Domain Names - the Who, What, Where and Why.

Technical terms can be very daunting if you're not used to computer speak, but when you get to know them they're really very simple !

A Domain Name is, in its simplest form, the name that a website uses to make it unique and identifiable.

When we look at the address of a website, the Domain Name is the part after the familiar “www.”

www.This IsTheDomainName.com

It is the unique name given to each website, in order to help users identify the websites they want to visit.  A domain name is a completely unique thing.  No two websites will ever have the same domain name.  This helps users to identify websites, and makes sure that no two websites can ever be occupying the same virtual space.

You can think of a domain name as you would a house - The domain name would be the house number, e.g. 123 Main Street.  Two houses can't be both be 123 Main Street;  just as two websites can't have the same domain name !

Without a domain name, your website cannot be viewed on the internet.... so it is a very important piece of your website creation puzzle.

The extension at the end can vary – “dot com” or “dot net” or “dot com dot au” or “dot co dot uk”, for example.  These extensions determine such things as country of origin, or perhaps a little more information about the website itself.  “Dot com” has become the default across the internet.

Many companies online offer you the chance to buy domain names.  This gives you, the user, the right to use that domain name for an agreed period of time.  When you have bought that domain name, you can use it as your own.  You can use it to make your own DIY Website, or you can provide the details to someone else to help you with your website creation project.

A domain name is used to tell people how to get onto your website.  If you want people to be able to know how to find your website, telling them your domain name is the easiest way to do it!  Just as you would tell people your street address if they wanted to find your house, you tell people your domain name so they can find your website in the same way.

Many people pick personal things as their domain names. E.g. Mr John Smith may choose www.johnsmith.com as his domain name, because it means something to him and it explains who he is.  Companies often use their company name as their domain name, e.g. www.Microsoft.com  or  www.Apple.com as everybody immediately recognises who the website belongs to because of its domain name.

When you are choosing your domain name, make sure you put some thought into it.  If your domain name is for personal use, then pick something personal to you, such as your name, or something that is special to you.  If you want your website to be for business use, then pick either the name of the business or something related to the business so that customers will be able to find your website easily.  Whatever you decide to choose for your domain name, make sure it’s easy to remember !

Interesting fact: The most expensive domain name so far is insure.com, selling for $16 million!