Be it a blog, a website or an online store, any project you start on the internet needs a website hosting service and a domain. These two elements directly influence the performance of your online business. Other than having the best email hosting or colocation hosting you must need to register a domain name for your website.
Before we go straight to the step-by-step, we need to better understand what a domain is, how it works and what types of domains exist. Thus, you will be able to choose the most appropriate domain for your project on the internet.
What is Domain?
In a very simple way, a domain is a physical address of a website. It is with a browser that you can access any domain on the internet. The Email Shop, for example, is The Email Shop.com.co.uk.
A domain name is what bridges the gap between your website and the server that hosts your website. If the domain name did not exist, any user who wanted to visit your website would have to enter a full IP number (example: 192.168.1.1) in the browser. Something, which we agree, would be a nuisance.
A domain has two parts. The first is the name of the website you want to access. The second is the extension of it. In the example below, The Email Shop is the name (1) and the extension (2) is .com.uk. When a person or company buys a domain, they can choose which server the domain should be appointed to.
Domain name registrations are overseen by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), a non-profit organization. In the UK, register is the body that supervises these same registries.
It is these institutions that determine which domain extensions are available for use and maintain a database to which server each created and the registered domain is pointing to.
When you visit a website, you are accessing two main elements: the created and registered domain name and a server.
The server is nothing more than a physical computer that is turned on daily. It hosts the files and databases that make up your website. As soon as a user accesses your site, he sends all this information to the user’s computer so that he can visit your page.
The domain first name is the address that internet users type into the browser to contact your website. The server that hosts all the information on your site is then triggered, sending everything to the user in a matter of seconds. After it you need a cheap email hosting service for your website.
How Do Domains work?
A domain name is what bridges the gap between your website and the server that hosts your website. If the domain name did not exist, any user who wanted to visit your website would have to enter a full IP number in the browser. Something that would be a nuisance.
Let’s say the IP of The Email Shop is 100.95.85.75. And consider that this domain is aimed at a server. When users try to enter the Email Shop website through this IP, they will not be able to access it
This is because, for an IP address to show a website, the access server must be using port 80 with a standard page (index.html) stored in its application directory.
Domains can be redirected. In this case, you may want that when visitors visit your website or a page on your domain, they are taken to another domain.
This measure is usually advantageous when you want to centralize your website accessed on a campaign or forms page, for example
They can also be useful when domains are very similar and avoid problems and confusion due to the writing of domains. For example, if you go to www.fb.com, you will be automatically redirected to www.facebook.com.
Domain Types
There are many types of domains and a variety of extensions. Know that, in addition to .com and .com.uk, which are usually the best known and used by UK internet users, there is still a wide variety of extensions to discover.
These extensions are classified according to a degree of importance and use in the public domain. Below, check out the most common types of domain names.
TLD (top-level domains)
TLD stands for Top-Level Domain. In Portuguese, that is the top-level domain. That is a group of domains that is at the top level in the domain name system on the internet.
The most common available TLDs are:.with;.uk;.or;.net;.edu;
You can also check the official list of existing TLDs. This relationship is maintained by the IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), of which the CcTLDand gTLDS types of domains also belong. We will show and explain both types below.
CcTLD (country code top-level domains)
CcTLD types of domains use only two letters in their extensions. These two letters represent the country in which they are located. For example, the extension .uk is used in the UK, just as the extension .us and .jp are used in the United States and Japan, respectively.
These extensions are often used by companies that create websites, blogs or virtual stores located for some country. They adapt the content and message of these pages to the language of the country and start doing business in these regions with visitors and customers from these locations.
GTLD (generic top-level domain)
The gTLD type is nothing more than a TLD that does not depend on an extension that identifies a country. These domains are mostly used for specific uses, to identify institutions or organizations.
For example, the extension .edu serves to show that that page is aimed at an educational institution, such as a university. The extensions .gov and .org identify, respectively, domains of the government of the country and a non-profit organization.
Difference between Domain and Website Hosting?
One of the most recurring doubts of those who are starting a project on the internet is the difference between website hosting and the domain
In a very simple way, website hosting is the place on a server where you store all the contents of your website. The domain is the address by which your website is found on the internet and accessed by a browser.
When hosting a website, the server works as a computer hard drive. This server, which is physical and connected to the internet, stores all files, information, content, and databases on your website.
In the case of the domain, they connect the name of the website typed in the bar of a browser with the server that hosts a website. Thus, when you type a URL (like www.theemailshop.com.uk) in your browser, the domain sends a request to the server on which your website is hosted. Many server colocation companies provide complimentary domain names.
The server then uploads the requested files and transfers everything to the device you are using (computer, smart phones, etc.). This device downloads these files and this is how you can see the contents of a page on the internet.
How to Choose a Domain?
The name of your project on the internet is one of the first things that your visitors will see. Therefore, you need to make sure that it conforms to your business approach. Below are 7 tips for you to use and choose the most appropriate domain name for your project.
Do a general search. You need to study your niche and look for keywords or terms that best fit the content you intend to make available on your site. Once you have this, you will have a clearer and more objective idea of what the domain of your project will be.
Catchy name and easy to remember. Choose a name that is not too long and that your visitors can remember more easily. Even better if your domain name is easy to pronounce and matches the type of business or content you offer on the internet.
Prioritize .com or .com extensions. In addition to being among the most popular on the internet, these domain extensions give users more confidence.
Avoid hyphens and numbers. The idea here is to simplify your domain name. Using hyphens and many numbers may even give you more options for using different domain names, but they complicate reading and do not help to memorize the domain accessed. And, of course, you want your visitors to always come back to your site.
Check for trademark violations. Never create or buy any domain that has a name very similar to other very popular or well-known domains. This way, you avoid legal problems in the future.
Consider nearby alternatives. If you already have an idea of what your domain name will look like, consider variations of typos that may end up driving additional traffic to your site. As examples, we have the case of Facebook (fb.com) and Amazon (amzon.com).
Think of the longevity of the domain. A domain name is a very important decision, as it will be the gateway to your project on the internet. Domains are long-term investments, so make a list of possible names you would like to see and see if the options you choose remain current and consistent with your niche.
How Much Does a Domain Cost?
The domain will be the lowest of the costs you will have when publishing your project online. You get domains with prices ranging from $ 3.99 to $ 36.99 a year. Which cost just like a best dedicated server hosting uk for your website. It all depends on the availability of the chosen domain and the extent that you want your business to have on the internet.
But if you want, you don’t have to pay for a domain. That is, it can come out entirely free. The hosting plans Silver and Gold the Email Shop have free domains in contracting the service for at least one year. So you save money, you have a domain name and an extension of your choice (depending on availability).
