Understanding Domain Names: How to Choose and Register the Perfect One

The domain name is your identity by which you will be recognized among your users or your address through which your visitors will find you. So, a perfect domain name is as important for you as the product or service you provide.

According to the data prepared by DNIB, around 359.8 million domain name registrations were done in 2023, an increase of 0.2%. This data is enough for you to be convinced that a perfect and unique domain name is required for your website to stand out. Your business can live or die based on your domain name.

Use this article as a guide to learn more about the domain names. Here, we will explain how to choose and register a perfect domain for your website.

Let’s get started without any more delay.

What Is a Domain Name?

A domain name is just like a street address on the internet of your webpage. Simply put, this is the address that helps people find you. Technically, it is an identification string that explains your authority and control on the website on the internet.

A domain name is a certain combination of alphabets, numbers, and symbols used in the browser to access your website. It is a part of a longer string of numbers known as a URL.

Structure of Domain Name

There are generally two components of a domain name: SLD (Second-Level Domain) and TLD (Top-Level Domain).

• SLD is the first and the main identifier of your website. This name reflects the nature of your website, which means it is chosen to explain the purpose of the website. For example, in www.Mailchimp.com, Mailchimp is the SLD part of the domain name. You can clearly see that the purpose of this website is reflected in it.
• The later part of the domain name is known as TLD, which usually comes after the SLD part. In the above example, .com is the TLD part. This is the suffix and the last part of the domain. Some of the well-known .com, .co, .net, .asia, .org, .gov, .blog, .us (for the USA), .uk (for the United Kingdom), etc.

How Does a Domain Name Work?

There is a whole DNS (Domain Name System) involved in the working of your domain name:

• When you enter the domain name in the search bar of your browser, the server will look into the global server network that makes up the DNS.
• The DNS server will translate the domain name into the IP address and search through its database to find the IP address that is linked with this domain name.
• Then, the DNS server with the IP address information returns back to the user’s web browser.
• Now, the browser asks for the data from the domain’s hosting server. When the data is received back, the browser displays the website’s content.

Difference Between Domain Name and URL

Some people think domain names and URLs are the same thing, but technically, they are two different entities that have different functions.

URL, a.k.a Universal Resource Locator, is a fully completed file address used to find any webpage on the internet. The domain name is the integral part of this URL and is the readable form of the IP address. It comes after the “www” in the web address.

Please know that the IP address is a long string of numbers that machines can only understand.

Let’s take an example to clear the difference between URL and domain name.

URL: https://www.wpmozo.com

Domain Name: wpmozo.com

Why You Should Have a Good Domain Name for Your Website?

As we have already discussed, the domain name basically gives your users the first impression of your website. So, it should be good and unique. Here are a few reasons why you should have a good one:

1. Brand Identity: Domain names play a major role in introducing your brand in the online space. Your business will be recognized mainly by this name. Choosing a good domain name that adheres to your brand’s goals will help you grow your audience fast.
2. Credibility: Choosing a personal domain name for your business will inject credibility among the visitors to your website. A domain name that highly speaks about your identity builds authority both online as well as offline.
3. Improves Visibility and Web Traffic: A branded and right domain name has a lot of potential to bring traffic to your website. An easy name will allow both the browser and the user to find you conveniently since it is easy to remember.
4. Free Marketing of Your Business: Once you choose a domain name, it will be advertised on your business cards, company profiles, brochures, and other social media platforms. This is a great way to advertise your business at no cost all year long.

Now you know why you need a good domain name, let’s help you out by telling you how to choose the best domain name for your business.

How Do You Choose a Good Domain Name?

Choosing a good domain name is not an easy task, and yes, you should take some time and several considerations before finalizing a name for your business. Here are some tips for choosing a good domain name for you:

i. Easy and Short Name

When you are choosing a domain name for your website, make sure you follow these two things:

• Keep it simple: Always try to simplify it, and never use any numbers, hyphens, underscore, characters, or punctuation since they can confuse the users and result in lesser customer retention. Use only letters that make sense.
• Keep it short: You should really consider the length of your domain name. Wondering what is the recommended character limit for the name. If it’s possible, keep your under 15 characters limit, excluding the Top-Level Domain (TLD) part.

Note that famous websites use less than seven characters of domain names for their business. It was found that most popular websites follow the six-character limit on average.

ii. Make It Easy to Type and Spell

Talking about famous websites, one thing that you must have noticed is the simplicity of their name. They are both easy to spell as well as type.

Name some: Facebook, Instagram, Google, Microsoft, YouTube, Apple, WhatsApp, etc. You can’t really go wrong spelling and typing these names in your browser. So your users won’t have difficulty typing your business domain name into the browser.

Additionally, you can also use Domain Name Generator to get some ideas about the name.

iii. Use Niche Keywords

Keywords are the power words that help you do effective SEO for your website. Many businesses use the most searched keyword in their domain name, which really impacts their Google ranking.

But be sure not to stuff keywords in the name; keyword stuffing has a negative effect on your Google ranking and will also make your name a bit generic. If you use a keyword, try to use it at the beginning of the domain name since it is the most effective SEO strategy.

One more thing: you do proper keyword research and use a good keyword research tool such as Semrush or Ahrefs, etc.

iv. Find an Appropriate Extension

While considering a good domain name for your business, you must pay attention to every detail, even on the domain extension part. It is really important to add the most suited extension part for credibility.

.com is the most popular domain extension, widely used by businesses all over the world. But there are some other famous options available, such as .net, .gov, .co, .org, etc.

Choose the extension that creates a professional image of your website. If you are running a non-profit organization, use .org; if you are a commercial business, use .com or .co; and if you are a tech or networking organization, use .net.

v. Check Domain History

One more thing to do while choosing a name is to research domain name history to make sure it has never been used for spam or other illegal activities.

This type of negative history can affect your credibility and also your Google rankings.

For this purpose, we recommend you use some domain history tools such as Wayback Machine, which is used to check how this domain was used in the past, and DomainTools, which is used to monitor previous ownership and records of changes.

How to Register a Perfect Domain Name

Now that you have chosen a name for your website, the next step is to know how to register a domain name online.

Thousands of domain names are registered, and domain transfers are performed every day. Approximately every 2.61 seconds, a new domain name is registered according to Domain Wheel.

To register yours, choose a reliable domain name registrar and follow these steps:

Steps to Register a Domain Name

Step:1 Choose the Domain Name Registrar

After choosing your name, the first thing to do is to know where you can buy the domain names. The simplest answer is a Domain Name Registrar, which is the company that manages and reserves the domain names for you with ICANN (Internet Cooperation of Assigned Names and Numbers) on your behalf.

Select the most reliable domain name registrar. We have listed some popular providers in the next section; read more about them.

Step 2: Choose the Best Domain Name

This step is already being discussed, and you must have the know-how to choose the best domain name for your website.

Come up with a short, easily spelt and typed domain name that is brandable. If you have some good suggestions, consider using Domain Name Generator. You can use Name Boy for this purpose; it is super simple; just add your keyword here, and it will show you lots of ideas.

Step 3: Check Your Domain Name Availability

The name that you have chosen may already be taken by some other company or business, so it is important to check the availability of the domain with your Domain Registrar.

Checking it is a simple one-step process; just type the domain name in the search bar of the domain registrar and press “Enter”. 

Step 4: Purchase the Domain Name

Once you have selected your domain extension from the options displayed, the next step is to buy the domain name.

Choose a cheap domain. Avoid the high-price domains; you need to think long-term.

Tip: Please know this: It is not a one-time payment, so you need to renew it every year. So, pay for 2-3 years at once. It will help you save some bucks.

Add your domain to the cart, choose your renewal period, and provide your payment details. You are good to go.

Congrats! You now have a domain to use online.

Best Domain Providers

Domain Providers provides a platform where you can buy the domain names for your business in a few simple steps, which have already been explained.

When choosing a domain registrar, consider:

1. The infrastructure they provide to protect the domain name. There are multiple cyber attacks that specifically target domain names, such as domain hijacking, DNS spoofing, domain squatting, and malware distribution. So, your provider must provide an effective way to secure your vulnerable domain name. One of the ways is the usage of public keys, namely Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and secure sockets layer (SSL) certificates.
2. Other than this, consider the pricing, privacy policy, customer support, and range of domain extensions while finalizing your provider.

Here are some of the famous Domain Name Registrars with their features:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a domain name for free?

Well, yes, you can. Some platforms, like Shopify, WordPress, Weebly, Squarespace, and Wix, offer free domains in their package. But it comes with some limitations.

How do I permanently buy a domain name?

Technically, it is not possible to buy a domain name permanently. However, you can lease it for a definite time.

How do I activate a domain name?

After the registration of your domain, it typically takes 24-72 hours for your domain name to get activated automatically.

Can I choose any domain name?

Yes, just check the availability of the domain with domain providers.

Final Words

Domain names are the home address of your website on the internet.

A domain name can make or break your business. If you put effort into choosing the right domain name for your brand, it will increase your digital presence. However, if you choose a generic name, it can negatively affect your online presence. So, you should make a short, well-pronounced, easy, and niche-specific domain name.

After choosing, register your domain name by following the easy-step registration process on the domain providers of your choice.

Follow the steps discussed in the section above and start your online journey right away.