So, we’re going to go through creating your website step by step, without skipping a step. The site I’ll be creating is www.CindyAndSam2015.com. I’ll be starting from absolute scratch, to show you just how easy all this website-building stuff is!
So I’m(no, I’m not really Cindy) getting married next year, and I want a website that I can use not only to keep people up-to-date, but also possibly to add RSVP, a link to the gift registry, and more.
First Step: I need a web hosting account
The first thing I need is a web hosting account. If you want to read an in-depth introduction to hosting, you can read about it here. A hosting account is simply a place on a company’s computers to store and provide access for your website. There are literally thousands of web hosting companies. The most common and most stable are Hostgator.com, Godaddy.com, and Bluehost.com. Personally, I use HostGator.com. They’re reliable, they usually have the best deals, and as far as I’m concerned they have the best support there is. Whenever I run into a problem they’re available 24/7 by both phone and online chat. But really, any of the established web hosting companies will work fine. The only one I wouldn’t use is GoDaddy.com, because once you sign up with them, they make it incredibly hard to cancel. The other big ones make it very easy to cancel or transfer your account.
Second Step: I need a domain name
So, just what is a domain name? The domain name system is simply a way for us non-techies to type in a memorable name(ex. www.nytimes.com) instead of the technical string of numbers known as an ip address. So, the actual Internet Protocol domain for the New York Times is 170.149.168.130, but all we need to know is www.nytimes.com. It makes things really simple for all of us.
So come along with me as I get a hosting account and register my www.cindyandsam2015.com domain name!
So, I’ve gone to www.hostgator.com and looked at their current web hosting plans. Right now, they’re offering 20% the monthly cost, or the first month for 1 penny. Because I plan on keeping my domain name for many years, I’m going to take the 20% off deal. That’ll save me a couple of bucks a month.
Now, they have a couple of different monthly plans. One is called the “Hatchling Plan”. This is if you only intend to have one domain name. You get unlimited email addresses, and no other sneaky add-ons. The other plan, called the “Baby Plan”, is a couple bucks more, but you can store unlimited domain names on it. I personally use the Baby Plan, because I have 5 websites, including this one and my private blog. So, I get hosting for ALL of my domains for about $6.50 a month. But if you don’t plan on ever having any more domain names, the Hatchling Plan is fine, and the price is great at $3.96 a month. Other web hosting providers have similar pricing, but you’ll want to stick to one of the well-known companies.
So, after I’ve signed up for my hosting, I go to register my domain name. I try CindyAndSam.com, but it’s taken! DAMN!! So, I decide to see if CindyAndSam2015.com is available……..
Success! It’s available, so I’m going to register it now before someone else grabs it. Remember, once you register a domain name, you own it. It is truly virtual real estate. It’s in your name, and as long as you pay the 12 bucks a year to renew it, you can own it forever!
