Setting up and hosting a site can seem complicated, this step-by-step guide will show you how to host a website and get yours up and running in no time with Domains.co.za. We’ll cover everything from registering a domain name to choosing the right type of hosting plan, building your site, and keeping it safe with SSL Certificates and anti-malware software.

Register a Domain Name

Before you can host a website, it needs an address, called a domain name, so your customers can find it. A great domain name is memorable, easy to spell, and should reflect your website’s purpose and business.

Check Availability:

Use our Domain Name Search to check its availability with your chosen extension and start the domain registration process.

Add to Cart:

Add the domain to your cart and click on the Checkout button.

Create an Account:

Create your new account or log in to your existing one.

Add Registrant Details:

This includes your name, email, address, phone number, etc. and submit the form.

Add WHOIS Privacy:

When you own a domain, your registrant details are listed in public WHOIS databases. We know this isn’ ideal for everyone, so we offer WHOIS Privacy, to mask your personal information.

Complete Payment:

Use our safe and secure payment gateway to complete the purchase.

If you already have a domain name registered elsewhere, we make domain transfers easy and inexpensive so you can manage your site, hosting, and domains from one intuitive dashboard.

Choose the Right Web Hosting

Now that you have a domain name, you can start hosting your site. Domains.co.za offers different hosting plans to accommodate your website’s needs.

cPanel Web Hosting:

Our cPanel Web Hosting is a user-friendly, powerful, and comprehensive solution for everyone from beginners to e-commerce websites. Our plans include everything you need with email accounts, databases, and the industry standard cPanel control panel for easy website management.

VPS Hosting:

Ideal for websites that need more. Our VPS Hosting provides better performance with guaranteed full resource allocation and complete control over your dedicated virtual server with full root or admin access, all backed by our dedicated support teams.

Email Only Hosting:

Not sure about your website yet but still want a way to communicate with your customers and maintain their trust? Our secure and reliable Email Only Hosting gives you professional domain-based email addresses for your business like “name@yourdomain.co.za” that make for maintaining a professional image effortless.

Note: Get a FREE Domain name registration* with selected hosting plans!

* Free Domain Registration applies to the following extensions only – .co.za, .org.za, .net.za, .web.za, .online
* Free Domain Registration is only applicable at time of purchase All listed prices exclude premium domain names

Build Your Website:

Now that your domain name and hosting are sorted, you can start building your website.

Domains.co.za’s Site Builder, available as an add-on to our cPanel Web Hosting plans is perfect for beginners, small businesses, and startups.

Don’t know how to code? Not a problem. Choose from our library of 200+ professionally designed editable templates, drag-and-drop your plugins, copy, and paste your content, and your site can be ready in no time.

If you already have one, you can simply migrate your website to Domains.co.za. This involves transferring your website files and database to your new hosting account. We offer all website migration assistance and tools to make the process as simple and quick as possible.

Add a SSL Certificate

Now that you know how to host a website, you need to protect it, please check your hosting package as they do come with a free SSL Certificate. We take online security seriously and offer industry-leading SSL Certificate management, vulnerability assessment, and malware scanning. However, depending on your requirements you may require a more advanced SSL.

An SSL Certificate encrypts data between your visitors’ browser and your web server, ensuring a secure browsing experience.

If you’re just starting out, a Domain Validated (DV) SSL Certificate is a cost-effective option for basic website security, verifying your domain ownership, and providing encryption to keep data safe. Get a free DV SSL when you sign up for Web Hosting with Domains.co.za.

Alternatively, if you need more, Organization Validated (OV) SSL Certificates provide higher levels of trust by verifying your business’s identity, further enhancing the legitimacy of your website.

Antivirus Security

While SSL Certificates encrypt data transfers, they don’t offer complete website protection. That’s where additional website and antivirus security comes in. We help you ensure your online safety using industry-leading ESET’s NOD32 Antivirus and Internet Security software.

ESET’s unique detection technology positions it as one of the best Antivirus programs available, with fast scanning, multiple features, and advanced settings to suit all types of sites.

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