Domain names are used to represent an IP address or a group of addresses. A domain, just like our home addresses, is given a name to identify a particular email account, website or group of websites on the world wide web.
Due to the necessity of its uniqueness, it’s very important to check whether a domain name is free or taken by some other user. Website domain names are made up of three parts:
- www – the general notation for the ‘world wide web’.
- The central part – this is the unique domain name that users select. Choose a domain name that suits your purpose correctly.
- The last part is generic (.com, .org, .net) or can be geographic (.in, .us, .ca)
Since not all domain names are available, you always need to check whether or not the one you want to use for your company is taken.
A domain name is the identity of your business and, therefore, you have to be very careful when choosing one. It should be meaningful and serve your purpose well. Of course, having a memorable domain name can be useful and having one that falls off the tongue is great for marketing purposes
For example, for a business website, a domain name which contains the company name is an ideal choice. It could also refer to the website’s content or at least allude to it. For more creative applications, you might consider a quirkier domain name that will intrigue potential visitors.
If you’ve ever dreamed of running your own website, then first let’s take a look at obtaining a free domain. In order to set up your first website, you will need the following:
- A computer
- An email address
- Some basic knowledge of websites
- Some basic coding experience
Step 1: Register a Domain
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For registering a domain, you need to have an email address which you can set up immediately with Google, Yahoo or whichever provider you desire.
- The next step is searching for the domain you require. To do this, simply open your browser and go to www.dot.tk which has a list of domain names that are free.
- For a top level domain you need to register on sites like 1&1, GoDaddy, Namecheap and so on. These commercial web-hosts will give you free names if you are hosting with them.
- For registering your domain name, first come up with a meaningful name and complete the registration process on www.dot.tk. If the domain name is not free, it will display a message like “domain name already taken” and you will need to select another.
- After signing up and registering a domain name, you have to login with one of your social accounts like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Alternatively, you can use an email address and password to complete the registration. This is the final step and after completing it your domain is registered. Your domain name should be available forty-eight hours after you successfully register it.
For registering a domain, you need to have an email address which you can set up immediately with Google, Yahoo or whichever provider you desire.
Step 2: Web Hosting
The next step is to host your website. Go to hourb.com where you will be asked to sign up and complete some details about the page you are creating. When you have completed this select the free hosting option. This will create your website.
At this time, the domain is not pointing to any host. You have to link the domain you created earlier to the hosting service you have chosen and by doing this you will be able to see your domain in search results.
Importance of domain names
There are some advantages to having a great domain name:
- When you change the web host, the domain name stays with you and, therefore, you never lose your clients and visitors because the URL of your website will not change.
- Domain names give credibility to your business or website and this helps to attract potential clients. It also helps in gaining respectability among sponsors.
- Make sure your domain name is a simple one that contains a description of services or the name of your company. The easier it is to memorize, the more likely people are to actually use your website. If you have a really catchy domain name, you don’t even need to be Google indexed that well. If the rest of your marketing is effective at getting your domain name out there. Visitors will simply remember the name and visit it without using a search engine to find their solution.
The above guide was designed to teach beginners about domain names and how to get them. Armed with the above information, you should be more than prepared to start-up your first webpage and I wish you all the luck with your venture.
References:
- http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/registerdomain.shtml
- https://www.1and1.com/free-domain-name
- http://www.wikihow.com/Register-a-Domain-Name
- http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/domain_name.html