Domain 101: Basic Information You Need To Know

For those who are just building their online enterprise or trying to get a blog started, you may have tried to come up with a website name, otherwise known as a domain name.

This is your address in the world wide web, and it’s an important to step to learning the basics of site development and marketing.

Every website has a domain name. It’s what you type in the top of your browser and usually begins with “www” and ends with “.com” or “.net.”

There are a variety of domain names available, but the key things to remember is that you want something attractive and personal to what your site will be able. There are a few other things to consider as well.

Getting Started with Domain Names

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A domain name can include any combination of letters and numbers up to a total of 63 characters. Common domain extensions that you’ll see include .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .us, .ws and .me.

There are a few other extensions like .tv but you want to stick to extensions that are familiar. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a .com extension. This is the most familiar one to most people on the web.

Picking a Great Domain Name

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Choosing the right domain name is sort of like picking the right logo or choosing the right book title.

However, there are some things that make a domain name truly great.

Domain names should be shorter, ideally less than 16 characters.

Shorter names are easier for people to remember.

You also want to make it memorable and easy to read.

These three things will help you pick out a great domain name.

In addition, you want a domain name that will reflect the content of the site.

If you have a business about your new goat’s milk soap products, something like KittyCorner.com isn’t going to work, but GoatSuds.com is catchy and still reflects your business content.

Differences Between .Com and All the Others

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Does it really matter if you don’t pick a .com? While it’s not necessarily a big deal, it’s an extension that most people recognize and associate with safe online browsing. There are a few cases where it is appropriate to use .net or .org, but many people really only look for a .com address.

If the best names are gone and you really want a certain address, you can settle for a .net and .org while also placing a backorder or watching your .com address become available.

Otherwise, there really isn’t a difference between the addresses or how they work as far as extensions. Some extensions reflect what your content is about.

For example .tv is usually for a media site and .us is typically for a site located in the United States.

Where to Get a Domain Name

In order to get a domain name, you need to go to a domain name registrar.

These are sites like GoDaddy, Namecheap, 1&1 , Bluehost, and Gandi.

A registrar will allow you to search for the specific address that you want and show you if it’s available.

If it is available, you can purchase the domain name and it will be registered under your name and address.

Typically, these registrars will also offer other products like website hosting, private registration, business registration, website setup, and a bunch of other services.

Private registration may be useful if you are worried about people being able to look up your name and address from the WHOIS database.

The WHOIS database shows names and addresses for any website address, but with private registration, you can block your information from being shown in the database.

How Much Does It Cost?

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Every registrar has their own prices. Typically, you should be able to get a domain registered for under $15. However, the costs go up depending on hosting and private registration.

You can pay as much as $45 to get started with one month of hosting, private registration, and domain registration. However, places like GoDaddy and 1&1 provide a lot of discounts and may even offer free promotions.

Published And Created By Christopher E P And CynAdams
Main Picture Credit: ivanpw