Domain, hosting, SSL and more: website terms explained in plain English
By Dominic Binotubo · · 9 min read
Web developers have a habit of talking in jargon. If you've ever nodded along to "we'll point your DNS to the new host and sort the SSL", this article is for you. Every term is explained simply, with an everyday comparison, and what it means for your wallet.
The big three: domain, hosting and website
Think of your website like a shop:
- The domain name is your shop's address.
- The hosting is the land and building the shop stands on.
- The website is the shop itself: the design, the shelves and the products.
You need all three. They're often bought from different places, which is where the confusion starts.
Domain name
The name people type to find you, like tubowebdev.com or yourshop.com.ng. You don't buy it forever: you rent it, usually one year at a time, from a company called a registrar.
- Cost: a .com is usually around $10–$20 a year. Nigerian endings like .com.ng and .ng vary a lot between registrars.
- Raw truth: some registrars advertise a cheap first year, then charge several times more to renew. One registrar listed .com.ng at about $12 for the first year and about $50 a year after that. Always check the renewal price, not just the first-year deal.
- Most important tip in this whole article: make sure the domain is registered in your name, with your email address. If a developer registers it under their own account and you fall out, they control your address.
- If you forget to renew, your website and email stop working, and someone else can buy your name.
Domain extension (TLD)
The ending of the domain: .com, .ng, .com.ng, .org, .co.uk and so on. ".com" is the most widely recognised worldwide. ".com.ng" or ".ng" tells people you're a Nigerian business. Neither is "better" for Google; choose what fits your customers.
Hosting (web hosting)
Your website's files have to live on a computer that's switched on and connected to the internet 24 hours a day, so anyone can visit any time. That computer is called a server, and renting space on one is called hosting.
- Cost: anywhere from free (for simple websites on some modern hosts) to a few dollars a month for basic hosting, up to much more for big online stores and web apps.
- Shared hosting: your site shares a server with many others, like living in a block of flats. Cheap, but if a neighbour gets busy, your site can slow down.
- Cloud or VPS hosting: more space and power reserved for you. Faster and more reliable, and it costs more.
- Raw truth: very cheap hosting is often slow. Ask where the servers are and whether a CDN is included (see below).
DNS
Short for Domain Name System. It's the internet's phone book. When someone types your domain, DNS looks up which server your website lives on and sends them there. "Pointing your domain" or "changing DNS" just means updating that phone book entry, for example when you move to new hosting. Changes can take a few minutes to a day to spread across the internet.
Security terms
SSL / HTTPS / the padlock
When a website address starts with https:// and shows a padlock, information travelling between the visitor and your website is scrambled (encrypted) so nobody in between can read it. The certificate that makes this work is called an SSL certificate (technically TLS now, but everyone still says SSL).
- Without it, browsers show a "Not secure" warning, which scares customers away.
- Cost: usually free and automatic with good hosting. Be wary of anyone charging a lot for a basic one.
- Raw truth: the padlock means the connection is private. It doesn't prove the business is honest. Scam sites can have padlocks too.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
An extra step when logging in: as well as your password, you enter a code from your phone. It stops most account hacks. Turn it on for your domain, hosting, email and social media accounts.
Backup
A saved copy of your website. If something breaks or gets hacked, it can be restored. Ask who makes backups, how often, and where they're kept.
Building and editing terms
CMS (Content Management System)
An easy dashboard for changing your website's text, photos, products or blog posts without touching any code, a bit like editing a document. WordPress, Shopify and Wix all include one. If you want to update your site yourself, ask for a CMS.
Template / theme
A ready-made design that many websites share, with your logo and content swapped in. Cheaper and faster than a custom design, but your site may look like others using the same template.
Custom design
A design made from scratch for your business. It costs more, but it's unique and built around your customers.
Plugin / extension
An add-on that gives a website an extra feature, such as a booking calendar, contact form or payment option. Useful, but each one adds weight and something else that can break or need updating. More is not better.
Front end and back end
The front end is everything visitors see and click: layout, colours, buttons and animations. The back end is the hidden machinery: storing orders, user accounts, payments and databases. Like a restaurant, the front end is the dining room and the back end is the kitchen.
Database
An organised store of information your website uses: products, customers, orders, bookings. Simple websites may not need one; online stores and web apps do.
Responsive design / mobile-friendly
The website rearranges itself to fit any screen: phone, tablet or laptop. Today this is not optional. Most people will see your site on a phone first.
UI and UX
UI (user interface) is how the site looks: colours, fonts, buttons. UX (user experience) is how it feels to use: is it easy, clear and quick to do what you came for? A site can look beautiful (good UI) and still be confusing (bad UX).
Landing page
A single page built for one purpose, often where people "land" after clicking an advert. See types of websites.
CTA (call to action)
The button or line that tells visitors what to do next: "Book now", "Chat on WhatsApp", "Get a quote". Every page should have a clear one.
Google and marketing terms
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
Everything that helps your website show up on Google when people search for what you offer: useful content, clear page titles, speed, mobile-friendliness and other websites linking to yours.
Raw truth: no honest person can guarantee "number one on Google". SEO takes time, usually months, and depends a lot on how competitive your industry is. Be very careful with anyone promising instant first-page results.
Keywords
The words people type into Google, like "wedding planner in Abuja" or "how much does a website cost". Good websites use the same words their customers use, naturally, not stuffed in.
Meta title and meta description
The blue headline and the short grey text under it that appear in Google results. You write them for each page. They're your advert in the search results, so they should make people want to click.
Google Business Profile
Your free business listing on Google Search and Maps, with your hours, phone number, photos, location and reviews. Every local business should have one. It's different from a website, and works best alongside one.
Google Search Console
A free Google tool that shows whether Google can find your website, which searches you appear for, and any problems it spots.
Analytics
Tools that count your visitors: how many, where from, what they looked at and how long they stayed.
Conversion and conversion rate
A conversion is when a visitor does what you wanted, such as buying, booking or messaging you. The conversion rate is the percentage who do it. If 100 people visit and 3 message you, your conversion rate is 3%.
Bounce rate
The share of visitors who leave without doing anything after seeing one page. A high bounce rate can mean the page is slow, confusing or not what they expected.
Sitemap
A file listing all the pages on your website, so Google can find them easily. Your developer should create one and submit it to Google Search Console.
Speed and performance terms
Page speed / load time
How long your page takes to appear and become usable. Google's research found that as a mobile page's load time rises from 1 to 3 seconds, the chance of a visitor leaving goes up by 32%.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of servers around the world that keep copies of your website, so visitors load it from the one closest to them. Like having branches in every city instead of one warehouse far away. It makes sites faster for international visitors.
Cache / caching
Saving a ready-made copy of a page or file so it loads faster next time. When a developer says "clear your cache", they mean "your browser is showing you an old saved copy; refresh it".
Uptime
The percentage of time your website is online and working. Good hosting promises 99.9% or more.
Bandwidth
How much data your website can send to visitors in a month. Big videos and lots of visitors use more. Most small websites never come close to the limit.
Money terms you'll hear
Maintenance / care plan
A monthly fee to keep your website updated, backed up, secure and running, often with some small edits included. Optional for simple sites, wise for stores and web apps.
Payment gateway
The service that lets your website accept card, bank transfer or USSD payments safely, such as Paystack, Flutterwave or Stripe. They usually take a small fee per payment.
Revisions
Rounds of changes you can request during the project. Agree on how many are included before you start.
The question to ask about any term
If a developer uses a word you don't understand, ask: "What does that mean for my business, and what does it cost me?" A good developer will explain it simply. If they can't, or make you feel silly for asking, that tells you something.
Now that the jargon makes sense, read how much a website costs, or ask me anything.