As part of my job, I spend a lot of time talking with clients and answering their questions. Most people don't need to know what an SSL certificate is, what DNS means, what an A record does, or how a firewall works—and that’s totally fine.
That’s exactly why regular people hire professionals to build and manage their websites, run SEO campaigns, and handle other marketing-related tasks.
However, I’ve noticed that some questions come up over and over again. It makes sense—any business with a website has probably dealt with things like DNS settings or SSL certificates at some point. These terms are somewhat familiar, but not everyone really understands what they mean.
So I decided to write this article to help. My goal is to give you a simple guide to some of the most common web-related terms, so you can make better decisions when choosing a hosting service or hiring a web design agency.
Let’s start with the basics: the domain name.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a human-friendly "name" that people type into their web browser to visit your website. For example, boreasdigitalmedia.com is my domain name. If you type it into your browser, it will take you to my website.
Your domain name is the first thing you need to get when you're starting to build an online presence. One common misunderstanding is that people don’t know the difference between a domain and hosting—and that’s totally normal. I mean, I don’t know the nutritional differences between an apple and an avocado. I’m not a nutritionist.
Just keep in mind for now: a domain is not the same thing as hosting. We'll explain hosting in the next section.
Back to our definition: you can also think of your domain name as the “address” of your website. Having a good domain is important because it’s what people will use to find and visit your site. It should be easy to remember, and ideally, it should represent your brand.
Can I have a domain without hosting?
Absolutely! As I mentioned earlier, your domain name and your hosting are two separate things, so you can purchase them independently. That said, many providers offer both together—some hosting plans even include a free domain name for the first year.
So, should I get both at the same time?
It depends 🙂. My short answer is yes, but it really comes down to how soon you plan to have your website live.
If your business plan doesn’t include launching a website right away, you can simply register the domain name to secure it, and wait to purchase hosting until you're ready to build the site.
To make the best decision, it’s always a good idea to talk to a professional who can guide you through your digital presence journey. At Boreas Digital Media, we’re happy to help our clients every step of the way—making sure they take the right decisions with clarity and confidence.
What is Web Hosting?
It's pretty common to find definitions saying that "the hosting is a disc space where your website's files live". But the fact is that a hosting is more than that.
Web hosting is a service that lets your website live on the internet. It works like renting space on a special computer (called a server) where all your website’s files are stored—images, texts, code, and more.
But hosting is not just storage. Most modern websites also need a database to function properly. A database stores information like messages sent through contact forms, user details, or product data in online stores.
To support this, your hosting must include not just storage space, but also the right software and resources to run your website smoothly—like a database engine, security tools, and regular updates.
The relationship between your domain name and your hosting
As we mentioned earlier, when someone types yourdomainname.com into a web browser, the browser loads your website and displays its content. But how does that actually happen?
You might be wondering: “Okay, but how does the domain name know where my website’s files are stored?”
Great question!
Your domain name and your hosting work together like an address and a house. The domain name is the address you type into your browser, while the hosting is the actual house where everything lives—your website’s files, images, and data.
Behind the scenes, a system called DNS (Domain Name System) connects your domain to your hosting. It tells the browser, “Hey, the files for this domain are stored over there on that server.” Without this connection, typing the domain name wouldn’t lead anywhere.
What is an SSL Certificate?
An SSL certificate is a security feature that protects the information your website sends and receives. It creates a secure connection between your website and your visitors' browsers, so that any data—like contact form submissions, login details, or payment information—gets encrypted and can’t be easily intercepted by hackers.
You can recognize a site that uses SSL because its web address starts with https:// instead of just http://, and you'll usually see a little padlock icon next to the URL in your browser.
These days, having an SSL certificate is essential. Not just for security, but also because search engines like Google favor secure websites—and many browsers will show a warning if your site doesn't have one.
The good news? Most hosting providers offer a free SSL certificate when you set up your website. And if not, it’s usually affordable to get one.
So, in short: SSL keeps your site safe, builds trust with your visitors, and helps with SEO. Worth having, right?
Who sets up the SSL certificate?
Good question!
Even though the SSL certificate protects your domain, it actually has to be installed on your hosting server—because that’s where your website lives and where the secure connection is established.
In most cases, if you're using a decent hosting provider, the process is super easy. Many providers offer free SSL certificates and even install them automatically when you launch your site. Sometimes, though, you may need to activate it manually from your hosting control panel—usually just a couple of clicks.
If you're working with a web design agency or developer, they'll typically take care of this for you. At Boreas Digital Media, for example, we make sure every website we build is protected with a valid SSL certificate from day one.
Bottom line: your SSL certificate is linked to your domain, but it’s managed through your hosting. So whoever handles your hosting setup should also take care of enabling SSL.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, things aren’t as complicated as they seem. Sure, all these terms—domain, hosting, SSL, DNS—can sound a bit intimidating at first. But once you understand what each one does, it all starts to make sense.
Knowing how these pieces work together gives you a clearer picture of how your website functions. It also helps you make smarter decisions when choosing a hosting provider, registering your domain, or setting up your site securely.
Of course, if you're still unsure—that’s totally normal. That’s exactly where a professional can step in to guide you through the process and help you avoid common pitfalls.
At Boreas Digital Media, we include this kind of support in all our Website Design services. If you don’t have a domain or hosting yet, we’ll walk you through everything—helping you choose and configure the options that best fit your needs, so you can focus on building your business, not figuring out technical stuff.
