A domain name is a unique name for a web site, like google.com and w3schools.com.
Domain names must be registered. When domain names are registered they are added to a large domain name register, and information about our site - including our internet IP address - is stored on a DNS server.
DNS stands for Domain Name System. A DNS server is responsible for informing all other computers on the Internet about our domain name and our site address.
Registering a Domain
Domains can be registered from domain name registration companies. These companies provide interfaces to search for available domain names and they offer a variety of domain name extensions that can be registered at the same time.
Domain Name Registration provides registration services for .com .net .org .biz .info .us .nu .ws .cc and .tv domains.
Newer domain extensions such as .biz .info and .us have more choices available as many of the popular domains have yet to be taken. While .com and .net domains are well established and recognized, most popular domains with these extensions are already registered.
Choosing Our Domain
Choosing a domain is a major step for any individual or organization.
While domains are being registered at a record, new domain extensions and creative thinking still offer thousands of excellent choices. When selecting a name it is important to consider the purpose of a domain name, which is to provide people an easy way to reach our web site. The best domains have the following characteristics:
Short - People don’t like to type! The shorter our domain, the easier it is to reach and the less are the chance the user will make a typographical error while typing it.
Meaningful - A short domain is nothing without meaning, 69j5mw72.com is only 8 characters long but would not be easy to enter or remember. Select a domain that relates to your site in a way that people will understand.
Clear - Clarity is important when selecting a domain name. We should avoid selecting a name that is difficult to spell or pronounce. Also, pay close attention to how our domain sounds and how effectively it can be communicated over the phone.
Exposure: Just like premium real-estate on the ground that gets the most exposure, names that are short and easy to remember are an asset. In addition to humans viewing our domain, we should consider search engines. Search engines index our site and rank it for relevance against terms people search for online. In order to maximize our sites exposure, consider including a relevant search term in our domain. Of course, this should only be considered if it still maintains a short, clear and meaningful domain.
Sub Domains
Most people are unaware but they already use sub domains on a daily basis. The famous “www” of the World Wide Web is the most common example of a sub domain. Sub domains can be created on a DNS server and they don’t need to be registered with a domain registrar, of course, the original domain would need to be registered before a sub domain could be created. Common examples of sub domains used on the internet are http://songs.galatta.com and http://support.microsoft.com.
Sub domains can be requested from your web hosting provider or created by our self if we manage our own DNS server.