Everything You Need To Know About Domain Names
What is a Domain Name & How Does it Actually Work?
Just as a nickname might be given to a person a domain name could be considered a “nickname” to its real physical name; an IP address. Behind a domain name are numerical numbers indicates what we see, tells where it is, and how to get there.
So when you type in “http://www.WebBizIdeas.com” you are really giving a protocol (http://) to the world wide web (www) to find the files of an IP address located on a certain network from a specific host. A visual breakdown is shown below:
Who Owns a Domain Name?
Just like buying land to build a house, purchasing a domain name is like purchasing real-estate online. A non-profit organization called ICCAN that manages the distribution / ownership of domain names “on behalf” of the United States Government.”
So companies like GoDaddy, Network Solutions, or another domain registrars you purchase domain names from have all been approved / licensed by ICANN to offer these services.
To look up who owns a domain name use Whois.net
How to Register a Domain Name?
Registering a domain name is easy, inexpensive, and can be done in two seconds. All you need to do is go to one of the domain registration companies we recommend below, find an open address, pay $10, and the domain name is yours.
- GoDaddy (don’t go anywhere else)
How & Where to Buy or Sell Domain Names
If you can not find an open domain name you want to register from a domain registration company you can buy an already registered domain name. The domain name marketplace can be compared to commercial real estate; you can buy & sell domain names too.
People who have purchased domain names may offer them for sale. We have listed popular websites that offer a marketplace for buyers & sellers of domain names below:
Domain Name Ideas
Finding the right domain name for your company is extremely important. A domain name is your internet identity (your home), the name of your online business, and is extremely important branding tool. Many factors should be considered when determining a domain name. There is no magic formula to determine your domain name, but here are some resources to help:
WebBizIdeas.com Domain Name tips:
- Short
- Memorable
- Related to your business name or core business
- Hard to misspell
WebBizIdeas.com Recommended Resources:
Does Keywords in Your Domain Name Affect SEO Rankings?
Having a keyword you are optimizing for in your domain name had much less effect on your search engine rankings than most people think; this has been the case for years. I well branded domain name is better than a domain name with a keyword.
But people may attribute positive effects to having a keyword in their domain name when a web page links to that domain name using the URL as the anchor text.
An example of this would be if your domain name was “RedneckCommunity.com” and you obtained positive link value because you are optimizing for the keyword “Video.” People are also more likely to put the anchor text as “Redneck Community” and give you even more link value.
We have also seen positive results if your domain name is an exact match or separated by one or two hyphens. An example of this would be “WhatisSocialNetworking.com”
