What is a Domain Name?

If you have been thinking about moving your business online or starting a journal or perhaps making a community website, the first thing you need is a domain name.

Now, if technical terms like these confuse you, this blog is for you, because you will also need an SSL certificate, a hosting provider, and possibly a CMS platform to bring your site to life.

In this post we explain what are domain names, what are the different types of domains, and how to pick one. So, let’s get started.

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is the name of your website, such as, www.google.com. Users will have to either type the domain name or copy/paste or select the web address from their browser’s URL bar to reach your website. Think of a domain name as your online address.

Domain names are governed by the rules of the Domain Name System (DNS). Any time you register a new domain name, it goes into the DNS system and is assigned to an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Every computer system, website, and server has an IP address. It’s a numerical string needed to identify and connect to your device, email, or in this instance, website.

Domain names are organized by levels - a root domain which is nameless and is mentioned as {somehost.example.com}, followed by Top Level Domains (TLDs) such as .com, .info, .net, and .org, followed by second and third level domain names such blog.google.com. You can also get country specific domain names by opting for Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs), e.g., www.google.co.in.

Domain Name Authority

Top Level Domains that end with .com, .org, .net, and .io are considered to have a very high authority. These are also more difficult to get because of the possibility that someone might have already registered the name you want. Similarly, .gov and .edu domains which are associated with government and academic websites also command a higher authority than generic domain names like .biz or .club.

Now, if all that is becoming too technical for you, simply know that you need to buy a domain name to start your website.

Picking a Domain Name for your site

Domains with .com extension are the best ones to get, followed by .net or .org. You can also go with .io, but the extension is costlier to maintain and renew in comparison to other domain extensions.

If your chosen domain name is already taken, you can try using creative wordplay to get unique sounding domain names. However, there are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to choosing a domain name as well.

• Try and pick a shorter and easily memorable domain name. For example, our company is called Digital Obsession Communication Private Limited, but our domain name shortens it to www.docommunication.io. Neat, isn’t it?
• Try to include a primary keyword in your domain name. You can also use services like Lean Domain Search and Namechk to find an available domain name for your chosen keywords.
• Use a primary domain prefix like {www.} instead of using something like {blog.} or {shop.} for your main website.
• Do not use hyphens or numerals in domain names.
• Avoid domain extensions associated with spam websites, such as .men, .gq, .reise, .racing, .cf, .click, .date, .work, .tk, .xyz etc.
• Do not try to mimic popular domain or company names.
• Do not buy all domain extensions because it’s not necessary and you can save a ton of money by not doing it.

Where to buy a Domain Name?

Domain names are sold and managed by Domain Name Registrars. These are companies or individuals who are accredited by a TLD registry to manage and sell domains. GoDaddy is by far the largest registrar for getting a domain name. Other popular services include Webcentral, Tucows, and NameCheap. Until recently, Google too had a domain registrar service, which it discontinued and sold to SquareSpace.

Make sure that you are buying from a domain registrar that offers WHOIS-privacy protection and maybe also includes a free SSL certificate. We prefer services like NameCheap and Cloudflare, as they tend to offer better pricing and their renewal costs are also low.

Wondering what we mean by renewal? Domain Names that you purchase are provided on a subscription basis. The standard duration is 1-year but you can add more years to the cart when checking out. If it’s your first website or you are just experimenting, stick to a one year subscription to save cost. You can always renew later if the business or blog flourishes as planned.

Domain names are also sold by Domain Hosting and CMS companies like WordPress and Wix. Which brings us to our next point of discussion.

How to set up a website after buying a Domain Name?

Once you have the domain name, you will need a hosting service to host your website and a Content Management System (CMS) for creating the website. Let’s take these up one at a time.

What is Domain Hosting?

Just like the data that lives on your computer’s hard drive and the processing components you need to view and manage that data, a website also needs a storage location and processing power.

Web Hosting Service Providers offer the facilities required to maintain a website that is connected to the internet. Typically, domain registrars also offer web hosting services and some even offer basic or advanced website creation tools.

What is a Website CMS?

A CMS allows you to create, edit, or update the front-end of your website. Front-end means the web interface that is visible to your users, such as text, images, videos, and clickable elements. CMS software can be on-premises or cloud-based.

On-premise CMS software is installed on your own computer or server. Notable CMS systems include WordPress.org, Drupal, and Joomla. Whereas, cloud-based  CMS systems like SquareSpace, WordPress, and Wix are hosted in a vendor environment.

Setting up your website

Once you have the hosting and CMS finalized and paid for, it’s time to start creating website content. You can either use pre-made templates for a quick setup or go the customization route to personalize various aspects of your website.

• Start by creating a sitemap, i.e., the number of pages you want to have and how they will be structured.
• Create your homepage and link sub-pages like services, about, blog, and contact.
• Create unique content and use custom images and videos to make the website experience engaging for the users.
• Implement Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to rank your website on search engines.
• Connect your website to Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to get visitor insights.

Need help?

Now that you understand what domain names are and how they matter in setting up your website, you can go about following the process and bring your business and ideas online.

But if you are a bit confused by the technicality of it all, we are always happy to help.

AT DO COMMUNICATION, we partner with businesses to help them move online with ease. We are working with international brands like Apollo Tyres, Vredestein, Mankind, and are also helping numerous small-businesses grow their online presence.

If you are facing trouble while setting up your first website, write to us at info@digitalobsession.io.