Building a website sounds technical. Mostly it's a handful of pieces with confusing names, and once you know what each one does, the fog lifts.
This lesson explains those pieces in plain English. By the end, you'll know what a domain, DNS, hosting and SSL are, how a hosted website builder differs from running your own site, which pages most small sites need, and how to keep your accounts from getting stolen.
You won't write any code here. You'll just understand what you're buying and why.
The short version
- A domain is your address, hosting is the land your site sits on, and SSL keeps the connection private.
- Hosted builders are easier; self-hosted sites give you more control. Both are fine for a first site.
- Register your domain in your own name, and protect every login with a password manager and two-factor.
The four pieces, in plain English
Domain
A domain is your website's address. Something like yourname.com. People type it in, and it takes them to your site.
You don't buy a domain forever. You rent it, usually a year at a time, from a company called a registrar. If you stop paying, someone else can grab it.
DNS
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it as the phone book of the internet. Your domain is a name. DNS tells computers where that name actually lives.
When you connect a domain to a website, you're usually changing DNS settings. It sounds scary. It's often just copying a couple of values from one company's instructions into a box at the other company.
Hosting
Hosting is where your website's files actually live. It's a computer, called a server, that's always on and connected to the internet.
If the domain is your address, hosting is the land and the house. You need both. An address with no house leads nowhere.
SSL
SSL is what puts the little lock icon in the browser and the "s" in https. It scrambles the information going between your site and your visitors so others can't easily read it.
Every site should have it, especially if you have a signup form or sell anything. Many hosts and builders include it and turn it on for you. Check that it's on.
Hosted builders vs. self-hosted sites
There are two main ways to build a site. Neither is wrong.
Hosted website builders
A hosted builder is a service that gives you everything in one place: hosting, a design editor, templates and usually SSL. You drag things around, type your words, and hit publish.
Good for you if:
- You want to get online quickly.
- You don't want to deal with updates or technical upkeep.
- You're fine with some limits on what you can customize.
The trade-off: you're working inside their system. If you leave, moving your site can be a pain, and some features may cost extra.
Self-hosted sites
A self-hosted site means you rent hosting yourself and install your own website software on it. WordPress is a common example.
Good for you if:
- You want more control over how things work and look.
- You're willing to learn a bit and keep software updated.
- You want to be able to move your site to another host more easily.
The trade-off: you're responsible for updates, backups and security. It's more work, and more freedom.
Pick the option you'll actually finish. A simple live site beats a perfect site you never launch.
The five pages most small sites need
You don't need fifty pages. Most small sites do fine with five.
- Home. Who you are, what you offer, and one clear next step, like joining your email list.
- About. A short, honest page about you and why you do this. People want to know there's a real human here.
- What you offer. Your products, services or main content. One page or a few, depending on what you have.
- Contact. A way to reach you. A simple form or an email address works.
- Privacy policy. A page explaining what information you collect, like email addresses, and what you do with it.
If you sell things, you'll also want clear terms and a refund policy. That's general information, not legal advice. Rules can vary by state and by what you sell, so check with a professional or official sources like sba.gov if you're unsure.
Start with these. You can always add more later. Most people add too much too soon.
Own your domain in your own name
This is the one that bites people years later.
When you register a domain, make sure the account is in your name, with your email address, and that you're listed as the owner. Not your web designer. Not your nephew who "knows computers." Not a business partner's personal account.
Why it matters:
- Whoever controls the registrar account controls the domain.
- If that person disappears, gets mad or forgets to renew, you could lose your address.
- Getting a domain back from someone else can be slow and frustrating, and sometimes doesn't work at all.
If someone helps you set things up, that's fine. Just make sure you can log into the registrar account yourself and that the domain is listed as yours.
Keep your logins safe
Your website will come with a stack of accounts: the registrar, the host or builder, your email service, maybe a payment tool. Each one is a door. Lock them.
Use a password manager
A password manager is an app that creates strong, unique passwords and remembers them for you. You only have to remember one master password.
That means you're not reusing the same password everywhere. If one site gets breached, the others stay safe.
Many browsers and phones have one built in. There are also standalone apps. Pick one and use it for everything.
Turn on two-factor
Two-factor authentication, often called 2FA, means logging in takes two things: your password plus a second check, like a code from an app on your phone.
Even if someone steals your password, they'd still need that second thing. Turn it on for your registrar, host, email and anything involving money.
An authenticator app is generally a better choice than text-message codes, when the service offers it.
Save your backup codes
When you turn on two-factor, most services give you backup codes. Store them somewhere safe, like your password manager or on paper in a drawer. If you lose your phone, these codes are how you get back in.
Do this next
Get the address, get the house, lock the doors. Then start moving in.
Veteran. Gen Xer. Thirty-plus years building things on the web. I write these so you can skip some of the expensive mistakes.