I Bought a Domain Name... Now What?

Buying a domain name is the first step to building your online presence.

But this is also where many people get stuck. What happens after that?

This article will provide a step-by-step guide to going from a domain name to a fully functioning website. We'll cover everything from choosing a web host to designing your site and promoting your new online presence.

Step 1: Get a Web Hosting Plan

Web hosting provides the storage space and bandwidth for your website files to be accessed online. Without it, your site would just be code sitting on your computer. Hosting puts it out there on a special computer called a server so that it can be found online.

Some web hosts allow you to choose and buy your domain name and secure hosting all at once, which makes this super easy. (Remember to set up domain renewal as well. It's not possible to buy a domain name forever, so if you don't renew your domain, you'll lose it!)

There are many different types of web hosting, but we'll briefly recap the main ones here. See our complete web hosting guide for more details.

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is like living in an apartment building. You share server resources with other websites. It's typically the most affordable option and works well for websites without much traffic, making it a great choice when you’re on a tight budget.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting gives you the whole server to yourself. You have full control and don't share resources with anyone. This option is best for large businesses that operate large websites with high traffic and require root access to a server to install custom software or manage specific server configurations.

VPS (Virtual Private Server)

VPS hosting is in the middle of shared hosting and dedicated hosting. One server is divided into multiple virtual ones. You still get full root access, but instead of owning an entire server, you get a dedicated portion of it. Unlike shared hosting, you are not directly sharing resources with other people, making it more reliable and secure.

Cloud Hosting

Cloud hosting uses multiple servers in a connected network to host your website, similar to VPS hosting where your site is hosted on virtual servers. However, the key difference is that cloud hosting involves an entire network of servers rather than just one server split into multiple virtual ones.

While you might not automatically get root access in all cloud hosting setups, it provides the flexibility to scale your required resources up and down as needed, without any limitations. This makes it an excellent option for most users, particularly those who don't require granular control over advanced server settings, especially if a web host manages them for specific use cases like WordPress and others.

Managed Hosting

Managed hosting refers to a service where the hosting provider handles the maintenance of the server(s), including security, updates, and technical support. This service can be applied to any hosting type – shared, VPS, dedicated, or cloud hosting – and offers an additional layer of support and management. It's especially useful for running a website via WordPress, where ongoing management can ensure optimal performance.

Most web hosts offer managed services by default, so you don’t have to deal with the technical aspects of server operations. If you don’t already have a web host or are considering switching, check out our extensive research on the best web hosting services to find the right provider for you.

Which One Is Right for You?

Choosing the right hosting depends on your needs. If you plan to host a small personal site or a simple freelancer portfolio, shared hosting might work just fine for you. For a growing blog or company website, your primary choice should be cloud hosting because of its great security and flexibility to scale as needed. Lastly, if you require full root access to a server, you can further consider VPS and dedicated hosting to meet your needs. To top it off, you can opt for a managed host that takes even more steps of the technical side off your hands, allowing you to focus more on your content and less on server management.

In between providers?

Use our Comparison Tool for web hosting to weigh features, pricing, and more to make your decision.

Step 2: Connect Your Domain to Nameservers

Nameservers direct internet traffic to the correct IP address when someone types in your custom domain name.

You can use your domain registrar's nameservers or switch to your web host's nameservers instead. For example, if you registered your domain with GoDaddy but are hosting with Bluehost, you'd point your domain to use Bluehost's nameservers so traffic gets routed correctly.

Connecting your domain to the proper nameservers is crucial for your website to be visible online. Here's exactly how to update them:

• Log into your domain registrar account.
• Find the domain management section.
• Look for "Nameservers" or "DNS settings." You can typically find these in your cPanel.
• Enter the nameservers provided by your hosting company.
• Save the changes.

It's easier if you buy your domain through your host. But if you didn't, don't worry. Most hosting providers have guides to help you connect your domain to their nameservers. Search for "[Your Host Name] connect domain," and you'll likely find step-by-step instructions.

The best web hosting providers also have good customer support that can walk you through it. You can learn more about domain names in our articles on domain vs. subdomain.

Step 3: Set up Branded Email

One nice thing about having a website is that you can have a custom branded email address instead of using a generic Gmail or Yahoo account. Your email will be @yourdomain.com.

Having a branded email makes you look more professional and credible. In fact, 75% of customers believe a company's email address should match its domain name.

When choosing your email address, keep it simple and professional. Something like info@yourdomain.com or your name@yourdomain.com works well. Avoid silly nicknames or complicated addresses.

Most hosting providers offer email hosting as part of their packages. However, there are also standalone email hosting services, like Google Workspace or Zoho, which are available if you want more features. If a dedicated email address is something you want, we reviewed the best web hosting providers based on specific features, including email addresses.

Step 4: Create Goals for Your Site

You might think this step is optional, but setting goals is vital. It'll shape what kind of website you actually build.

If your domain name is eatplantsnotmeat.com, then it's pretty obvious that you're starting a vegan food blog. But try to go deeper. What do you want to achieve with this website? Is it just a personal hobby, or do you eventually want to turn it into a profitable business?

Once you have that sorted out, try to set some goals around the objectives you have for your site. For example, if your goal is to increase website traffic and attract advertisers to turn your site into a business, then you should focus on creating high-quality content and optimizing for search engines.

Review your goals often to track progress and pivot when necessary. Also, it's best practice to use SMART goals.

Here's what SMART goals should include:

• Specific: Clear and well-defined
• Measurable: You can track progress
• Achievable: Realistic and attainable
• Relevant: Aligned with your overall vision
• Time-bound: Has a deadline or timeframe

According to that logic, a SMART goal for a vegan food blog might be: "Increase website traffic by 50% in the next six months through consistent content creation and SEO optimization."

Step 5: Design and Develop Your Website

So far, you've chosen a web hosting plan with a great domain name, set up a branded email, and created goals for your website. But the most important part is missing: a website. Without a website, your domain name is just an abandoned home with no life inside it.

Having a good-looking and easy-to-use website is key. Let's look at a few ways you can create yours.

Hire a Pro

This is the simplest, though priciest, option. You pay up, and someone else handles the work. It may cost more, but it saves you time and guarantees your website will look great.

This option is recommended for established businesses that a): don't have the skills, time, or interest to create their own website, and b) need something unique for their brand.

Choose this option only if you have the budget to pay for development.

There are a few things to pay attention to when choosing a designer. Check their portfolio and reviews to see if their style matches what you're looking for and if they have a track record of delivering quality work.

DIY

Do it yourself! This means getting hands-on and learning something new. Building your own website can be really satisfying because you'll have full control over how it looks and works.

This method commonly uses WordPress. It's open source, so there's a range of free resources available, as well as templates to help you.

Building your website requires time and comes with a learning curve. This option is ideal if you're not in a hurry and enjoy experimenting and learning along the way.

Keep in mind that a lot happens behind the scenes to make websites fast and work well, especially on mobile. If you're not careful, you might end up with a slow website. So, if you're expecting heavy traffic, you might want to consider one of the other options.

Website Builders

Website builders are probably what most people end up using. These tools, like Wix or Squarespace, make it easy to build a website without knowing how to code.

They have drag-and-drop interfaces, which means you can just click and move things around to design your site. They also have pre-designed templates you can use as a starting point.

Many website builders offer free versions, but you'll typically need to pay for additional features. Some are even incorporate AI to make website creation easier than ever. These builders often come with built-in tools for SEO (search engine optimization) and may also include ecommerce capabilities.

Step 6: Submit Your Website to Search Engines

Many website owners feel uneasy when they hear the letters S-E-O. But don’t worry - it’s not as intimidating as it sounds.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is about optimizing your website to help it appear when people search for things related to your site on Google or other search engines. Submitting your website to search engines means telling them your website exists. This can help speed up how quickly it’s indexed and, hopefully, added to search results.

Google will eventually discover your site through regular crawling. Manually submitting it via Google Search Console with a sitemap can speed up the process. A sitemap is like a map of your website that tells search engines about all your important pages. If you're using WordPress or a website builder, they'll usually create a sitemap for you.

Before you submit your site, it’s best to have the following things in place:

• SSL certificate
• Good site speed
• Keyword optimization
• Meta tags
• Alt text for images
• Mobile responsiveness

Many hosting services now offer SEO support, and there are plenty of tools available to assist you. If it feels overwhelming, you can always turn to a professional for help.

Check out our Best Picks for SEO tools page to discover some of the tools that can help you make your site search-engine friendly.

Step 7: Promote Your Website and Business

SEO alone might bring people to your site, but it takes time. You must promote your website and business if you want to see results faster.

There are many ways to do this and in the following section, we'll go over the basics of what you can do.

Social Media

Building a social media following nowadays is not as easy as it was a decade ago. It requires a smart, multi-faceted social media marketing strategy. And that starts before you publish your first post. Identify where your target audience likes to hang out online and choose the appropriate platforms.

Next, customize your content to match the demographics you're targeting and the unique culture of each platform. On TikTok, you might participate in trending dances or challenges. On Instagram, focus on using hashtags and sharing visually appealing images. Adapt your approach to align with how people engage on each platform.

It's also a good idea to combine organic posts with paid promotions to boost your reach. Remember the 80/20 rule: 80% value-adding content, 20% self-promotion.

Finally, keep in mind this isn't a one-way street and engagement is vital. Join relevant groups, interact with others' content, and respond promptly to comments. Doing so will build your community and increase visibility.

Email Marketing

Email boasts higher click-through rates than social media at 3% on average. As a result, it tends to be more effective at driving engagement.

But first, you need to build a list of email addresses.

Start by offering something free (like a helpful guide or video) in exchange for people's email addresses. This is called a lead magnet. Then, set up a series of welcome emails to introduce new subscribers to your brand. After that, keep sending helpful emails to the right people at the right time.

It can be a lot to handle, but there are tools to help automate the process. Explore our list of best email marketing software to find the right fit for your needs. Plus, check out Email Marketing for Photographers to see real-life examples of effective lead magnets businesses are using.

Paid Advertising

We recommend using paid advertising only when your website is fully prepared to handle visitors and sales. Platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Instagram Ads allow you to target specific audiences who are likely to be interested in what you offer.

Knowing who you're trying to reach and creating ads they'll want to click on is crucial to not wasting ad spend. Start with small budgets and try different ads to see what works best.

SEO

Once your website is indexed (after you have completed the previous step), you have to take care of the "O" in SEO. That means continuing to optimize your site for search engines.

You can do this by:

• Updating your content regularly.
• Getting other websites to link to yours (called backlinks).
• Using keywords in your blog posts, product descriptions, and page titles.

Don't forget about local SEO if you have a physical business location. Make sure to claim your business on Google My Business, Yelp, and other local directories. This helps people find you when they search for businesses near them.

You can learn more in What is SEO?

Optional: Sell Your Domain Name

There could come a time when you want to let go of your current domain name. Maybe you're changing your brand name, closing a business, or just no longer need the domain.

Selling your domain name can help you recover some of the money you spent on it. If your domain is in high demand, you might even make a profit.

We won’t go into the details here, but at a high level, you can list your domain on a marketplace, find a willing buyer, and then sell and transfer the domain. And be sure to do your research if you're planning on changing your domain name as it can have serious repercussions if not done with care.

Conclusion

Starting a website is an exciting journey. You've taken the first step by buying a domain name. Now you have a roadmap for what comes next!

At Softailed, we're here to help you with the next steps. If you have or are about to buy a domain name, we can help you find the best web hosting service, the best website builder, and other top tools you need to run your business.

For tips on how to maintain your new website, check out our Website Maintenance Plan.