Domain Name Structure Explained
The structure of what we usually call a domain name is made of two parts: the actual name and the extension . Its important to understand this, in order to avoid registering the wrong one. Unlike the English language, domain names are read from right to left. This explains why the Top Level section is actually the last part to appear in your URL.
SLDs: The Second Level Domain is the actual name of your domain. In many ways, your SLD is the identity of your website and should therefore represent your services or products. For example, taking the domain wix.com, the SLD part would be wix.
TLDs: A top level domain refers to the last segment of a domain name, after the last dot in your URL. The most common TLDs that youve encountered when browsing the Web are .com, .net, .edu, and .org. Here are the main groups of TLDs that businesses and particulars can acquire:
Did you know? Youve probably heard about the word URL. This abbreviation actually describes what you see in your browser when youre reading a web page. Its made of the following elements, from left to right:
The transfer protocol + The machine name + The Second Level Domain Name + The Top Level Domain Name + The folders and directories
How To Register A Domain On Godaddycom
GoDaddy is also known as a web hosting provider, but you can also buy a domain name from them.
Step 1: Look up a new domain name first. If you havent come up with a good name yet or are assessing different options, GoDaddy has a nice set of extra features to help you out.
You can use the Bulk Domain search to check a bunch of domain ideas for eligibility in a click. Or you can play around with their free domain name generator to get some alternative suggestions if your primary choice is already taken:
Also, if you are feeling very determined to get your desired domain for branding purposes, GoDaddy can try to broker a deal for you with the owner. But remember, the original owner may name any price they deem appropriate so in that case, youll be paying:
- Domain purchase fee to the seller.
- GoDaddy Domain Brokerage commission.
- The regular yearly subscription price for the selected domain and add-ons.
If you are running a small business, going into a heated negotiation with some cyber squatters may not be the best investment of your time and budgets.
Wait out and see if the other person forgets to renew their domain or abandons it so that you could snatch it then. GoDaddy has a Domain Backordering service where you can reserve your place in line for a specific domain. If theres more than one buyer, the domain goes on auction. If its just you only, you get it immediately.
Again, youd be pitched several upsells in case you change your mind.
Is The Domain The Same As Hosting
New website owners often confuse domains with hosting. While they both play an important role in getting your site viewed by the masses, theyre two totally different things with their own separate costs. The domain is whats used to direct visitors to your site. Hosting is where your site is actually stored. Visitors access the hosting server, where all of your sites content and data is, through the domain.
Many web hosting providers offer registrar services as well, which is usually the source of confusion. However, you dont have to register your domain with your hosting provider. You can use multiple companies and services. Though, registering the domain with the hosting provider does offer some benefits. For one, youre only billed by one company. This can help you stay organized and make it easier to keep track of expenses. Secondly, many providers offer a free domain for your first year if youre a new member.
Read Also: How To Transfer Godaddy Domain To Shopify
Some Companies Offer Lifetime Domain Registration
We will discuss 2 registrars which offer this kind of service. The first one is Epik.com and they offer a service with the name Forever Registration. You can use that link if you are interested to use their service .
The process works like that: Epik renews the domain name for the maximum period and then at the end of the year they renew for an additional 1 year.
That way the domain name is always registered for the maximum years allowed. You pay the initial fee and then you dont need to bother for any future renewal. The advantage of this method is that you pay once and you dont need to worry if your card or PayPal has enough money at any future day for your renewal.
You can check a screenshot of the proof here:
There is also another service available on Epik where you pay $888 dollars and they call it resilient. This service helps you to build a more secure site by avoiding the usual methods that hackers use and of course, you get the domain forever registration too.
Here is what they offer exactly with resilient:
Content Delivery NetworkWebsite OptimizerUnlimited VPNs for users
These prices look expensive to the average user but it seems there is interest for them. I believe enterprise clients have funds to invest in these services so they dont bother with renewal and website security issues.
Another registrar that offers a domain name forever is Network Solutions. *Disclaimer there are many bad reviews for this company online
Why You Should Purchase A Domain Name From Wix
While you can purchase a domain name from a third party and then integrate it with your Wix website, doing everything in one place on Wix.com is just simpler.
Wix is a one-stop solution for website building, hosting, and domain name registration. For businesses and individuals who simply want to start as fast as possible, its a great option to begin their online adventure.
Wix also lets you integrate your domain name with some other web solutions. For instance, you can set up your domain with , which are top-of-the-line online collaboration and communication services.
Have any questions about Wix domain cost or how domains work with Wix in general? Let us know in the comments section below.
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What Is A Domain Name
Youve heard the term domain name before, but what does that really mean?
The simple answer is that a domain name is what you type into the address bar on an Internet browser to view a specific website. Think of a domain name as your virtual address on the internet it is how people find your website on the web. There are currently more than 333.8 million domain names registered, a number that increases daily.
As an example, when you type www.thisisarray.com into a web browser thisisarray.com is the domain name. The .com portion of the domain name is called a Top-Level Domain . Currently, there are more than 1,000 TLDs that are available on the Internet. Some are completely open to the public, and some are restricted to businesses and organizations that meet certain criteria . The most commonly known TLDs are:
- .com Commercial use
- .net Originally meant to be used for network sites
- .org Originally meant to be used by non-profit organizations
- .edu Colleges, universities, and higher education organizations
- .gov Government organizations, not available for private use
- .mil Military use only, not available for private use
How To Find Out Who Owns A Domain Name
When you register a domain name, the ICANN requires you to provide personal contact information that will be stored in the WHOIS database.
Basically, as soon as the domain name is in the database, the record is publicly available to anyone who uses the WHOIS search tool.
There are loads of WHOIS tools available on the Internet, but you can try out, for example, the ICANN Lookup tool.
Recommended Reading: How To Unlock Godaddy Domain For Wix
How To Register A Domain Name For Free
Youve heard the rumor about free domain names. Is it true?
Yes! There are actually ways to get a free domain name for your website.
First, you can get a free domain name for a web hosting provider such as Bluehost.
They offer every new user a 1-year free domain with any of their hosting plans. You can either register a brand new domain name with them or transfer a domain name, registered with another company.
Some other hosting providers who also have a 1-year free domain policy:
- HostGator
- Dreamhost
- InMotion Hosting
Note: The downside of getting a domain name from a hosting provider is more expensive renewals. After a free year, most hosting providers will charge a higher renewal fee, compared to domain registrars.
Cost Of An Expired Domain Name
Expired domain names are domains that were previously owned by someone but got expired because the registration was not renewed by the owner.
When a domain names registration expires, it goes back to the registry. But before a domain name expires, registrars used to sell the domain name through an auction, so interested buyers can bid for it and own it.
GoDaddy Auction is the best place to buy expired domain names.
The cost of an expired domain name will vary based on its bids.
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Proper Accreditation And A Solid Reputation
We mentioned earlier that registrars need to be accredited by ICANN. Its important to look for that accreditation. There are plenty of unscrupulous entities out there that are pretending to be reputable registrars in an attempt to take your money. To gain that seal of approval from ICANN, companies have to meet a number of requirements. This helps to keep the industry regulated and honest.
ICANN keeps a list of accredited registrars for convenience. It can be used to quickly identify which companies to work with. However, when it comes to reputation, youll need to do a bit more research on your own. Its a good idea to check with the Better Business Bureau and see how long the company has been in business. A good track record of service is always a good sign.
Important: Dont Forget To Renew Your Domain
Keep in mind that each domain has an expiration date.
You should keep track of your expiration date. If you miss the deadline, you risk losing your domain forever. It is not just a loss of the site name but also a loss of all your efforts to promote the site on the network.
You will lose all the money you invested in advertising, all the visitors, and all the traffic. It will be very unpleasant if, by some chance, you lose your results of work, and your domain will buy someone else.
So we recommend that you take the issue of domain expiration very seriously. Set a reminder or set the auto-renewal of the domain not to risk losing the results of your work.
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How Are Domain Names And Search Engine Optimization Related
Its important to start thinking of ways to make your site search engine-ready from the outset. Since keywords are used by search engines for ranking your content, you might want to consider including a relevant keyword in your domain name.
Keep in mind that Googles algorithm is resistant to keyword-stuffing: the practice of cramming your domain name with keywords so as to rank higher than other websites. So dont try to include multiple keywords in your domain as this can have a detrimental effect.
The good news is . The search engines algorithm treats new TLDs and legacy TLDs equally.
Related: The Top 11 SEO Best Practices for Domains
Can I Transfer My Domain Name
Yes, most domain registrars can also facilitate the process of transferring a domain name from one person to another . For example, if you want to buy a premium domain name from someone, a registrar can help process the deal securely.
Also, you can transfer your domain name between different registrars if you found a better deal, for example, or just need some extra features.
Below are linked help documents for doing that with each registrar:
Also Check: How To Find Out Who Owns Domains
The Costs Associated With A Domain Name
When creating a brand new website, there are several costs associated with the process, from hiring a web development company and purchasing a hosting plan to signing up for a continual support plan and registering a domain name. A good domain name is critical to any new website and will allow users to easily remember and find your website. When people can find your website quickly, it makes it easier for them to make a purchase and for you to increase your sales.
An important question that comes up frequently when a website is being developed is, How much does it cost to purchase a domain name? The short answer is anywhere between $10 and $30+ million. Unfortunately, there really isnt a specific answer, but here is some information that can help you understand the pricing differences you may encounter as you search for that perfect domain name.
Dont Forget The Extra Costs
Its easy to focus so much on purchasing a domain name that you forget about the additional costs associated with it.
Obviously, a domain name is not a one-off purchase, it needs to be renewed every year, which will generally cost you the same amount of money that you paid to get it .
However, then there are also various add-ons that you can buy, the most popular of which is privacy protection that ensures that your personal or business details dont come up when people look up your domain name.
Generally, these extra costs dont add up too much but its still something that you should keep in mind.
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What Does The Domain Price Include
The price that you pay for a domain should include all of the basic services that the registrar has to do. This includes registering your new domain and assigning it to the IP address. The registration and renewal price should also include the ICANN fee. ICANN charges a very small annual fee for every domain on the web. Its also charged for transfers. Currently, the ICANN fee is only $0.18.
Some registrars also offer additional services. The most popular is domain privacy, which helps to keep some of your personal information on the WHOIS database private. This comes with an additional cost. You may also encounter hidden fees. Make sure that you read the fine print to ensure that the registrar you choose doesnt have unnecessary fees tacked on.