If you’re launching a new website, the first thing you need to do is get yourself a domain name. But how do you choose a good one? And more importantly, how do you get one? Here’s everything you need to know about this essential aspect of your online presence.

What is a domain name?

  • A domain name is to your website what your home address is to your house. It’s how people find your website, and it’s what makes your site unique.
  • In technical terms, it’s a specific, easy-to-remember piece of text that points your browser directly to the IP address at which your website is located. When you enter a URL into your browser, it consults a worldwide network of DNS servers to find the associated IP address and load the target website from its specific host server.

Why do I need one?

  • Familiarity/memorability – A good domain name is something that your customers can easily remember and associate with your business, driving up traffic – and sales.
  • Professional branding – In the modern world, if you’re not online, you don’t exist. Having a name that’s smart and stands out amongst the crowd puts your business on the digital map.
  • Search engine optimisation (SEO) – A domain that includes keywords that are relevant to your business will improve its ranking on various search engines, increasing the likelihood of visitors finding your site.
  • Legitimacy – Having your own unique domain and associated email addresses makes your business look more professional and increases customer confidence.
  • Futureproofing – If you’ve got a unique idea, choosing a name that represents the essence of your product can help to make sure your original brand stands out against any potential competition in the future.

What do they look like?

  • A basic domain name contains two or three parts, separated by full stops. When read from right to left, these parts are called top-level domain (TLD), second-level domain (2LD), and third-level domain (3LD).
    • For example, for “co.uk”:
      • “.uk” is the TLD
      • “.co” is the 2LD
        • “amazon” is the 3LD21
    • For “1-grid.com”:
      • “.com” is the TLD
      • “1-grid” is the 2LD
    • Different TLDs, such as .com, are more popular than others, and may come at a higher price.

How do I register one?

  • You must make use of a registrar to secure your domain name and make sure it is registered on the DNS network. That’s where we come in!
  • First, use our handy domain search tool or WHOIS to find out if your desired domain is available, or if it’s already been registered by someone else.

If your name is available, continue at the link above to purchase and register.