What are domain names and how much do they cost ?
The URL which makes up a web address is split into 3 sections, each
separated by a dot. All begin with
www (World Wide Web),
followed by the
name of the registered domain, and end with an
extension or
TLD (Top Level Domain)
for example:
www.yourname.com
or for a country specific domain extension
www.yourname.co.uk
Extensions or TLDs for domain names include the following:
|
.com |
commercial
business domain |
.edu |
educational
institution |
|
.co.uk |
country
specific domain extension |
.org |
organization |
|
.net |
commercial
network |
.gov |
government
agency |
|
.org |
non-profit
organizations |
.mil |
military |
Additional domain name
extensions include : biz, bz, info, tv, name, etc. A domain
registrar will offer cheap domain registration of .biz and .info domains for
websites.
Registration of a
dot com domain extension is in the region of USD $9 (approx £6) per
year upwards and can be renewed annually.
You
must register a country-specific domain extension
like .co.uk for a minimum of 2 years. Registering charges for these
domains are from around £6 (£3 per year) including VAT.
Registration prices for domains vary
considerably! At Web World Designs we have our finger on the pulse
of reputable domain registrars and will be happy to guide you in the right direction.
When
a dot com, dot co, dot biz, dot net, dot info, dot mobi or dot me extension is required, be sure
to try NameSilo. NameSilo is one of the cheapest registrars on the net
offering the cheapest domain packages.
NameSilo includes many free
extras which other registrars charge for, making NameSilo one of the most economical.
NameSilo offers free whois privacy, free domain parking, free DNS and free API.
Always shop around, of course, but be sure to compare what registrars
have to offer and check them against NameSilo. Clicking the
NameSilo banner to the left will open the site in a new window. Please
note that NameSilo does not support country specific domain extensions.
It
should be noted that the 'registrar' and the 'registry' are not the same
thing. Registrars usually handle many different extensions and serve as middlemen between
you and the registries.
The registry is the body
having the contract to handle an entire extension (s). Verisign, for
example, is the registry for all of the .com and .net domains. Verisign
does not allow direct domain registration. Registries like Verisign make their unregistered domains
inventory available to hundreds of public registrars and these are the companies
you must use to register your domains.
How to choose a domain name
/ web address URL for your website
Choosing the right domain
name (also known as your web address or URL) for your web site is very
important ... it will pay to spend a little time thinking about
your options. If possible, register your domain name before you start your
business website!
With tens of millions of domain names already registered, and thousands more
being registered every week, it is becoming more and more challenging to
find a suitable domain which will reflect your company.
When
your business caters to the local or national community, such as a taxi
firm or double glazing company for example, it makes sense to register a
country-specific domain extension. Your web site will benefit from the use of a local TLD
(Top Level Domain) because people will know they are dealing with a local
company the moment they see your web address.
Someone in the UK, for example, is not likely to order double glazing
from windows.com because it suggests a US or an international site.
Better to register a UK domain like windows.co.uk instead. The
Swiss like to see .ch at the end of their websites, the Belgians .be and so on. For
an international business or a company based in the USA, aim to register a
dot com rather than a .biz or .info extension.
Your
domain name can be from a minimum of 3 up to a maximum of 67 characters
and include lower case letters of the English alphabet, numbers from 0
to 9 and hyphens (-). However, it may not begin nor end with
a hyphen and other symbols, including the ampersand '&' and apostrophes,
are not allowed.
Web
World Designs hints on what to name your domain and website
Try
to register a domain name containing a popular keyword which is
applicable for your industry, it will help customers remember your web
address.
Hyphens have advantages and disadvantages, depending on your needs.
People can forget they are there, and may end up at your competitor's
website. If you decide on hyphens, register the non-hyphenated URL as well, then
you can simply re-direct visitors to your other domain.
Be
wary of using the zero in domains unless it is obvious that it is a number and not
the letter. 0 and O are easily confused.
Avoid registration of domains that contain '2' for "to", '4' for "for" and 'u' for
"you". Customers will get confused. If you must register such a domain,
register the expanded form of the domain as well, and use it to redirect
your visitors to your other website.
Ask
family and friends for their opinion of your choice of website URL. What seems
good to you may not appeal to others.
Never use a well-known company, product, trade mark, or any variation of
this in your domain name registration in the hope of attracting more customers to
your web site. Not only is this unethical, it can also land you in court!
Register your web address in your own name. Sometimes your host may offer
registration for you, but this could cause you problems in the future, should
you decide to transfer your web site domain to another hosting company.
When
you register your new domain name, make sure your domain registrar will
send you a reminder when your domain name is about to expire.
Most
dot com domain names are registered for a minimum of 1 year. Local URL extensions,
like .co.uk, .ch, .be, .ca and so on, are usually registered for a
minimum of 2 years. You may register for several years in advance
if you wish, or renew annually.
Web World Designs will be happy to carry
out a domain search for you completely free of charge and offer advice on choosing your website URL.
Registration of domain names is fast and simple. You need no technical
know-how or expertise. We will explain how, and direct you to reliable domain registrars.
