The first two words anyone who decides to build a website comes across are domain and hosting. They're often confused, but they're different things. In short, the domain is your site's address, and hosting is the house that stands at that address.
What is a domain?
The domain is the address a visitor types into their browser; for example, yourbusiness.com.tr (.com.tr is Türkiye's country-code domain). It's registered once and renewed every year. A domain that isn't renewed can end up in someone else's hands. That's why it's important to keep track of renewal dates.
What is hosting?
Hosting is the server where your site's files and data live. When a visitor types your address, the page comes from this server. The server's speed and reliability determine how fast the site loads and how uninterrupted it runs.
What does an SSL certificate do?
SSL encrypts the connection between the visitor and your site; the padlock in the address bar shows this. On sites without SSL, browsers show a "Not secure" warning, which can put off a visitor who is about to fill in a form.
Whose name should the domain be registered in?
The domain should always be registered in the business's own name. A domain registered in a company's name can cause problems when you part ways with that company. Keep the registration details and management access yourself.
What to watch for when choosing a domain
- Choose a name that is short and easy to type.
- Avoid Turkish characters and hyphens as far as possible, so the name isn't confused when said aloud.
- Make it the same as your brand, or very close to it.
- If you're targeting customers in Türkiye, consider the .com.tr extension.
- Remember that your business email address will use this domain too.
Domain and hosting with us
Our packages include 12 months of hosting, an SSL certificate and a global CDN. Your domain is registered in your name; we connect your existing domain to the site, and if you don't have one, we help you find and buy a suitable one. The domain registration fee is not included in the package. We also give you one-to-one help setting up business email.
