for a simple start. Visit Wix’s website here↗.