What is a Domain Name?
In this post you learn about domain names, domain registrars and some rules for choosing your domain name.
What actually is a domain name?
A domain name is an alias for an IP address. What is an IP address? An IP address is a numeric code that signifies where to look through the internet for content. An example of an IP address would be 63.206.252.31. Rather than you having to type in a long IP address consisting of numbers, a domain name helps you by typing an easier to remember name to get to the site.
To register a domain you must go to a Domain Name Registrar.
DOMAIN NAME REGISTRARS
The granddaddy of them all is GoDaddy. Godaddy is reseller and many registrars are onselling from them.If you see WildWestDomains in the browser bar after you have typed in the URL they are Godaddy resellers. Fairly straight forward to use but easy to fall into buying all the extras.
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NAMECHEAP
A very good one is NameCheap. Namecheap include a security certificate and privacy in the cost of your domain when others charge for those extras.
Very hard to go past this one for value. Overall excellent.
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1&1
Another is 1&1. To use them you must buy a package with hosting. They have small packs to large developer packages. Once you have a small hosting package you may buy as many domains as you wish. The only drawback with 1and1 is that they don’t use Cpanel for hosting which we will discuss in a few more posts, so the setup is longer and more involved. They also have a different way of billing but they are efficient in answering any queries you may have.
Also be careful in any offer the registrars may offer. It is the end value you want not the short term bait they may offer.
Before you are ready to buy a domain name do a search for a coupon in Google. Just put in the name of the registrar and the word coupon. It will save you a small amount of money on your registration for the first year.
The following year when it is renewed it will be priced at the regular full amount and not the coupon price. You do get slight discounts for renewing 5 or more sites at one time.
The price is roughly around $10 per site at the time of writing with a small fee of about 25c going to ICANN.
ICANN
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Number manages the DNS root of the Internet domain namespace. ICANN’s role is to manage the assignment of identifiers, ensuring that all users have unique names. The DNS system is run by a series of servers called DNS servers. ICANN manages the root DNS domains, under which are the top-level domains.
These really are the overseers of all domain names and keep everything in the domain game in control.
When picking a domain name there are a few rules to follow.
- Never ever use a proprietary name. You will be issued with a cease and desist order and threatened with legal action and may lose the domain to the business owner. Do not use a brand names or trademarks ! You can visit the United States Patent And Trademark Office (USPTO) website to do a trademark search: http://www.uspto.gov/
- Try to find a name using your keywords. The name should represent what topic you are going to build your site on.
- There is a 67 character limit including TLD. You don’t have to use them all. In fact the shorter the better so people can remember your site’s name.
- Think of the TLD for your domain. . In addition to the generic domain extensions such as .com, .net, .org etc. there are approximately 250 different international domains each with their own two-letter country code extension. TLD (Top Level Domain.) Names include .info, .me, .biz, .name. , .mobile etc .
- It is accepted that you try firstly for .com extension, then the .net or .org if the dotcom is not available. With work you can make any extension rise through the search engines but it is currently accepted in marketing groups that they like the dotcom, dotnet and dotorg the best.
- It is ok to uses hyphens. There is an argument for and against their use. If it is the only way to get the name you want then go for it.
- You are not actually buying a domain name but leasing it for the period you desire ( choose from 1 to 10 years).
- Make the choice of the name you require and if you find it is available at the domain name registrars buy it there and then. If you come back even just 5 minutes later it may be gone. I have had this happen to me and I know of others. There are software bots around that will see what people are looking for and if you let it go they will grab it. Domain squatting is a HUGE business.
- You can totally forget about having a generic one word domain name as they all went years ago and are trading in the millions of dollars when they go up for sale. For example; Diamonds.com, Shoes.com and so on.
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Next we will show you how to choose a domain name when the one you wanted is already taken.
