Domain Name Guide

A domain name is a unique and distinctive name used for your web site. In your choice of a hosting solution there should be included a domain name registration. Such domain name must be easy to remember and to type.

Domain Name - What is it?

A domain name is a unique and distinctive name used for a web site, for instance www.google.com.

Domain names are be required to be registered. Once the domain name is registered, it is added to a large domain name register. Additionally, the IP address and other information regarding the web site are stored on a DNS server.


It is the responsibility of the DNS (Domain Name System) server to inform all other computers on the Internet regarding the web site address and the domain name.

Domain Registration

It is possible to register domains from domain name registration companies. Such companies provide

These companies provides facility to search for domain names that are available as well as offer various domain name extensions that could be registered simultaneously.

Domain Name Choice

For an individual or a company, choosing a domain name is an important step. The availability of new domain name extensions and using creative thinking it is possible to create thousands of exceptional domain names.

Before you choose a domain name it is essential to bear in mind the purpose of a domain name. The intention of a domain name is to present an easy way to access your web site.

The following are the characteristics of best domains:
Short - People do not like typing long names, so keep the name short so that is easy to type, read as well as remember.

Meaningful/Brandable – Even if the domain name is short, it is not good if it is not meaningful. For instance 45e4mc.com is not easy type nor can it be easily be remembered. So, choose a domain name that is related to your site in such a way that it is easy for people to understand and associate with.

Clear – When choosing a domain name it is important that the name is clear. Try to avoid names that are difficult to pronounce or spell.

Exposure – Domain names which are short are easy to remember and are therefore an asset. Other than considering visitors, you should also take into account search engines. It is the search engine that indexes your site and ranks it for relevance with respect to the terms most searched for. For maximizing the exposure of your site, contemplate the inclusion of an appropriate search term in your domain. Naturally, this can only be considered if it continues to maintain a clear, meaningful and short domain name.

What Are Sub-Domains?

A lot of people are not aware that they sub domains everyday. The well-known World Wide Web known as www is an instance of a sub domain. Sub domains could be created on a DNS server. Sub domains are not required to be registered with a domain name registrar. Evidently, the original domain name requires to be registered with a domain name registrar before the creation of a sub domain. You could request sub domains from your web hosting provider.

Some of the instances of sub domains that are in use on the internet are http://images.google.com and http://mail.yahoo.com.

What About Directory Listing Domains?

A few providers offer a name under their own name, like: www.ourcompany.com/yourcompany/

This is a directory and not a real domain name. Such things should be avoided. Directory domains are undesirable particularly for companies.

Normally, directory domains are mostly used for free web sites and personal web sites offered by an ISP. You might have seen sites with an address as www.ourcompany.com/username.

Domain name registration is witnessing high competition and this has led to a remarkable decline in pricing, as a result domain sharing is not common as there is a possibility of registering a domain name for merely $15 a year.

Regsitering Expired Domains

One of the other sources for domain registrations is expired domains.

As you register a domain name, consider it as a rental and supposing there is no trademark or legal issues with the specific domain name it is free to be used till you carry on to paying the yearly fee. It is now possible to register a domain name in advance of 10 years. A few people register domain names with the idea of speculation and hope to sell it some time later, though a few others might have planed to use the domain and but never found the time. As a result, the domain names previously registered become available for use again.

You can view and search for free the list of recently expired domains at various websites throuhout the web. In case you seek the registration of an expired domain, you are required to pay the same amount of fees as applicable for a new registration.

Using Your Domain Name

Once you have selected and registered your own domain name, ensure to make use of it on all your web pages as well as correspondences such as traditional mail and e-mail. It is essential that other people are aware of your domain name. Also inform your customers and partners of your web site.

Comments