Are you thinking about a building a website but don’t know where to start? Do you start with a website or a domain name? Who should you contact? What do I need? If you’re asking these questions, then this article will serve as an excellent primer to understanding the fundamentals of the website business
So there are two fundamental components to a website. First, you need to purchase a domain name. This is your “Internet telephone number.” A domain name is a word or phrase that you type in the address bar of your web browser to bring up a website. 
For example, you may type in “www.google.com” to get to Google’s website. “Google” is the name of the company, not to be confused with their domain name which is “www.google.com.” These two components are separate. Google could have, for example, used a domain name such as “www.awesomewebsearch.com” and that could still bring you to Google’s site.
To register your domain name you’ll need to purchase one through a domain name host (DNH). DNHs, such as LaGreca Arts, Register, and Network Solutions, are companies that offer the service of domain name registration. You own the name but the DNH holds the name as the “host.”
The second business you’ll need to seek out is a website host. Website hosts provide the “virtual commercial real estate.” Just like you need to rent a storefront, you’ll need to rent computer space from a web host. They own the computer that’s connected to the Internet. This company “hosts” your website by putting it on their computer so that Internet users can view it. There are thousands of companies that provide this service, from large and small. There are also different levels and add-on services of a website host; too much to cover here. But realize that this is a separate and additional service that you’ll need to purchase in order to have a web site.
If you look at the diagram above, you’ll notice that you need one more business - a web designer. This is the equivalent of a building contractor. Web designers are the people that help design and build your website. As with website hosts, there are thousands of of web designers out there. And, there are many different ways to build a website. Just like building a house, there are almost an infinite amount of possibilities.
The conclusion here lies in the diagram above. If you now realize that there are three services you’ll need, and that they can be provided by three different companies, you’re in good shape. Now many companies, like LaGreca Arts, make life easier by providing all three services. But you should now understand “who” does “what.” I recommend reading our Web Design Process Guide to begin the first steps of designing a web site.
