Ever found yourself stuck when choosing the right domain name for your business? Perhaps you’re overwhelmed with the choice of new domain extensions out there? We break it down and start with the basics in this blog post.
A domain name is a user-friendly name for a website such as ebay.co.uk, amazon.com or microsoft.com. Domain names link (or resolve) to an IP (Internet Protocol) address which could be thought of as a digital postal address. An IP address looks like 214.213.87.564, which although is useful to a computer, is not all that useful or memorable to a human being. For this reason, Domain Names were introduced to make internet addressing much more usable for us human beings.
Firstly, ensure that the name you want to choose isn’t already copyrighted, trademarked or already in use! You could land yourself in a costly legal mess otherwise.
Other things to consider:
Your domain name will have a huge impact on how your website will rank within search engine results pages. For example, Google will work out what your website is all about so that it will get listed in relevant search results. A domain name is one of the first things that will be picked up for potential relevance.
Domain Names can be acquired from a Registrar. Most web design companies will offer this service for you, however, it’s simple to acquire a Domain Name yourself. Popular registrars include 123-Reg, Go Daddy, UK Reg and 123 Connect.
Domain extensions can give businesses the opportunity to have an edge over their competitors by choosing a domain extension that allows their website address to be more specific and unique.
With many standard domain extensions such as .com and .co.uk getting exhausted, choosing something different that is still relevant to your company could be something to consider. For example, .london is the recent domain name trend that is appealing for many city-based businesses. As it is a fairly new domain extension, it can also allow for more freedom when trying to pick a name that isn’t already in use!
Don’t forget, if you need any more advice or need help with any of the above call us on 01727 739812!
