Getting started with Domain names
First things first...why do you need a Domain name? They're a human friendly version
of a website address. Without them, you would be stuck with a load of numbers. Not
great for marketing purposes!
So we use domains to identify sites.
When choosing a name you should select a term
people will use to search for your site. Most obviously, this could be your brand
or personal name. Think about how you search on Google yourself.
Now that you have decided on the perfect web address for your new site, we'll explain
how to register it.
How to register a domain name
This is the name for your website and it is what people will type in to get to your
site. It is important to choose a name that not only represents your company but
is also easy to remember. For example if your company was called "Bob's Estate Agents"
an ideal domain name would be bobsestateagents.co.uk. It is also possible to add hyphens to make it easier to read like bobs-estate-agents.co.uk but remember the
shorter the name the easier it is to remember.
There are so many different domain extensions such as .biz, .info, .net, .so, .sx
and .xxx. But which is best for you? That depends on what you are doing with your
website.
If you are selling products in the UK a .co.uk will be perfect as it is recognised
as the UK extension. If you are selling internationally a .com would be more suitable
as it is the internationally recognised domain for commerce. As a business, you
should also consider registering a .tel to help your customers find your business
on the web a lot easier.
Now, if you're looking to set up a personal site or a professional portfolio to
showcase your skills and experience, then extensions like .me, .pro, .pm or .pw
would work best.
There are many different extensions. Some are country specific, such as .co, .at,
.de, .in, .it or .mx, so you might need to satisfy certain conditions to register
them, for some like .eu you need to live in the European Union to be able to register
it. But generally it is down to your own taste and any domain will be suitable.
You now know the basics of domains and how to register one, so start now. Search
for your dream domain and grab it before anyone else!
