Creating a website involves technical terms like a domain name, web hosting, name servers, and so on. For a beginner, all these terms are pretty confusing. However, today we will help you out by reducing some of this confusion.
In our post below, we will help you understand what a domain name is and how domain names work.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is the address of your website. Your visitors need to type this into the browser address bar to visit your website.
Let’s say your website is your house. So, a domain name is the address of your house.
Another example, let’s say the name of your business is ABC renovations services. Your domain name can be something like ABC-renovations.com or ABCrenovations.com.
You must register this name, and only then can you create such a website. Whenever someone types this name in the address bar of the browser, they will be able to visit your website and see the information available.
What Does A Domain Name Looks Like?
The files of your website are stored on a web server recognized by an IP address. However, your visitors won’t remember something like 66.248.65.1. While it is easy to remember ABCrenovations.com. That is why you can register this domain name and point it to the IP where your website files are hosted. However, we will go into the details of pointing the domain to an IP in a separate article.
For now, you have to understand that the website names which you remember, like Google.com or Airbnb.com, are the domain names that those companies have registered.
Now that you know what a domain name is, we will help you understand how it works.
How do domains work?
You need to register a domain through a registrar. The registrar will let you know if the domain name you are seeking is available or not. Once the domain name is open, you can register it for a small annual fee. You can register it for a single year or multiple years.
After that, you have to point to the domain name’s name servers to your web hosting provider’s name servers. Once the pointing, that is, the propagation process, is complete, whenever someone visits your domain name, they will be able to view the website.
It is time to look at the different types of domain names.
Types of domain names
Domain names can be essentially divided into 3 types. These are:
1. TLDs:
TLDs stand for Top Level Domains. The domains are classified according to the extension of the domain. That is .com, .org, .net can be considered as top-
level domains.
Most of us are familiar only with top-level domains.
There are other generic TLDs, like .io, .club, .agency, and so on. To keep it simple, however, we will not go into the sub-types of TLDs.
2. ccTLDs:
ccTLDs refer to Country Code Top-level domains. These extensions are country-specific.
For example, the extension related to the United Kingdom is.UK and the extension associated with India is .in.
3. sTLD:
sTLD stands for Sponsored Top Level domains. These are usually not available for registration to the public. They are used by specific communities like militaries and governments of certain countries.
For example, the United States military can use the extension .mil, or educational institutes can use the extension.edu.
Primarily, these are the three types of domain names.
Does anyone regulate domain names?
Yes, there is an organization that regulates domain names. It goes by the name of Internet Corporation for assigned names and numbers. The abbreviation is ICANN.
ICANN allows domain registrars to sell domains. When buying a domain name, you are required pay a fee to this organization. It also manages the records, transfers, and renewals of the domain names.
For a beginner, it is also challenging to choose between so many different extensions and domain names. That is why we will help you out below by sharing a few tips on how you should choose a domain name.
How to choose a domain name?
There are quite a few ways to choose a domain name, some of them are all about relevancy to the website’s topics or even just using the owner’s name as a domain if you’re going for branding yourself, although there are a few more things to consider before choosing a domain name.
1. Try to go with popular TLDs:
TLDs are quite a few like .IO, .club, .com, .org, .net and so on. Arguably, the most popular one is .com. When registering a domain name, try and stick to .com. It will be easier for your visitors and prospective customers to remember your domain name in that case.
2. Make sure it’s easy to pronounce:
The domain name should be easy to pronounce. Only in that case will your visitors remember your domain name.
3. Avoid numbers and hyphens:
While it is possible to register domain names with hyphens and numbers but you should avoid doing so. These are extremely difficult to remember.
4. Make use of domain name idea generators:
We understand that it is difficult to select the domain name. That is why; it is a good idea to use domain name generators if you are at a loss for ideas. Some most popular domain name generators include:
· Squadhelp
· Nameboy
· Blogtyrant blog name generator
· Domain wheel
· Name Mesh
Each domain name idea generator can provide you with different name suggestions. Therefore, choosing one will be easy once you use these domain name idea generators.
In case of any confusion, merely use the four tips above, and you will be able to choose the domain name in no time.
Now that you have figured out how to choose the domain name, it is time to understand where you can register it.
Where can you buy a domain name from?
As highlighted above, you can register domain names from domain registrars. However, which one should you trust?
We will share with you the most popular domain registrars below so that it becomes easier to register the domain right away.
1. Namecheap
Namecheap has over 2 million customers and has registered 13 million domains to date. Also, it is famous because it does not try to upsell you other services. The transparent pricing, as well as the excellent track record of years, makes it stand out from others.
2. Godaddy:
Godaddy is an American registrar which caters to customers all over the world. With over 20 million customers, it is undoubtedly trustworthy. The domain registrar has been around since 1997, it is one of the oldest domain registrars you can go with. That certainly imparts it with credibility.
3. Squadhelp.com
Squadhelp is one of the world’s largest platforms for company naming and branding for more than 12 years, with a community of 70,000+ freelance naming experts Squadhelp got a well-respected reputation and experience.
Squadhelp offers high demand premium domains on the web. their collection is hand-curated by branding experts, even offering 3, 4, or 5 letter domains.
What is the cost of a domain name?
The cost of the domain name will be dependent on the extension. For example, .com usually costs around $11, and something like .org can cost you about $15. The prices vary from registrar to registrar. That is why you have to shortlist the registrar and check the price of the TLD you want on that registrar.
Now that you are aware of the basics of a domain name, we will answer some queries regarding the same.
FAQ:
What is the purpose of a domain name?
The purpose of a domain name is to make it easier for visitors to access your website. As explained above, it is difficult to remember the IP address of the servers on which your website is hosted. Comparatively, it is easier to remember the domain names. That is the primary purpose of a domain name. It is a uniform standard to access any website all over the world.
How many domains are there in entire world?
As of quarter 4 of 2021, over 341.7 million domains are registered. This number is expanding every year as more and more people come online.
Who owns a website domain?
The domain name is registered by the person who registers it fast. You cannot register a domain name registered by someone else. The person who pays for it first, owns it for that particular time.
Why do Domains cost money?
Domains cost you money because you are renting that name from an organization. You are renting it for the period you are paying for its so-called registration. Since you are renting it out, you have to pay some money for that much time.
Is GoDaddy free?
Godaddy offers a lot of services. If you’re enquiring about the domain name, the domain names by go daddy isn’t free. However, if you opt for go daddy hosting, especially the longer-term plans like three years or five years, you can get a free domain name along with your hosting plan. However, the hosting by go daddy isn’t free.
Is buying a domain worth it?
Yes, buying a domain name is certainly worth it since no one else will be able to register that if you have already registered it. After that you can create a website, and prospective customers can easily access the information about your business when they visit that website.
Conclusion:
We understand that domain names and various other technical terms associated with them can be confusing for a complete beginner. However, in case of any confusion, refer to our guide above. Once you do so, it is easy to understand what is a domain name, how to register it, and how to use it to create your website. Now is the time to register your first domain name to create a new website.