What is a domain name and why you need one.

Modified on Fri, 18 Aug, 2023 at 5:23 PM

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is your website address that internet users type in the browser URL bar to visit your website. In simple terms, if your website were a house, your domain name would be its address.

A more detailed explanation: The Internet is a giant network of computers connected through a global network of cables. Each computer on this network can communicate with other computers.

To identify them, each computer is assigned an IP address. It is a series of numbers identifying a particular computer on the internet. A typical IP address looks like this: 66.249.66.1 now, an IP address like this is quite challenging to remember. Imagine if you had to use such numbers to visit your favourite websites. Domain names were invented to solve this problem. Now, if you want to see a website, you don’t need to enter a long string of numbers.

Instead, you can visit it by typing an easy-to-remember domain name in your browser’s address bar. For example https://timswebworx.co.za

We encourage our users to select an easy-to-remember domain name that is not too long or too complex. Remember, people will remember you based on your domain name. It's their first engagement with your website and, ultimately, your company or brand.

Domain Tips recommends the following when choosing a domain:

1. Choose A Domain That Is Easy To Type – Choosing a domain that’s easy to type is critical to online success. If you use slang words (such as “u” instead of “you”) or words with multiple spellings (such as “express” vs. “xpress”), then it might be more challenging for customers to find your site. Not choosing a domain name that is easy to type could end up sending some of your visitors to a website that isn’t yours.

2. Try To Keep It Short – This shouldn’t need much explaining. If your domain name is long and complex, you risk customers mistyping or misspelling it. Not having visitors reach your actual website is the worst thing that can happen. So, short and simple is the best way to go.

3. Utilize Keywords – Try using keywords that describe your business and the services you offer. For example, if you’re a glass replacement business, you may want to register something like GlassRepair.com or GlassReplacement.com. Include the keywords that people enter when searching for your products or services. This will help improve your rank on search engines (which increases traffic) and make more sense to your customers.

4. Target Your Niche – If your business is local, consider including your city or state in your domain name to make it easier for local customers to find and remember you. A great example of this would be PhoenixGlassRepair.com.

5. Avoid Numbers And Hyphens – Numbers and hyphens are often misunderstood – people who hear your website address won’t know if you’re using a numeral (5) or it’s spelt out (five) or misplaced, or forget the dash. Register the different variations for safety if you need these in your domain.

6. Be Memorable – There are millions of registered domain names across the web, so choosing a catchy and memorable domain is essential. Once you’ve come up with a name, share it with close friends to make sure it sounds appealing and makes sense to others.

7. Do Your Research – Once you’ve chosen a domain, make sure the name you’ve selected isn’t trademarked, copyrighted, or used by another company. That will prevent a legal mess that could cost you a fortune and your domain. Don’t forget to research the value of your possible field as well!

8. Choose A Domain Extension That Fits – Extensions are suffixes, such as .com or .net, which appear at the end of your web address. These can have specific uses, so choose one that works for your business. The .com extension is far and away the most popular, but it can be tough to get a short and memorable .com domain because the extension has been around for so long. A bevvy of generic top-level domains — like .app, .photography, .nyc and .guru — offer an excellent opportunity to register short and highly relevant names.

9. Protect And Build Your Brand – To protect your brand, consider purchasing various domain extensions and misspelt versions of your domain name. This prevents competitors from registering other versions and ensures customers are directed to your website, even if they mistyped it.

10. Act Fast – Domain names sell quickly. Thankfully, many domains are inexpensive, so register your favourite domain names as soon as possible. If you’re having trouble finding an available name, many registrars will automatically suggest alternate names during your search to help you find the perfect name that’s available!