Domains and domain extensions are a vital part of any business online. A domain is the website address you type into your browser to get to your website. With a domain, you have complete control of your online presence and can do more than just host a website. Domains, also known as Domain Extensions, enable businesses around the world to provide valuable services online, including e-commerce, social networking, entertainment and more. This essential guide will teach you everything you need to know about TLDs (top-level domains) and domain extensions. From the differences between a domain and a subdomain, to the various international domain extensions, we’ll cover it all.
What is Domain Extension?
A domain extension is a string of characters that is added to the end of a domain. A domain extension identifies the country, organization or type of entity that owns the registered domain name. Examples of common TLDs are .com, .net or .org. Extensions can also be used to identify a specific type of organization or activity. For example, .info identifies information providers, .name allows individuals to register their own names and its sister TLDs, .biz and .pro are commonly used by businesses for their primary domains. The list goes on and on.
Does the Domain Extension Really Matter?
You’ve been obsessing over the domain extension of your website name since registering it (www.yourcompany.com vs www.yourcompany.net). You’ve read the articles about how .com is better than .co, or maybe you believe a .site domain to be superior. You’ve searched for hours trying to find out if there is a difference between a gTLD and ccTLD domain extension, or maybe you’ve just settled on the lowest possible pricing for your desired domain name. You can stop worrying now because here is the answer: The domain extension is not the be all and end all, but it can have a little effect. Here is how.
Protects copyrights and trademarks
One of the best investments you can make when you start a business that is on line is to buy domain extensions for your brand and top level domains. The most important part of a website is its domain name. It’s not a marketing channel, but rather, it’s the foundation of your whole Internet business. It represents you and your company’s digital brand and identity. Buying the different domain extensions from your brand and forwarding to your main extension can stop copycats and protect your brand.
Builds credibility
Not only does it have to be memorable and easy to pronounce, it also holds a certain significance when it comes to credibility. When people see an address, they see not only the name but also the extension that you have chosen for it. There’s nothing quite like a good domain name to improve your brand online.
What Are the Parts of Domain Extensions?
Every year, hundreds of thousands of domain extensions are being registered worldwide. While some are gaining popularity, others are gradually becoming obsolete.
What is a Subdomain?
A subdomain is an extra domain that you can create on your already existing domain. They are called subdomains because they are under the main domain you own. There are some really good reasons for using them…
What is a Second-Level Domain?
A second-level domain is the main part of the domain before the TLD. For example, in blogger.com, “blogger” is a second-level domain. A top-level domain (TLD) could be .com, .co.uk, .net, and so on.
What are TLDs?
This acronym stands for Top-Level Domain and is used to classify domain extensions. There are only three TLDs which are the main ones you will come across today. These are: .COM, .NET and .ORG.
What is a Generic Top-Level Domain or gTLD?
A Generic Top-level Domain or gTLD is a Top-level domain that does not include a country-code in the domain. If your business or website is targeting English-speaking countries, then .com will be the best option as it is considered the most common gTLD. .com embodies any type of company or website, making this option very versatile and useful as your business grows.
What is a Country-Code Top-Level Domain, or ccTLD
A ccTLD is a top-level domain based on the two letter country codes that you see after every country’s name. For example, .uk for the United Kingdom and .ca for Canada. These two-letter combinations are called alpha-2 TLDs or country code top level domains (ccTLDs). Using country code TLD has its own unique advantages.
What is a Sponsored Top-Level Domain or sTLD?
A sponsored top level domain or sTLD is essentially a custom domain that is operated and controlled by a registry. These registries are typically private organizations created and/or funded by a brand company who wish to create a branded domain name for their products. Most Internet users have no idea what a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) is. Even search engine optimization professionals or SEOers do not fully realize the tremendous power of this relatively new TLD option introduced by ICANN.
How to Choose a Great Domain
A great domain name can:
– Attracting potential customers
– Help you rank on search engines
– Improve customer trust and conversion
Having a great domain name can be critical, especially in the beginning when you are building an online presence for your business.
The purpose of Your Site
Your domain name is your brand. Brand names matter. A name is the first touchpoint of your business with customers and exact customers’ next steps in the funnel. It gives the first impression of your company and sets the tone for people’s experiences with your brand. You need to think carefully about your business purpose and how to create a name that your target audience will relate to. The driving purpose of our site and the focus of your content will inform the words you use in your domain name. Think of your domain name as an elevator pitch for your business – a pitch that conveys the emotion of your overall message.
Remember price is not everything
While it is true that the more popular the extension, the pricier it will get, a premium price doesn’t necessarily indicate a higher authority or trust from potential customers. In fact, some domain name extensions are pretty new in the market and are already almost as expensive as the older extensions. One must for most businesses is that they should pick up the .com if they can.
Conclusion
Forged in the Dark Ages of the Internet, domain extensions have been an integral part of the Web for two decades now. However, many people still don’t understand what domain extensions are or why they even exist. Hopefully you should not have a better understanding of all things dot, and of how to choose a domain name for your business.
