What is a Domain Name?
A domain name can be thought of as the address of a web site. Every computer that is connected to the Internet is identified by its own unique string of twelve numbers, for example 216.109.112.135. However names are easier for people to remember than a random string of numbers, and so the domain name system was invented. A domain name is made up of words and/or numbers plus a TLD (top level domain). The TLD for most businesses is ".com", such as www.hostsearch.com; non-profit organizations use ".org"; universities and educational sites use.
There are also country-specific TLDs. This meant that a company operating in the United Kingdom would be able to use .co.uk, indicating that the company operates mainly in that country. This also meant that companies operating in many countries would be able to have country-specific sites, so for instance we can visit amazon.com in the United States, amazon.co.uk in Great Britain, amazon.de in Germany and amazon.co.jp in Japan.
The .com TLD is still the most desired by companies, and .biz seen as somehow less professional. However, finding a .com name that is short, easy to remember and unique is all but impossible.
How Do I Choose a Domain Name?
You have decided that you need to establish a web site. The first thing to do is choose a domain name – your own address on the World Wide Web.
A domain name consists of two parts, the name itself, and then the Top Level Domain, or TLD. This is the part that follows the period, or dot. For example, mycompany.com or mycompany.net.
The first choice for most companies choosing a domain name will be the company name itself, like: mycompany.com. If you are lucky, you will find the domain name is unregistered. If the .com version of your company name is not unregistered, you can try mycompany.biz or mycompany.net. Or if you are not based in the United States, use one of the country-specific TLDs.
As a general rule, a shorter name is better than a longer one, as it is easier to memorize. Most people would not want to have to type a long name into their browser. Remember when choosing a domain name that letters, numbers and dashes are the only symbols that can be used, and that MyCompany is the same as mycompany – the Internet is not case-dependant.
Word of warning – stay away from well-known trade names or business names. Most big companies do not like to see one of their trade names being used as a domain name. Expect to receive a stiff letter from a law firm telling you to “cease and desist”.
How Can I Know if a Domain Name is Available?
To see if a domain name is available, you can go to the webpage of any accredited registrar, and type the name you want in the search box. The program will immediately tell you if the domain name you want is available. If the domain extension that you would like is not available (the .com's are almost always taken) you can try others, and chances are that your domain selection will be available (for example, when we chose our domain name, theinternetdigest.com was taken but theinternetdigest.net was available). Another trick is to add dashes to separate the words (for example: the-internet-digest.com).
How Do I Register a Domain Name?
Domain names are registered on-line through accredited domain registrars. There are thousands of companies that offer domain registration services. However, some of them are more reputable than others, offer good customer service and provide you with a user-friendly interface. As a rule of thumb, follow these simple rules:
1) Avoid registrars that charge too much (anything above $30/year is too high).
2) Look for registrars that offer you a comprehensive and easy to use user interface. Also, since you will most likely have a question or two to ask, look for those who have an extensive FAQ section and a responsive customer service team.
3) Find a registrar that offer Free Domain Forwarding services (this acts as an insurance policy if your hosting service is down. You can always host a duplicate version of your website somewhere else and forward your domain traffic to that location).
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