Yes! A domain name is just a name not a web site. If you are planning to get a web site for your business, purchasing a domain name is the first step. Depending on how you are inclined, the second step could be the purchase of web hosting for your domain name OR the creation of your website.
Should I buy web hosting before I get a web site?
If you are a small or medium sized business owner, I suggest you purchase virtual web hosting and put a placeholder home page for your web site – read this article know how you can create a home page for your website quickly.
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Once you acquire web hosting, you would definitely be under pressure to quickly get your web site online. Remember, the age of a web site, which is a factor in ranking websites by Google.com, is determined from the day Google finds that placeholder home page. [NOTE: This is a double-edged sword since a nothing web site with only a placeholder homepage has no value for Google or any search engine for that matter.]
Should I get a website from the company from whom I bought the domain name?
Many domain name registrars offer add-on services or features along with domain names. Some of these features/services come free while some have an attached cost. For instance, you might get email accounts, web hosting space, or even a 5-10 page website fir free (or at a nominal cost) with your domain name. Such small web sites are quite useless, are mostly developed from cookie cutter design templates and, generally, have no search engine friendliness. However, if the company provides professional web site development services, you might just consider giving them a try after checking out their portfolio.
Should I take other add-on services/features that come with my domain name?
Like I mentioned above, domain registration companies would coerce you in buying certain add-on features with your domain name such as email accounts, web hosting space, email forwarding, email autoresponders etc. Some of these might be free and some might cost. If you are planning on getting a web site developed quickly, these add-ons would be useless and hence purchasing them would be a waste of money; unless you plan to host your website with the company from whom you purchased the domain name. Which brings us to the next question…
Should I purchase web hosting from the domain registration company?
All companies push their wares. Nowadays, domain name registrars generally offer tempting, feature-filled web hosting packages at good prices on the purchase of domain names. For example, Bravenet offer free web hosting with fabulous features if you buy a domain from them. It also works the other way: if you go to buy a web hosting package, companies would offer domain names for free!
Any way, I would recommend that before you purchase web hosting from any company, spend time reading reviews of that company in online forums and message boards. Remember, it is not necessary to purchase web hosting with the domain name. You can always come back and buy it later.
Except for my very first experience, when I had little idea of domain names or web site hosting, I have always bought domain names and web hosting from different companies. In fact, all of my domain names have been purchased from two companies and I host my websites with five different companies.
