Before building your website, you need two essential things: a domain name (your online address) and web hosting (the space where your website files live). In this short guide we explain what each one does, why both are required, and why we ask clients to register and pay for them directly. For a step-by-step walkthrough, watch the video below.
Watch this video to see the full registration and setup process on Truehost Africa.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is your website’s address (for example www.yourbusiness.co.za). It’s how people find you online and is essential for branding and trust. Domains are registered with a domain registrar or hosting company.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is the service that stores your website files, images, and databases on a server so your site can be accessed 24/7. Hosting packages vary by storage, bandwidth, email accounts, and support level.
Why you need both (domain + hosting)
- Domain gives people an address to type or click.
- Hosting serves the actual website content to visitors.
Without hosting your domain points to nothing; without a domain, visitors can’t find your site easily.
Why we ask clients to pay for their own domain & hosting
We let clients purchase and manage their domain and hosting directly for several reasons:
- You own it — full control and legal ownership.
- Lower cost — you pay the provider’s real price, not an inflated reseller fee.
- No vendor lock-in — you can change designers or hosts without losing your domain.
- Transparency — no hidden monthly markups; you see receipts and renewals directly.
We’ll still help you pick the right plan, register the domain, and configure everything — but having you pay the provider keeps costs lower and gives you independence.
Why we recommend Truehost Africa
Truehost Africa offers affordable domain registration, reliable hosting, and local support, which is ideal for small to medium businesses in our region. https://truehost.co.za/cloud/aff.php?aff=316
Quick steps to register & link domain + hosting (high level)
- Choose & register a domain name.
- Buy a hosting plan that fits your needs (storage, backups, email).
- Point the domain to the hosting nameservers (or use DNS records).
- Install WordPress (many hosts offer 1-click installs).
- Install SSL (Let’s Encrypt) to secure your site.
Need help?
If you’d like, we’ll walk you through the purchase and setup for a small setup fee, or we can do everything while you remain the official owner of the domain and hosting.
Contact us: book a free consultation https://ubunyedigitalconsultant.co.za/contact.