This is one of those things people often nod along with and secretly Google later. So here’s a no-jargon explanation of what DNS, domains, and hosting actually are, and how they work together to put your website online.
Your domain
This is your web address. It’s what people type to find your site, like yourbusiness.com.
You buy your domain from a registrar, such as:
- GoDaddy
- Google Domains
- IONOS
- Namecheap
Once you’ve bought a domain, you can point it to wherever your website is hosted.
Hosting
Hosting is where your website lives. It’s the server that loads your pages when someone visits your domain.
If we built your site in Webflow, it’s hosted by Webflow. That means:
- Fast, secure servers
- SSL certificate included
- Automatic backups
- Global CDN for speed
You can use other hosting providers, but we only support Webflow hosting unless agreed otherwise.
DNS settings
DNS (Domain Name System) is like a digital phone book. It tells the internet where to find your site when someone types in your domain.
You don’t need to know how it works under the hood. But you should know:
- Your domain registrar controls your DNS settings
- We update those settings to point your domain to Webflow
- This is done by adding “A Records” and “CNAME” entries
- It can take a few hours to go live
Once the DNS is set, your domain will display your Webflow-hosted site.
Subdomains
Want something like shop.yourbusiness.com or blog.yourbusiness.com?
That’s a subdomain. We can set those up too - just ask.
What you control
You (or your team) should always own the domain account. We’ll never register a domain under our name unless agreed in writing.
Keep a record of your login details and registrar access. If you ever need to transfer or redirect your domain, you’ll need that.
