You’ve probably heard of domain names, but what exactly are they? A domain name is the unique web address that appears before the dot in any website you visit; more importantly, it’s one of the most important parts of online presence and branding. Your domain name helps people easily find your company website, social media profiles, and other online content, so choosing one that says everything you want it to say can be difficult and confusing.
Domain is Very important For website
It’s your main branding. It’s also what people type into their browser to reach your site, so you want it to have meaning that connects with potential clients or customers. It needs to be easy to remember because most people won’t spend time looking up the IP address for your site (unless they are power users). Finally, it should be spelled correctly—and not just once. Make sure there aren’t any typos in your domain name, but also double-check that both www and non-www versions are correct. If you decide you don’t like your domain name, after all, there isn’t any way to change it. Once you register it, you’re stuck with it for life!
What is The Domain
A domain name sometimes referred to as an Internet address, website address, or URL (Uniform Resource Locator), identifies your website on the Internet. In technical terms, it’s simply an alias for your IP address (which is how computers recognize where to send traffic). The good news about having a domain name is that you can use any number of URLs instead of needing different IP addresses for each page on your site. If you’re setting up a large e-commerce site with multiple products or pages targeting different demographics, a domain name can make sense.
The different types of domain names
There are essentially two types of domain names: generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs). Generic TLDs are controlled by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), which has made it easy to obtain domain names that were previously restricted. This means you can register things like .app, .bike, .cloud, .dog, .durban, etc. These words have some very specific rules around them to protect brand owners from cybersquatting. To make sure their trademarks aren’t infringed upon in these new gTLD spaces—many companies have applied for new domains under each of their brand names.
How Do They Work
A domain name (which I’ll refer to as DNS from here on out) works similarly to an address that directs you to your house. The house number, street name, city, state, and zip code all direct you to your house. For information such as email or websites to get where they need to go, we use DNS servers. Each computer has its own unique set of DNS servers that connect it with other computers around the world.
Choose the right top-level domain (TLD)
Choosing a domain name can be tricky—there are hundreds of top-level domains to choose from. The TLD you choose depends on your specific business. For example, if you’re creating an informational website, .com would be appropriate. If you’re creating an e-commerce store, it might make sense to go with .store or something similar.
Don’t Put Eggs one Basket
You may be tempted to choose one domain registrar and stick with it. Instead, keep an eye out for special deals or introductory prices from competitors. Often, you can register your domains at more than one site—just make sure you set up all of your domains at different providers. If one company has issues with customer service or experiences technical difficulties that affect your sites, you don’t want to lose all of them! With multiple places to register your domains (known as domains by proxy), if something goes wrong, you have another place to turn.
Keep it simple and easy to remember
Good domain names are easy to remember. Short, easy-to-spell domains that make sense for your brand are what you should be aiming for. If someone has to pause in thought when trying to recall your company name or web address, they may simply forget it, leaving them unable to return to your site. Worse still, if they do commit it to memory but spell it incorrectly when typing it into their browser (or speaking aloud), they may very well end up on another site entirely, which could lead them away from yours forever.
Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tips
A domain name is your brand’s online identity. Make sure it contains keywords or keyword phrases that describe what you do so that people searching for information on your business can find you when they search online. If you’re not sure how to choose a domain name, ask yourself these questions: What words should potential customers type into search engines to find their business? Is there another word I would rather use than my business name or brand? (For example, if your company is named Shoes 4 Tigers, maybe you’d like Shoes4Tigers as your domain.) As an extra tip, include multiple keywords in your domain names—which isn’t possible with .com domains.
Conclusion
If you’re a business looking to increase your online presence, there are many options at your disposal. While it can seem overwhelming, working with an expert is key to choosing an appropriate name that aligns with your business goals. If you’re new to hosting or need more information on how to navigate these issues, check out our resource center for help finding the right provider for your company. If you have any questions about domain names in general or how they work, feel free to leave them in the comments below!