A domain name (also known as a website address or URL) is what someone types into a search engine to find a website. Every website has a unique domain name which enables the creation of an online presence and enables other internet users to find and contact the website owner.
History
Once upon a time when the internet was only just beginning, visiting a website required users to type in an Internet Protocol (IP address), a string of numbers that identifies a specific website.
Later a new system known as the Domain Name System (DNS) was introduced. This allowed IP addresses to be identified by a name, creating a more memorable and user friendly way of enabling someone to find a website, so now instead of having to remember a long sequence of numbers such as 67.181.153.61, internet users only have to remember a website name, for example humblebeeva.
Domain extensions (the letters which appear after a brand name in a website address) were originally extremely limited but in 1984, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) established the first six domain extensions
— .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .org and .net. Shortly after two character country code domain extensions, .uk and .us were established and in 1988 .int was introduced.
Today the IANA report there are nearly 1,600 domain extensions listed in their Root Zone Database.
Understanding the make up of a domain name
A website addresses consists of three elements:
- a subdomain — www
- a second level domain (SLD) e.g. humblebeeva
- a top-level domain (TLD) — also known as a domain name extension for example .com or .uk which is intended to communicate the purpose or location of a website.
The latter can be split into three different categories:
Generic top level domains (gTLD)
Generic top level domains are domain extensions that are not tied to country codes or regions.
Country code top level domain extensions (ccTLD)
Country specific domain extensions such as .uk and .co.uk give internet users an indication of which country a business is located in (some country codes can only be registered if you or your business can prove that you are located in that country.)
Sponsored top level domains (sTLDs)
Sponsored top level domains have a sponsor representing a specific community that is served by the domain such as .gov for UK government websites and .edu for educational institutions.
When put together the elements described above make up what we commonly think of as the website addresses we see in the search bar when visiting websites, in internet search results, on websites, in marketing materials and on business cards.
What should you register
In most countries .com and country codes are the most used domain extensions and according to Web Technology Surveys the .com domain extension is by far the most popular with over 50% of all websites on the internet using it but if you don’t want to follow the crowd, the choice today is huge and new extensions are becoming available all the time.
Domain name extensions can be viewed online, you can also pre-register for domain names and follow the status of a domain name you would like to buy. If you are unable to find the domain extension you want, you may want to opt for a similar word until the one you want is released. An example would be wanting .florist but settling for .flowers because it is available now.
Worried about someone else registering your website name with a different domain extension and potentially taking a share of your website traffic? You can protect your brand by purchasing your name with multiple extensions say humblebeeva.uk, humblebeeva.com and humblebeeva.org, then choose one to be the primary visible address of your website and redirect the other domain names to this one. Owning different domain extensions ensures that even if people do not type the right domain extension, they are still redirected to your website.
Websites and webpages
So far I have talked about website addresses but it is important to understand that every page of a website has a unique name. If you are directing someone to information that appears on your homepage it is appropriate to signpost them to your homepage address, however, if you have a website with many pages and your customer requires information about a specific topic, signposting them to your homepage to find what they need is not helpful. Much better to go the extra mile by signposting them to the page that contains the specific information they require to save them having to search and trawl through your entire website. This is easily done by copying and pasting the web page address — for example if I wanted to direct someone to information about the services I provide I would send them a link to https://humblebeeva.org/home/services/ or if someone asked about my rates I would send them a link to https://humblebeeva.org/home/rates/.
Taking the leap
When creating a domain name for your business remember it is an extension of your brand and needs to reflect that. What you decide to register depends in several things:
- the purpose of your website
- the audience you want to reach
- whether the domain name is already taken.
Keep in mind that the best domain names are instantly recognisable for example https://www.bbc.co.uk/, https://www.marksandspencer.com and https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/. Don’t tie yourself up in knots trying to be too clever and remember the whole purpose of having a website is to enable customers to find you so keep it simple.
Further information and sources
- GoDaddy: Domain extensions guide — what you need to know before you pick a domain name
- Internet Assigned Numbers Authority: Root Zone Database
- MailChimp: How to buy a domain name
- Norton: What is an IP address?
- Google: Domain name basics
- Make Use Of: What URL domain extensions stand for and why they are needed
- Web Technology Surveys: Usage statistics and market shares of top level domains for websites
- Wix Encylopedia: Parts of a URL
- Wix Encyclopedia: Web address
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