“Choosing a domain name is important in establishing a business’s online presence, and making the right choice is not entirely obvious. Caution is advised. As in real estate, location matters, and it’s essential to check out the neighborhood before buying in.”
As Webopedia defines them, domain names are used to identify particular webpages. For example, in the URL http://www.pcwebopedia.com/index.html, the domain name is pcwebopedia.com. Every domain name has a suffix that indicates which Top Level Domain (TLD) it belongs to:
- com – Commercial business
- gov – Government agencies
- Edu – Educational institutions
- net – Network organizations
- org – Organizations (nonprofit)
Hosting Facts found out that there are currently 123.78 million registered .com domain names, making the .com TLD the top domain name extension. Also, the average sales price of domain names transacted through Escrow has appreciated 7.3% per year since 2001 to 2016.
Whenever you visit a website, the domain name appears in the address bar of the web browser. Some domain names end with a country code, such as .bs (Bahamas) or .co (Colombia). Domain names are relatively cheap to register, though they must be renewed every year or every few years. The good news is that anyone can register a domain name, so you can purchase a unique domain name for your blog or website. The bad news is that nearly all domain names with common words have already been registered. Therefore, if you want to register a custom domain name, you may need to think of a creative variation. Once you decide on a domain name and register it, the name is yours until you stop renewing it. When the renewal period expires, the domain name becomes available for others to purchase.
The Domain Name System (DNS) completes the task of matching domain names to IP (Internet Protocol) addresses. Domain names, and their corresponding IP addresses, must be unique. If more than one organization on the Internet had the same domain name, confusion would occur when the network tried to identify and communicate with the computers within those organizations. For example, consider two distinct universities: one in South Dakota (University of South Dakota) and another in California (University of San Diego). Both cannot utilize the domain name “usd.edu,” as the Domain Name System would be unable to determine which university’s IP address is linked to this domain name.
There are five clear benefits to you if you choose the correct domain name and help your visitors determine whether they’re on the right website:
- More traffic
- More subscribers
- More backlinks and shares on social media
- Clear brand messaging
- More successful blog
So, all of this sounds great, but you are probably now sitting there wondering how you choose the correct domain name. Well, it is easier than you think because all you need to focus on is making sure that your domain name is extremely clear and easy to understand. Having a domain name is not compulsory, but without it, you will probably be the only person visiting your site by its IP address. If you are looking to make your business appear prestigious, .com is the best route to take. .com domains give the impression that your business has been around for a long time and is reputable in its nature as it appeals to a global audience. .net and .org are also top choices for internet domains.
Most companies selling domain names provide a free check for domain availability. Simply enter the name you’re interested in into the search box, verify its availability, and then proceed to register it. A good domain name should be relevant to your business’s subject matter, possess catchiness, brevity, and easy scalability. Envision your main webpage akin to your home address – the longer it becomes, the likelier losing one’s way turns out. Contemplating the establishment of a virtual business? Purchasing multiple domain names that correlate with your business could prove beneficial, as they would all direct to the same webpage. Picture having one street address (your main webpage) and multiple routes leading to that address (distinct domain names, all indicating the same page). The toughest aspect lies in selecting the domain name; the subsequent steps are generally managed by the company responsible for registering your domain.
MI Group has an offer regarding the registration of your own domain name. You can check it out by clicking here. Contact us today! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter @MIGroupJamaica @MIGroupUSA @MIGroupBahamas @MyDealsToday