What is a domain name?
The domain name is the name for your site and it is the Internet equivalent of a mail address. The domain name for this site is firstwebsitedesign.com You should try to establish your Web site domain name as soon as you have decided to embark on your Web site. Take great care with choosing the Domain Name. If you change it later, all the work with Search Engine Optimization will have to start afresh.
The extension of a domain name indicates the country of origin of the site or the nature of the site. Although .com suggests a commercial site it has become the most popular and generally first choice for many sites even if they are not commercial.
.com Commercial
.org non-commercial organisations
.edu Educational
.co.uk United Kingdom
.de Germany
.fr France
.jp Japan
Two Web sites cannot have identical domain names. They can have similar names but with different suffixes such as myWeb site.com and myWeb site.org
The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a page is the combination of the domain name and the page.
What is an index page?
Your index page is the top page of your site. It will have your domain name followed by ‘index’ – www.mydomainname.com/index.htm - this is the URL of the index page. When creating your home page it should be named “index”. The next page of the Web site could have a URL such as
www.mydomainname.com/page1.htm
In this example, "page1.htm is the filename for the page. It is recommended to place your main keyword for a web page to be in the filename.
If, for example, your page is about "blackcurrant tea", the filename might be "blackcurrant-tea.htm" - note that there should not be a space between words in a filename.
What is a Web address or Uniform Resource Locator (URL)?
The combination of ‘http://www.’ and your domain name from your Web address, which may also be called your URL - Uniform Resource Locator. Your Web address will uniquely identify your Web site from every other site in the world. A Web address that is memorable will be a distinct advantage. You should choose your Domain name very carefully.
Although your Internet Service Provider may offer you a free domain name, it is likely to be long and easily forgotten. A true domain name is preferable. Compare
www.2womenshealth.com
and
http://ourworld.myinterentserviceprovider.com/homepages/2womenshealth
Why do we need domain names?
In the early days of the Internet domain names were created to serve as useful mnemonic means of locating specific computers on the Internet. With the spread of the Internet, domain names have taken on a new significance as business identifiers. Domain names are now highly visible up on television, advertising boards, newspaper and magazines, and even on buses. Sometimes domain namesconflict with trademarks and other traditional business identifiers. Domain names are global and must be unique - a particular string of letters can link to only one site - while trademarks may overlap in different industries or different countries. Furthermore it is common practice for many Internet users to guess at domain names. Thus domain names based on intuition become valuable corporate assets.
The rapid growth of the Internet and the use of Web sites have resulted in disputes between companies asserting traditional trademark entitlements and the registrants of identical or confusingly similar domain names. Disputes of this sort have been progressing through the litigation system since 1994
.How should I choose my domain name?
You will want people to remember your domain name easily and so it should be descriptive and short. My first Web site is about women’s health. I spent a little time with search engines looking at the domain names of other sites with a similar theme and chose www.2womenshealth.com. You will then need to obtain your chosen Domain name assuming that it is available.
Try to include at least one of your main website keywords. This website is focused on website design - firstwebsitedesign.com
This
An advantage of starting the domain name with a number is that numbered sites may appear higher in an alpha-numeric listing of other Web sites. On the negative side, some search engines do not list sites with a domain name starting with a number. Some search engines may include the domain name of a site in their scoring system that determines your ranking. A Web site relating to health may have a higher ranking if ‘health’ is included in the domain name. Some domain name register Web sites, e.g. Register.com allow you to test the availability of domain names.
There are domain name tools programs that will help you to find a suitable domain name. Some provide free downloads that are adequate although the purchased version provide greater facilities. http://mozzle.com/ is one good example. If you want to look for the latest programs on a search engine try domain name tools or domain name analyzers as the key search phrase.
Choose the domain name of your site with care. It is tempting to use your name or company name but only your immediate associates such as your family, friends, colleagues and clients will remember this. Your location and profession would be a possibility:
Example: londonplumbers.com
A second popular choice is to utilise the function of your site:
Example: webpagedesign.com;
My third recommendation is that you explore the web with search engines for ideas from your ‘competitors’.
You will also need to decide on your domain name extension. These extensions may indicate the nature of your site or your country. In general .com is probably best as it is easier to remember.
I strongly recommend that you choose a domain name with your website theme keywords included. Keywords in the domain name boost the effective PageRank for all pages based on these keywords by one or two and this is of paramount importance for SEO.
When do I need to obtain my Domain Name and Web server?
You should give early priority to deciding on your domain name and web server. These are required to put your Web pages onto the Internet. You should explore all the possible domain name options over the course of the first two or three weeks in your adventure in Web site design.
What does it mean to "register" a domain name?
When you register a domain name, you are inserting an entry into a directory of all the domain names and their corresponding computers on the Internet. Just like a house address, every domain name can be used only once.
How do I register a domain name?
Domain names can be registered through many different companies (known as "registrars") that compete with one another. A listing of these companies appears on http://www.internic.net/regist.html.
The registrar you choose will ask you to provide various contact and technical information that makes up the registration. The registrar will then keep records of the contact information and submit the technical information to a central directory known as the "registry." This registry provides other computers on the Internet the information necessary to send you e-mail or to find your Web site. You will also be required to enter a registration contract with the registrar, which sets forth the terms under which your registration is accepted and will be maintained.
Although it may seem simple, the way in which you manage your domain name could mean the difference between your site being online or offline. As a result, it is important to pay close attention to detail when performing administrative tasks that pertain to your domain names, as one slight mistake can lead to a great deal of anguish.
The most common mistake domain owners make is entering incorrect contact information in their domain's WHOIS record, which essentially serves as a domain's record of ownership. There are several components to a WHOIS record, all or most of which you will be asked to complete when registering a domain name. Failing to complete any component of a WHOIS record fully and truthfully, or not keeping it completely updated, can lead to serious problems. An out of date email address, for example, may prevent you from receiving the information required to renew your domain when its expiry date approaches. Therefore, always make sure your information is up to date – otherwise, you could eventually lose control of your domain.
Are there any restrictions to the format of a domain name?
The allowable character set includes the letters 'a' to 'z', the numbers '0' to '9' and hyphen ('-').
No domain name may start with a hyphen ('-').
The minimum number of characters in a domain name is 2.
The maximum number of characters in a domain name is 63.
The entire .com, .net and .org name space is entirely public. This means that if the name space is available, you have the right to go ahead and register it. However .com is known for being the commercial name space, .net is known for the network name space and .org is known for the non-profit organisation name space.
How much does Domain Name registration cost?
It was originally free, but once they started charging in 1995, The cost of registering domains with InterNIC was originally $100 for the first two years and $50 a year afterward. When an "infrastructure fee" imposed by the U.S. government expired, it went down to $70 for the first two years and $35 a year afterward. Now, with competing registrars, it can be even cheaper, depending on which registrar you use and what special deals are in effect.
Each registrar sets the price it charges for registering domain names, and prices vary among different registrars. In addition, some registrars offer discounted or free registration services in connection with other offerings, such as web hosting. To see what offering best meets your needs explore several domain name registrars.
You may be able to have your chosen domain name registered by the company who will host your site or Web site designer if you chose that route. However, you can check on domain name availability on one of the suggested domain name companies as listed below. If your preference is not available several of the domain name companies will indicate if the domain name is available with a different extension or suggest a variation of your preferred domain name.
How Quickly can a Domain Name be registered?
Once you have instructed a registrar to register your chosen domain name you should be able to use it within four days.
Will my name and contact information be publicly available?
Information about who is responsible for domain names is publicly available to allow rapid resolution of technical problems and to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and other laws. Access information regarding registered domains may be obtainable on http://www.internic.net/whois.html. For some top-level domains, the results of a successful search will contain only technical information about the registered domain name and referral information for the registrar of the domain name. In the Shared Registration System model, registrars are responsible for maintaining Whois domain name contact information.
Another source for information on a domain name is Allwhois™, a free service provided by Alldomains.com, who claim to be the most complete whois service on the Internet. It automatically locates the appropriate "whois" database server for a particular domain name, queries that database for information about that domain name, and returns all available data.
How long does a domain name registration last?
Each registrar has the flexibility to offer initial and renewal of domain name registrations in one or two -year increments.
The following are a few Domain Name Companies selected for the facilities they offer:
http://www.networksolutions.com/
Provides your chosen domain name with available extensions and variations of your preferred domain names
Provides your chosen domain name with available extensions and variations of your preferred domain names. It will also advise you if your chosen domain name is available with a country’s extension such as co.uk, ca (Canada), de (Germany) or jp (Japan).
Individual countries may have their own organisation that provides a registry for their country’s domain name extensions. For example, Nominet UK is the registry for .uk Internet names. They are a not-for-profit company and have members instead of shareholders. Nominet is officially recognised as the .uk domain name registry by the Internet industry, users and the UK Government. While most countries have specific rules surrounding exactly who can register domains using their suffix and for what purpose, regulations in some countries are more stringent than others. While it is true that in certain cases, the registrant must be an individual/company located within the country of the country suffix they wish to register, there are no restrictions whatsoever in others.
Domain search allows you to search com/net/org and country domains all at once in real time!
The following table shows the more common two character international domain name code extensions:
Extension | Country |
ac |
United Kingdom academic Domain Name Extension |
au |
Australia Domain Name Extension |
be |
Belgium Domain Name Extension |
br |
Brazil Domain Name Extension |
ca |
Canada Domain Name Extension |
ch |
Switzerland Domain Name Extension |
cn |
China Domain Name Extension |
com |
US Commercial Domain Name Extension |
edu |
US Educational Domain Name Extension |
eg |
Egypt Domain Name Extension |
es |
Spain Domain Name Extension |
fr |
France Domain Name Extension |
gb |
Great Britain (UK) Domain Name Extension |
gov |
US Government Domain Name Extension |
ie |
Ireland Domain Name Extension |
il |
Israel Domain Name Extension |
in |
India Domain Name Extension |
jp |
Japan Domain Name Extension |
mx |
Mexico Domain Name Extension |
nl |
Netherlands Domain Name Extension |
ru |
Russian Federation Domain Name Extension |
se |
Sweden Domain Name Extension |
us |
United States Domain Name Extension |
va |
Vatican City State Domain Name Extension |
More comprehensive listings of domain name extensions can be found on http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/topleveldomains/countrycodeA-E.asp
© David A Viniker 2009
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
First Website Design .com aims to help you build an affordable high quality website that will receive large volumes of targeted traffic . It will provide you with advice on the best Internet marketing strategies that will assist you to sell products and ways to make money online.
For information on search engine optimisation, please visit our specialist site - Keyword SEO Pro .com
David Viniker MD, the author and webmaster of FirstWebsitedesign.com, believes that quality of content is a prerequisite to success. . He has research and teaching interests. His website www.2womenshealth.com receives 1.5 million visitors annually and is the most popular personal women's health website on the Internet. He has applied his clinical skills to researching SEO techniques.
We are based in Loughton, Essex and close to North and East London and Hertfordshire.