Your Guide To Internet Domains

If you're new to the world of web hosting or if you just want to learn more about the different way things are done and how you can make money and build up an online reputation by buying, selling, and investing in domains online, read this handy guide to learn everything you need to know about domains.

All about domains, plans, and hosts

Learn how to choose, register, and evaluate domain names
Figure out which domain benefits you need and which you don't
Learn how to identify the host, domain, and plan that best suits your needs

What is a domain name?

A domain name is an address on the internet with which people can reach your website. By typing your domain name into an inline search bar or a web browser, the pages of your website are shown. The domain name that is typed in is just the actual location of the server that has your website files stored.

Why do I need a domain name?

Here are a few reasons having a domain name are important.

If you ever switch web hosts, your domain name will go with you. Regular visitors to your page and know what your domain name or address are would still end up on your page even though they're actually being redirected to a new website (i.e. your old page that is now hosted on a new server that is run by someone else).
When it comes to businesses, domain names will help you develop trust with your clientele, as well as a great deal of credibility. Not many people would be willing to conduct business with a company that does not have a domain name of its own.
Having a domain name that describes the business you are in, makes people more likely to remember that name easily, which means they can return to your site time and again without having to look you up.

Do all my domain names have to be hosted live?

Contrary to popular opinion, you don't necessarily have to have a website to register a domain name. you can park a new domain temporarily, even as an incomplete page, without having a fully-fleshed website up and running.

When you buy a domain, you own the domain, not the host that you use to buy or park the domain. The contact information associated with that domain, data forwarding, servers, etc. all belong to you. You can sell these rights, transfer them, renew them, let them expire, or whatever else you may want.

How do I register a domain?

Many web hosts register domain names for their customers for free, while others can help you with registration but you have to pay registration fees yourself.

Domain names are sometimes hard to find, especially the good ones. Below you can learn more about high-value names and how to pick them.

Choosing a domain name to register

If you're thinking about registering a domain name, first come up with the name you want to register. Payment for registration is usually done by credit card. The easiest thing to do is to go to a popular web host (aka web registrars) and buy the domain through them. They'll register, host, and keep your page in your name for a year at first, and then with regular renewals, you can keep your domain in your name for as long as you want.

You can register domains ending in .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .us, .ca, .tv, .name, .cc, .de, .sr, .md, .co.uk, .us.com, and more.

Before paying for a domain, however, check with your host, because chances are they may give you a free domain name for hosting with them.

Domain name pricing

Because domains are unique, the sale and purchase of domains is more like trading in rare luxury items than dealing with general commodities. And instead of having its price set by the market, domain names largely get their price based on what the buyer or seller thinks it's worth.

If you categorize domains as high-value, mid-value, and low-value, you can think of high-value names as those that are short, easy to remember, and can have (or do have) meaning to a very large user base. For example, London.com, or America.com would be relevant to millions of people. However, something more precise such as brasscustomnameplates.com is not only long and difficult to remember, but it may not mean much to a lot of people.

Your domain will have a lot of value if it has the characteristics of high-value names, and the value falls as the name becomes more complicated, harder to spell, or more and more narrow.

Valuation tips

Do some research on similar sites that were sold. Sites such as Dnjournal.com and Namebio.com can do this for you.
Universal appeal: this has already been alluded to above, but if your domain name appeals to a wide, international audience, it'll be worth more.
Keywords: how many people look up the name or words in the name that you are interested in registering? The more related searches, the higher the domain name value.
Branding: can most people get the spelling of your domain name right on the first try? Is it easy to remember if you hear it in passing in a conversation or, say, over the radio? Are there alternative spellings with which your spelling may be confused, such as color vs. colour, or here vs. hear? Names that are less likely to be mistaken, misspelled, or mixed up with anything else will hold higher value than names that are in any way ambiguous.