Starting a new business or revamping your existing website? Choosing the right domain and hosting is one of the most important steps that will determine the success of your online presence. Making a mistake at this stage can cost you dearly - both financially and in terms of SEO results.
Many Bulgarian entrepreneurs make basic mistakes when choosing a domain and hosting, which leads to slow websites, frequent outages and lost customers. Others pay unnecessarily high prices for services they don't use, or choose cheap options that cause them problems later.
In this detailed guide, you will learn everything you need to know about choosing the right domain and hosting. You'll find out what the most important criteria are, how to avoid common mistakes and how to get the best value for your money.
What Exactly Are Domain and Hosting
The domain is the address of your website on the internet - for example www.studionewera.com. This is what people type into the browser to reach your website. A domain is like your home address - a unique identifier that leads to your place on the Internet.
Hosting is the service that stores your website files on a server connected to the internet 24/7. If the domain is the address, then the hosting is the building where your website "lives". Without hosting, your website has nowhere to be stored and accessible to visitors.
It is important to understand that domain and hosting are two separate services, although they are often sold together. You can have a domain with one provider and hosting with another, although this complicates management.
Step 1: Choosing the Perfect Domain
Basic Domain Name Principles
A good domain should be easy to remember, short and reflect your business or brand. Avoid complicated words, numbers and hyphens that make it difficult to remember and type.
The best option is to use the name of your company or service. If that's not available, consider synonyms or variations. For example, if "dental-clinic.bg" is busy, you could try "dental-practice.bg" or "dental-center.bg".
Choosing the Right Extension
For Bulgarian businesses we recommend .bg or .com extensions. The .bg extension indicates local affiliation and is preferred by Google for Bulgarian searches. The .com extension is the most globally recognizable and builds trust.
Avoid exotic extensions like .biz, .info or new ones like .shop unless they are directly related to your business. They can look suspicious to users and have poorer SEO results.
Check for Trademarks
Before finalizing the domain, check that you are not infringing any existing trademarks. Check the Patent Office database and do a Google search for similar names in your industry.
Trademark infringement can lead to expensive lawsuits and forced domain transfer.
Step 2: Understanding the Types of Hosting
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is the cheapest option where your website shares a server with many other websites. It is suitable for new websites with little traffic - up to 10,000 visitors per month.
Advantages include low cost (10-30 BGN per month) and easy management. Disadvantages are limited resources and the possibility of slowdowns if other sites on the server get a lot of traffic.
VPS Hosting
Virtual Private Server offers more resources and control for an average price. Your site still shares a physical server, but has guaranteed resources and better performance.
Suitable for sites with 10,000-100,000 visitors per month or for online stores. The price varies between 50-150 BGN per month.
Dedicated Server
With this option, you have an entire server just for your needs. Provides maximum performance and control, but requires technical knowledge or a managed plan.
Recommended for large sites with over 100,000 visitors per month. The price starts from 200-500 BGN per month.
Cloud Hosting
The modern alternative that combines flexibility and performance. Your site uses resources from a network of servers, which ensures high availability and scalability.
Good option for growing businesses because you can easily increase resources as needed.
Step 3: Hosting Key Features
Uptime
Look for hosting with a guaranteed uptime of at least 99.9%. This means a maximum of 8 hours of downtime per year. Any additional downtime loses customers and hurts your SEO rating.
Check the actual uptime stats, not just the promises in the ads. Read reviews from real customers about the reliability of the service.
Server Speed
The speed of the hosting directly affects the loading time of your website. Look for hosting with SSD drives, CDN (Content Delivery Network) and speed optimizations.
Test speed with tools like GTMetrix or PageSpeed Insights before making a final decision.
Technical Support
Quality maintenance is critical, especially if you don't have technical experience. Look for 24/7 support in English via phone, chat and email.
Test support before you buy - ask a question and assess the quality and speed of response.
Safety
Hosting should include basic security measures - firewalls, DDoS attack protection, automatic backup copies and SSL certificates.
Check how often backups are made and whether you can easily restore your site in the event of a problem.
Step 4: Choosing a Hosting Provider
Bulgarian vs International Suppliers
Bulgarian providers offer local support and a better understanding of the local market. Popular options include SuperHosting.bg, Host.bg and Web.bg.
International providers such as SiteGround, Bluehost or DigitalOcean often offer better technology and pricing, but support may be in English.
Criteria for Evaluation
Compare the different options according to the following criteria:
- Price and included services
- Technical characteristics
- Quality of maintenance
- Feedback from customers
- Conditions for transfer in case of dissatisfaction
Don't just go by price - the cheapest option often turns out to be the most expensive in the long run because of problems and wasted time.
Reading the Terms
Read the contract carefully, especially the parts about:
- Refund Policy
- Renewal terms (prices often increase after the first year)
- Resource and traffic restrictions
- Procedures for transfer if a change is desired
Step 5: Setup and Connect
Purchasing a Domain
Domains are purchased for a period of 1 to 10 years. Longer periods often offer discounts and improve SEO signals to Google.
Enable auto-renewal to avoid accidental domain expiration, which can result in loss of your site and emails.
Connecting a Domain with Hosting
After purchasing a domain and hosting, you need to connect them by changing the DNS settings. This process can take 24-48 hours to fully propagate.
Most hosting providers offer detailed instructions or free help for this step.
Email Setup
Be sure to set up professional email addresses with your domain (e.g. info@vashafirma.bg). This builds trust and looks more professional than free addresses like Gmail or Abv.
Step 6: Performance Optimization
Choosing the Right Plan
Start with a smaller plan and increase as needed. It's better to start conservatively and upgrade than to pay for unused resources.
Track traffic and performance statistics to determine when it's time to upgrade.
CDN implementation
The Content Delivery Network speeds up your site load time by storing copies in different locations around the world. This is especially important if you are targeting an international audience.
Many hosting providers offer a free Cloudflare CDN in their plans.
Regular Updates
Keep your system and plugins up to date for optimal security and performance. Set up automatic updates where possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change hosting without losing my site?
Yes, you can transfer your site to a new hosting without data loss. The process involves creating a backup, uploading to the new hosting and changing DNS settings. Most hosting companies offer free migration assistance.
How much does a good domain and hosting cost?
For a .bg domain, expect a price of around 30-50 BGN per year, and for a .com - 15-25 BGN per year. Quality shared hosting costs 15-40 BGN per month and VPS hosting - 50-200 BGN per month depending on the resources.
Should I buy a domain and hosting from one provider?
It is not mandatory, but it is more convenient to manage. If you want maximum flexibility, you can use different providers. The important thing is to have full control over DNS settings.
How do I know if my hosting is fast enough?
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTMetrix or Pingdom to measure speed. Load times should be under 3 seconds for a good user experience.
What happens if my domain expires?
When the domain expires, the site and emails stop working. You have a grace period of 30-45 days to renew at normal cost, after which the domain enters a redemption period with a high reinstatement fee. It then becomes free for others to register.
Can I use free hosting for a business website?
We do not recommend free hosting for business purposes. Such services have limitations, advertisements, poor support and can stop service at any time. For a professional business, invest in paid hosting.
How do I protect my domain from theft?
Enable domain lock at the registrar, use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Regularly check WHOIS information and be careful with phishing emails that ask for your details.
When should I switch from shared to VPS hosting?
Switch to VPS when your site gets over 5,000-10,000 visitors a month, you have an online store with active sales, or you notice a slowdown during peak hours. Other indicators are the need for specific settings or more security.
Conclusion
Choosing the right domain and hosting is the foundation for a successful online presence. Take enough time to research and don't just go by price. A good domain and reliable hosting is an investment that will serve you for years.
Remember, you can always start with a more basic plan and upgrade as your business grows. The important thing is to choose a provider that offers good support and easy upgradeability.
Need professional help with domain and hosting selection and setup? At Studio New Era we include all these services in our monthly subscription of €49. Not only do you get a perfectly selected domain and hosting, but also full setup, optimization and ongoing support. Contact us for a free consultation and get started right from the start.