December 13th, 2016
It's common for beginners to confuse web hosting and domains. While web host servers are where websites are stored, domains are simply the name of the website.
Without a domain name, your site is virtually untraceable. Even on Google, the world's largest search engine, searches aren't always conclusive. Google has only indexed 0.004% of the entire Internet. A domain needs to be associated with the site to show up on Google or any other search engine for that matter.
Like the address to your home, any potential visitor to your website needs to have the address, otherwise known as the URL, the link, or the domain name, to locate it.
How do I register a domain name?
Before you do anything, you first need to think of a unique domain name for your company. This could be the name of your business or a play on words that describes your service. Of course, your domain name should be relevant to your site name, as well as your services, to optimize it for SEO and SEM purposes. If your domain is irrelevant to your industry or company name, potential customers will be less likely to click on your site.
Next, you'll need to select a domain registrar. Search these registrars for your potential domain name to make sure that it hasn't already been taken. If it hasn't, you can buy the domain name immediately. Domains often cost between $10 and $35, depending on the top-level domain (TLD).
The TLD is the last portion of the domain name. You're probably most familiar with .com, .gov, .org, and .edu, and maybe some others.
The majority of TLDs are generic, like the ones above, or even country-based. In Canada, many domains end with .ca, while in Germany, some end with .de (for Deutschland).
Cyber laws permit anyone to register a domain using .com, .org, .net, or .biz, but country-specific TLDs are restricted to corresponding countries.
Of course, many registration sites are lingering on the Internet, so shop around to find one that offers the best price for your unique domain name.
After purchasing the domain name, you are now its sole owner. To get it live, you will have to direct the domain name to your server by changing its domain name system (DNS) record.
Domains vs. Subdomains
As long as your domain agent offers the service, your domain can be subdivided to create unique pages within your domain for different services.
For example, google.com is a domain, but mail.google.com is a subdomain that redirects to Gmail. Google also has subdomains for news, images, and Google Plus, its social networking site.
By working with Sectorlink, you'll be able to manage your website more easily. We can create comprehensive sites, register domains with our in-house registrar, as well as host your website on any server that works best for your company. For an estimate and consultation, contact us today.