Domain names
In order to get a website up and running on the Internet, you will need to do the following:
1. Register a domain.
2. Hire some server (hosting) space.
1. Registering your domain name
Getting a domain name registered is a way of getting an address for your website on the Internet so that the your web site can be located.
Just like the address of your home is unique in the real world, the address of your website on the Internet also has to be unique, otherwise no one would know where to find your website!
So, in other words a domain name (also known as a website URL) is a unique website addresses on the Internet, meaning that every domain name is different from another. Nowadays, you will notice that many of the domain names that you may want to use for your website will not be available as they are probably being used by somebody else. So you may not always be able buy the name that you need but here at XEL Web Design UK we can search and buy a domain name for you, so you don't need to do the work in finding the name you need.
2. What domain name shall I choose?
Before choosing a domain name, you will need to consider four main factors that should determine the name that you choose. A good domain name should be:
A. Short
A short domain name means that it is easily remembered and easy to type by the website visitor.
B. Memorable
Selecting a short domain name, however, does not guarantee that the name is easy to remember. For instance, using the initials of a long business name to make a shorter domain name doesn't necessarily mean it's easier to remember. For example the initials XWDUK.com, for XEL Web Design UK is short but not necessarily memorable.
C. Relevant to Your Core Business or Business Name
Choose a name that closely reflects your business type or your business name, so that the visitors can guess the name easier.
D. Hard to Misspell
Ensure that the chosen name is easy for the average person to spell, if the name is heard verbally. Surprisingly, there are a lot of names that prove to be difficult to spell.
3. What is the difference between .com, .net, .org etc?
When looking at the practical side the difference is next to nothing these days. The one difference that maybe be worth considering is that people tend to type in .COM as a more popular choice, as it was the first known domain extension and is generally the more popular.
So if you want to register a domain name, we would suggest to choose .COM first and if this was not available, then try for the (.net, .org, .tv etc...), unless you wanted to choose a specific extension for your business strategy.
It is also worth noting that a .COM address is different to a domain name of the same name but with a different extension. So for instance; www.xelonline.com is a different place as www.xelonline.co.uk . This means that each of the addresses can be registered separately. You can visit here to check the availability of various domain names.
4. How much does it cost?
If you want to obtain your domain name (your website URL), it will usually cost you from a few pounds a year to ensure that you have the domain "ownership".
There are a lot of companies that offer the domain registering service. The cost can vary, as will the quality of service. The price of domain registration can vary from anywhere between £5 and £20 a year for a domain name publicly available. If a company asks you to pay any more than this, then the chances are that you are not getting a good deal.
If you have any problems or any doubts about how to start, then please feel free to contact XEL Web Design UK and we will ensure that you get the best deal.
We will be more than happy to make suggestions to make sure that you get the same value from a domain name suppliers as we do.
