Domain Name Registration
What is a domain name?
A domain name represents the address of a website (or URL) on the internet. Much like the address to your house, a domain name can consist of letters and numbers, and once it is officially registered, no one else can use that domain name.
Domain names end in a suffix that usually indicate the type of resource or the location. For example, .com indicates a domain name of a commercial type and .ca indicates a domain name located in Canada. You do not have to own a business to register a domain name, anyone can register a .com. There are some restrictions with location types - for example, you cannot register a .ca domain unless you have a Canadian address.
Why do I need a domain name? Why not just use the free domain names out there?
If you plan to run a website long term or your website is used to promote your business, having your own domain name is an absolute must! Your own domain name gives your company credibility. Would you be more willing to do business with, a company using the domain name www.myfreesite.com/free-domain/microsoft or www.microsoft.com?
Not only does your own domain name give your company credibililty, but you can guarantee that your domain name will remain the same if you decide to switch hosts and move to a new server. Often times the free domain name services shut their doors, or no longer offer their service for free anymore. When this happens, and you lose your domain name, your visitors are unable to find you anymore. It is just like starting your website all over again from square one.
Having your own domain name also has other advantages:
- Your website will be easier for others to remember because the web address will be shorter
- You will have more control over the setup and design of your website
- Your website will be indexed better in the search engines. Most free sites are not indexed well (if at all) in the search engines, and if no one can find you, then all your internet efforts are wasted.
How do I choose a domain name?
Your domain name should (and will) represent a part of your business identity. When deciding on a domain name, think of a domain name that best reflects your company, and the information that will be on your website.
You will also want to have a domain name that will be easy for others to remember. For example, if your website teaches people how to make money online, you may want to include the words ‘make money online’ in your domain name. Try to keep your domain name as short as possible, 2-3 word domain names are ideal.
Once you have chosen your domain name, you may soon discover that someone else has already registered the domain name. This means that you will not be able to use that domain name. For this reason, it is advisable to think of at least 5 possible domain names, just in case your top choice(s) have been taken.
How do I register a domain name?
You could register your domain name through a company such as Dotster.com . The good news is, at Simply Chic, we can do it for you! Our web design packages include your domain name registration for 1 year, so you have no worries about setting up or registering your domain name.
