Understanding Your Online Services

Domain Names, Websites & Email — Explained Simply

Many businesses pay for online services without fully understanding what each one does. This quick guide explains the difference in plain language.

Domain Name

What it is: Your internet address.

Example: yourbusiness.ca

Think of it like: A street address. It tells people where to find you online, but it does not create a website or email on its own.

Important to know:

• You must register and renew it yearly

• It can point to a website, email, or both

DNS (Domain Name System)

What it is: The set of records that tells the internet where the different services connected to your domain can be found.

Think of it like: Directions attached to your street address. Your domain is the address, while DNS tells internet traffic where to go for your website, email and other services.

Important to know:

• DNS records help direct visitors to the correct website and route email to the correct email service.

• Different records perform different jobs—for example, some point to your website while others control where email is delivered.

• Your DNS may be managed by the same company that registered your domain, or by a different provider.

• Incorrectly changing or deleting DNS records can cause your website, email or other online services to stop working.

• When changing website, email or other providers, DNS records often need to be updated as part of the transition.

Website Hosting

What it is: The service that stores your website files and makes them available on the internet 24/7.

Think of it like: The land and utilities (power, water, access) that allow a building to exist.

Important to know:

• Hosting is required for a website to be visible online

• Hosting does not design or build your website

Website Design (or Development)

What it is: The creation of your website—layout, branding, pages, wording, images, and how visitors use it.

Think of it like: The building and interior design. This determines how professional your business looks and how easy it is to navigate.

Important to know:

• Design is usually a one-time or occasional cost

• A designed website still needs hosting to be online

Email Hosting

What it is: The service that handles sending, receiving, and storing email using your domain name.

Example: info@yourbusiness.ca

Think of it like: The mailroom and postal service for your address.

Important to know:

• Email hosting is separate from website hosting

• You can have professional email without having a website

How It All Works Together

• Domain name: The address

• DNS: The directions that connect your domain to the right services 

• Website hosting: Where the website lives

• Website design: What the website looks like and how it works

• Email hosting: How your business email functions

These services can be provided by one company or split between different providers.

Quick Takeaway

Owning a domain does not mean you have a website.
Paying for hosting does not mean your website was designed.
Email is its own service, even when it uses your domain name.

Understanding these differences helps you avoid paying for services you do not need—and ensures you are paying for the ones you do.