If you’ve never created a website before, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out all of the different elements involved. Don’t worry, though — it’s not as hard as you might think. There’s really just three main components that you’ll need: a domain name, a website and hosting.

In this article, we’ll go over the difference between domains, websites and web hosting so you’ll know exactly what to do to get your site online. A little bit of work will be required on your end to figure out which services are best for you (and there is no shortage to choose from), but we’ll help point you in the right direction.

What Is A Domain Name?

Since millions of domain names have already been registered, it can be difficult finding a good one that is still available. Whatever you do, don’t add on unnecessary words or use weird spelling just to find an available domain. People need to be able to remember your domain name, so you should aim for something that’s short, easy to spell and catchy. Additionally, your domain will typically be a person’s first impression of your website, so you want something that will make them confident that they will find trustworthy content on your site.

If you can’t find a good domain, try using a different Top-Level Domain (TLD). This is the last part of your domain, which is most often .COM. There are hundreds to choose from, and some may even be a better fit for your website. If your location is important, you could use your country’s TLD (e.g. .CA for Canada or .UK for the United Kingdom). There are also TLDs for nearly every niche, ranging from .PHOTOGRAPHY to .PIZZA to .HORSE. To see all of them, check out Hover’s list of TLDs.

What Is A Website?

A website is a page or series of related pages that load after entering a domain name in an Internet browser. It’s the medium that your audience will experience your online content with. The most relevant example would be this article, which is a page on the FindingNeema website.