How To Pick A Good Domain Name
This is a hard one and needs you to get extremely creative. Its difficult to find a good domain name that hasnt already been registered. Given the sheer number of websites on the internet, most of the names you come up with are likely already taken, especially in the .com space.
Nevertheless, its crucial to come up with a name thats unique and matches your brand. Importantly, it should be easy-to-remember. You can go with your own name for a personal blog or service. For other cases, a name that indicates your websites purpose would be best. For more help, you can refer to this post.
Before you search for a domain name, zero in on a keyword thats appropriate for a website. Its great if you can find a domain name that includes this keyword. You can also check out many online tools or blog name generators to come up with a domain name.
We recommend you to check our Blog Name Generator Tool.
Once you decide to register a domain name, you may think about registering it across multiple TLDs, to avoid messy copyright issues in the future.
Additional resources:
Is Your Domain Available
Before you start to communicate your perfect domain name, check if the domain is available. Our supporters speak to people about domains daily. And sometimes they hear stories of people putting up posters or printing business cards showing their domain, only to then find out that this domain name is already being used by someone else.
This situation is easy to avoid: check if your domain is available, register the domain, connect it to your website. Then start distributing it through all your marketing channels.
Domain Names Are Designed For People
Everything could theoretically be handled using just IP addresses when you want to bring up a web page in your browser. In fact, adding a domain name adds an extra step in that there needs to be a way to convert from a domain name to an IP address .
So, why do we use domain names at all?
Imagine that, instead of remembering everyone’s name, you had to remember their phone number or social security number whenever you wanted to talk about them. Or imagine going into an electronics store and finding there are no more brands, device names, or model names. Everything just has a serial number that you have to remember if you want to buy it.
We, humans, are much better at remembering names than we are at remembering strings of digits. That’s why we talk about catchy brand and model names, and that’s why we use domain names instead of IP addresses.
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What Is The Website Domain
Once in the browser, users can open web pages by entering a uniform resource locator in the address bar, like so:
When users dont know the URL of a website, they can use a search engine, like Google, to find it. Computers communicate using unique number strings called IP addresses, which look like this: 172.17.234.8.
If you type in an IP associated with your website, youll end up seeing your website in the web browser. Now, imagine that you would have to memorize countless IP addresses to access websites daily. Its highly unlikely that users will memorize all of this information. So, this is where domains come in place.
A website domain is a user-friendly version of your IP address. Its an easy-to-remember way for users to access your website. Google.com, Amazon.com, and Youtube.com are some of the most popular domains on the web.
Oftentimes, users confuse domains and URLs. So, lets make it clear. A URL is a complete web address used for locating files on the web.
Whereas, a domain name is a form of web address located in a URL. For example, Colibris URL looks like this: https://colibriwp.com/
A domain name inside this URL looks like this: colibriwp.com
Register Domain Name Variations
Even if your domain name is catchy and easy to remember, typos happen. The last thing you want is for a hiring manager or potential client to get an error message because they missed a letter when typing in your web address.
That’s why you should consider registering domain name variations that redirect people to your website, even if they’ve mistyped something. For example, a lot of people misread or mishear Codecademy as “Code Academy.” But, when they type in CodeAcademy.com, they’re automatically redirected to the correct domain, Codecademy.com.
Similarly, say your domain ends in “.org,” “.edu,” or “.net.” You might want to consider registering the “.com” variant as well to prevent competitors from doing the same.
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Getting A Domain Name The Steps
The process of getting a domain name is not a difficult one. Domain names are available on the internet, and you can purchase them at any time. However, because you want to ensure that no one else can use your domain name before you do, its best to purchase it as soon as possible.
To secure your domain name, you will need to take the following steps
Difference Between Website Vs Domain Name Vs Website Hosting
Youll hear people talk about websites, domains and hosting. Those terms are all different, but very closely connected. Lets unpack this, shall we?
A website is a set of content, published on the internet. It is the collection of texts, images, designs etc. that you use to promote your business online.
All that information is stored on a server. This storing is also called website hosting. So thats where website hosting comes in. If you build a Jimdo website, it is stored on servers run by Jimdo.
If you register a domain name at a company, that company is called a domain host. So thats where the terms often flow together: the word host can mean different things in the context of websites.
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Domain Name Registrars And Registries
Weve gone over what domain names are, how they work, and why you should have one, but how do you actually get your own domain name? If you think of a catchy name for your personal site or business, how do you get it recorded in the DNS so that people can start using your domain name to access your website?
The truth is that having your own domain name is easier than ever before. Registration fees are only $10â$15 a year, and the registration process is quick and simple. And once you have your own domain name, you have immediate access to all the advantages that come with it.
To understand that better, lets first go over domain name registrars and registries.
How Much Does A Domain Name Cost
When you purchase domain names from a provider, you register them for one year. You can renew it for several years when the registration period expires or when alerted by the providers.
Depending on the promotions you need, you can register domain names for as low as $8.99. Some domain registration may cost more if you need a Secure Sockets Layer certificate to provide your website with an extra layer of protection and encryption.
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How To Register A Domain Name For Your Website
If you want to build a website, you need to buy a domain name. Registering one can be a daunting task for newcomers, but our helpful guide walks you through the process.
Since 2004, I’ve penned gadget- and video game-related nerd-copy for a variety of publications, including the late, great 1UP Laptop Parenting Sync Wise Bread and WWE. I now apply that knowledge and skillset as the Managing Editor of PCMag‘s Apps & Gaming team.
My career has taken me through an eclectic assortment of fields, and connected me with people from all walks of life. This experience includes construction, professional cooking, podcasting, and, of course, writing. Ive been typing up geeky takes since 2009, ultimately landing a freelancing position at PCMag. This blossomed into a full-time tech analyst position in 2021, where I lend my personal insight on the matters of web hosting, streaming music, mobile apps, and video games.
What Is An Extension
An extension is the last part or ending of a domain name. They are often referred to as TLDs , the domain root or suffix. Some popular TLDs include .com, .co.uk, .net, .org. There are many categories of extensions such as ccTLDs and new gTLDs..
ccTLDs are country code specific so they represent a particular country e.g. .co.uk for UK and .ie for Ireland. New gTLDs are often more practical and easy to remember e.g. .photography, .guru, .ninja, .london, .legal, .sucks etc. Some businesses and brands register their domain name in a number of extensions to ensure they are fully protected.
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Find A Custom Domain For Your Site
Whether youre working on a blog, an online portfolio, or an online shop, Mailchimp offers custom domains that can make all the difference to your online presence. And theres no reason to stop there. Use Mailchimp to build your website and connect it to our all-in-one marketing platform to really make your offerings stand out from the rest.
Learn more about how to get a free domain name from Mailchimp and how our offer compares to the competition.
How To Use Domains With Jimdo
A domain is included in every Jimdo premium plan. So after your upgrade, you can register your domain name straight away.
Register your domain first: This is an important first step! Sometimes, people make the mistake of printing business cards with a domain name they havent registered yet. And then they find out the domain is not available Thats an unfortunate situation you can easily avoid, by claiming your domain as soon as you can.
This is how you register a domain name at Jimdo:
- upgrade your website to a premium plan
- go to the dashboard of your website and open the domains section
- click Add your included domain and follow the steps
Do you have your own domain name already? No worries, you can transfer your existing domain to Jimdo.
Alternatively you can adjust your DNS settings at your domain hoster, to connect your domain to your Jimdo website. Thats called a redirect. There are several kinds of redirects and this article will show you exactly how to choose and set up the fitting redirect for your situation.
Redirects sound very technical , but to your domain hoster this is everyday work. So, no need to worry: they can help you set it up.
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How Does A Domain Name Work
When you clicked a link to this article, your browser looked the domain name up in the Domain Name System to see where the content for this article is stored. The DNS provided the IP address that is connected to the domain name jimdo.com. Your browser then loaded the content from the server at that IP address. And thats why you are able to read this right now.
Tech talk: Every website is stored on a server. On that server, the website has its own unique IP address: a series of numbers. Those numbers are hard to remember for humans, so the Domain Name System was introduced. Instead of the IP address, the website can now be reached by typing the domain name in a browser.
What Comes After Picking The Right Domain Name
Understanding domain names and the ancillary components are important steps when deciding on the perfect domain name.
Its not enough to know what a domain name is you need to understand why the domain name can help you grow your business and how to register that domain name.
The detailed guide above should provide the clarity you need to differentiate between the domain name and your website or URL.
In addition, you should now know the unique levels of a domain name and the meaning of various domain extensions.
Finally, you should have a better understanding of the domain name system , the differences between the registry, registrar and registrant, as well as the legal components associated with domains and websites, and the importance of domain names for businesses.
If youre ready to take the next steps with choosing and registering your domain name, see below:
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Limitations Of Using Wix And Other Website Builders
While Wix makes launching a new site relatively easy, the platform does have some limitations when it comes to customization.
- Cant Add Forms to Blog Posts: Wix currently doesnt have the option for forms on blog posts an inconvenience if youre looking to gather visitor information or get signups. Instead, they offer a workaround where you can create a new page, create a form on that, and then link to it from your blog post. Having to navigate to another page just to fill out a form creates unnecessary friction for users, making it a less effective way to gather information.
- Cant switch templates once site is live: Choose your Wix template wisely as you wont be able to change it once your site is live.
- You can only use Wixs tools: Since Wix is a closed platform, youre stuck with using their proprietary tools, which can be limiting if your site outgrows their selection of offered features.
- You cant access or change theHTMLof your site: Currently Wix users cannot access the HTML code on their site. However, using Velo by Wix, you can add a few more features like database collection to the Wix editor if you choose.
For users who dont have the time to use or manage a robust number of out-of-the-box features, add-ons, and custom code, Wix is ideal for creating a basic site with lots of visual content.
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Country Code Top Level Domains Or Cctlds
These domain extensions are connected to a country. The requirements to register one of these are set by that country. If you plan to make a local version of your website, its good to use the local domain extension.
If your business is active internationally, you can welcome customers for each country by adding their local ccTLD. You could have poodleclub.com for English-speaking visitors and poodleclub.fr for French visitors.
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What Is The Url
A Uniform Resource Locator is a string of characters in a web browser that tells the server to display a specific resource to an end user. While a URL and domain name have similarities, the URL is much more descriptive. In fact, a URL actually encompasses the domain name.
For example, https://www.godaddy.com/help/what-is-a-url-8809.html is a URL that includes the domain name GoDaddy.com within it. In fact, lets look at the other elements of that URL. It also includes several other components which well dive into below.
The protocol
URLs include schemes or protocols that communicate how to access that specific resource. In the example above, https:// is the protocol. Most web addresses will use either HTTP or HTTPS .
The difference between HTTP and HTTPS is the S which refers to security. HTTPS websites have SSL security which is an encryption that protects the sensitive data of its users. If your site doesnt have an SSL certificate, you should strongly consider adding it because visitors are hyper-aware of their personal data online, and 85 percent of online shoppers will actively avoid an unsecure website.
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The subdomain
A subdomain is an optional part of a URL that creates a completely separate section of your website. If a URL has a subdomain, it will precede the domain name with a period.
For example, Tumblr uses subdomains for each of its users.
- Example.tumblr.com
- Example2.tumblr.com
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The domain name
The path
The Dns: Phonebook Of The Internet
Now that you understand why we use domain names and the anatomy of a domain name, you might be wondering how to convert a domain name to an IP address. That’s where the Domain Name System comes in.
The DNS is a global database of all the registered domain names on the internet. A DNS record will typically include the domain name and an associated IP address. Through the DNS, your browser can translate a domain name in the address bar into an IP address that it can then use to send requests to the web server and receive webpage content.
What’s important to remember is that there’s no single DNS server or even a single physical location for DNS servers. Instead, the DNS comprises a group of different servers located all around the world.
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Recursive Resolvers: The Dns Librarian
Let’s go back to the day when you visited Codecademy.com for the very first time. When you typed the domain name into your address bar, your browser had no idea where to go to access our homepage, let alone the webpage of this article. To fix this, the first step is to communicate with a recursive resolver.
Think of a recursive resolver as a librarian whose job is to communicate directly with the other DNS servers and come back to you with the query results. Recursive resolver servers communicate with three other types of DNS servers: root nameservers, TLD nameservers, and authoritative nameservers.
The Importance Of Domain Names For Businesses
Digital marketing is no longer an option its a necessity for any business to survive in 2021 and beyond. Unfortunately, research suggests that roughly 46 percent of small businesses still do not have their own website.
The rapid adoption of mobile technology and social media has increased the need for businesses not just to have a website, but to have a mobile-friendly website and engaged online presence.
Consumers are turning to the internet before purchasing anything from what to eat for lunch to which dress to wear for their wedding. If you operate a business, you need a website.
Well, as weve discussed already, you cannot have a website without a domain name.
Your domain name is more than just a random web address people can use to access your website its a powerful opportunity for businesses to build a brand identity and improve the consumer experience.
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