A web domain name is the address of your website that people type to access your site. Domain names are usually compared to physical addresses. That’s because they make it easier for internet users to remember and access your website.
A good domain name is essential for your online success. It plays a key role in building your brand and can influence how many people remember and can navigate to your website directly (i.e., branded search traffic).
In this article, we’ll help you understand the different types of domains and show you how to buy a web domain name.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is a unique web address people type to locate a website. Domain names are used in place of IP addresses.
Every website has an IP address. These IP addresses usually contain four sets of numbers separated by a dot, like 192.167.12.16. These numbers can be extremely difficult to remember, which is why domain names are so essential.
Domain names replace the numbers, making it easier for people to remember, type, and locate the specific websites they want. For example, an IP address like 172.217.14.206 becomes google.com.
Now, I’m sure you’ve noticed that different website domains can end in different letters. For example, you have websites with domain extensions like .com, .org, .io, .store, and so on. Let’s break down the structure of a domain next so you can understand what each of these means.
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Types of domains
A domain is usually made up of two main parts. You have the top-level domain and a second-level domain.
But there’s a third level of domain, which is sometimes also referred to as a subdomain.
Here is what each level of the domain entails.
Top-level domains
Top-level domains (TLDs) are the highest level of the domain name system. This part of the domain comes after the last dot and is also referred to as the domain name extension.
There are different types of top-level domains. These can be grouped into the following categories:
- Generic TLD (gTLD) – Anyone can register a generic top-level domain. Some popular examples of gTLDs include .com, .net, and .org. However, you may also see some newer gTLDs like .live, .store, .co, and .shop.
- Country-code TLD (ccTLD) – The idea behind country-code TLDs was to organize the Internet geographically. These TLDs, therefore, have two letters at the end that tend to represent the country behind them. For example, you have .be for Belgium, .de for Germany, .uk for the United Kingdom, .ke for Kenya, .in for India, and so on.
That said, a few ccTLDs have found popular global use cases. For example, .ai was initially supposed to be for Anguilla, a British overseas territory found in the Caribbean. However, it is now popular among artificial intelligence startups.
- Sponsored TLD (sTLD) – Sponsored TLDs require verification before you can register them. That makes sTLDs more controlled, and that’s because they are supposed to be used for very specific purposes. For example, you have .edu, which is used by educational institutions, and .gov, which is used by government institutions.
Second-level domains
Second-level domains are the main part of the website domain name found on the left of the top-level domain name. This is where businesses would typically use their brand names to establish their online identity.
For example, in getresponse.com, “getresponse” is the second-level domain.
Second-level domains are typically unique. The first thing you’ll be asked to do during domain registration is to check whether it’s available. Registrars provide a free tool that helps you check domain availability. If the name is available, you’ll be able to buy it directly from the domain name registrar you’ve chosen.
On the other hand, if the domain name is already taken, you’ll have to buy it from the current owner or wait until it expires and the owner fails to renew it.
Third-level domains
Third-level domains come before the second-level domain. These subdomains are usually created when a website wants to build a separate section within its site without having to buy or register an entirely new domain name.
For example, a website may decide to create a blog section on their site and set up a third-level domain like blog.nameofsite.com. Another example is store.nameofwebsite.com, where a business creates a separate section on their website to sell products.
5 Steps to buy a domain name
Here is how to buy an internet domain name.
1. Choose the best domain name option
First, you need to know the domain name you want to buy.
Identify what top-level domain name will work best for you. Is a generic TLD like .com and .net enough, or will your business benefit from more premium options like .io?
The next thing is to determine the second-level domain name. If you already have an existing business, then chances are your second-level domain name will need to match the name of your business. This is essential for brand consistency.
The problem is that you’ll need to confirm if the domain name is available. If it’s not, you’ll need to be creative to find a more suitable and available domain name.
We’ll talk more about picking a domain name in the next section. For now, let’s look at how you can check the availability of your preferred domain name.
2. Check for preferred domain availability
As mentioned earlier, every domain name is supposed to be unique, so two different organizations cannot own the same domain.
The good thing is that domain name registrars typically provide a domain name search tool to help you determine whether your desired domain name is available.
Type your preferred domain name there to check its availability.
These tools will also tell you the price of the domain name. Pricing will vary depending on various factors like:
- The top-level domain – Common generic TLDs like .com and .net tend to be cheaper than more premium TLDs associated with specific industries like .io and .ai.
- Length of the domain name – Shorter domains are easier to remember and brand. As a result, they tend to be more expensive than longer domain names.
Keep in mind that pricing can also vary from one registrar to another. Some registrars may have cheaper initial fees but with higher domain renewal charges. Others may charge slightly high, but then you get additional tools like a free SSL certificate.
Also, you don’t have to stick to the available domain names. Some domain name owners put up their domains for resell at a premium price tag. Though more expensive, this might be an option you want to consider if you want to build a brand around a specific domain name.
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3. Select a good domain registrar
Make sure to buy your domain name from a registrar that is accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This ensures that you’re buying a domain name from an organization that follows all the set rules and regulations around domain name registrations.
Besides ICANN accreditation, you may also want to check for pricing and fees. Analyze both the initial and renewal fees to ensure you’re not spending anything more than is necessary.
Finally, check the domain management features provided by the registrar. A good domain registrar lets you customize the DNS settings, lock your domain to stop unauthorized transfers, and enable automated renewal so you don’t lose your domain name.
They also provide security and privacy features like 2-factor authentication (2FA).
Something else you may want to consider is getting complementary services from the registrar.
For example, some domain name registrars also provide SSL certificates, web hosting, website building tools, and other similar services. This can help you get the critical tools you need in one place at a cheaper price than buying the services from different vendors.
4. Complete domain purchase and registration
Once you’ve chosen a domain name, determined that it is available, and found a good registrar, the next step is to complete your purchase and domain registration.
ICANN coordinates and manages the global domain name system. One of the requirements from this non-profit organization is that people buying a domain name must submit their personal information.
That means you must submit this information so that the domain name can be tied to you. This information is usually made publicly available on the WHOIS database. However, some domain registrars provide an add-on service where they can hide your personal data from the WHOIS database to prevent phishing and spamming.
5. Verify ownership
You can verify ownership of a domain name in several ways.
For starters, the domain registrar will send you a verification email to the admin email address used in registering the domain name.
You can also look at the WHOIS records on whois.com to verify ownership. Simply paste the URL here and give the tool a few moments to fetch the details.
But what if the owner has WHOIS privacy protection enabled?
If that’s the case, look at the registrar details provided by WHOIS, as shown below.
You can then visit that domain registrar and confirm whether they provide a way of contacting the owner. This method works well if you’re trying to identify and buy a domain name from someone else.
Factors to consider when purchasing a domain name
Consider the following factors to make sure you buy a domain name that will elevate your brand.
Also, remember that a domain name can affect your SEO, i.e., your ability to rank for relevant keywords on Google and attract leads for your business.
Align with your brand
The first step is to make sure your domain name aligns with your brand. This is particularly important for businesses that already exist.
People who already know your brand by a particular name are likely to use that name when searching for your business online. If you used a different name for your domain name, most of that traffic (and potential customers) will end up getting lost.
That’s why it’s so important that your domain name be the same as your brand name. In situations where that is not possible (e.g., the domain name is already taken and not available for resale), look for something similar. You can use free domain name generators to find a similar domain name available for purchase.
Pro tip: When starting a business, make sure to buy the associated domain name right away to prevent situations where another brand snatches your name.
Align with your long-term goals
Think about the long-term vision of your business when registering a custom domain name. It may be tempting to use a super-specific domain name like “personalinjuryattorneyla.com” for SEO or other reasons. But what happens if you decide to expand your services beyond the personal injury practice? Or what if you expanded beyond the LA area?
Therefore, avoid tying down your domain name to a specific product or service. This can seriously limit your business expansion efforts in the future.
Focus on memorability
Short, snappy domain names are easy to remember, and this is good for your SEO. With such a domain name, users will always be able to type and visit your website directly. This is good news as it increases brand search volume, which can boost your overall SEO efforts.
Also, since users are typing your domain name directly, they’re more likely to bypass the Google search results. Why is that essential? Google lets brands bid on branded search queries of their competitors.
Here is an example. You will notice that a bunch of brands are taking up the top positions by bidding for the branded keyword “GetProspect.”
A short, snappy domain name helps you avoid these scenarios where your competitors can end up stealing some of your traffic.
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Keep it the right length
Shorter domain names are easier to remember and type. This enhances the user experience by making it easier for them to locate your website.
It’s also important that you avoid adding special characters and numbers in your domain name. Characters like hyphens make it harder for users to remember and type your website address correctly.
Choose the right domain extension
The right domain extension will depend on the nature of your business.
For example, if your business operates in a specific area and you don’t see yourself extending beyond that, a country-code top-level domain name would work well. So you could use a domain name extension like .co.uk if your business will only operate within the UK.
This is both good for your branding and local SEO efforts. It helps you rank better for local search queries.
Similarly, if you’re a tech startup, a domain extension like .ai (for startups in the artificial intelligence industry) and .io could give you an extra mileage.
That said, .com and .net are the most recognizable domain extensions. So use this if your target audience is not very familiar with modern trendy top-level domain names.
And if you’re a non-governmental organization, a .org extension could help you align with industry expectations.
Check for trademark infringement
Finally, make sure your domain name does not infringe any existing trademarks. Some brands have trademarked their brand name, and such names cannot be used in a domain name.
For example, you might not be able to create a random business and use the domain name nikegears.com because Nike is trademarked.
Check the relevant trademark databases to ensure your domain name does not infringe any existing trademarks, as that could result in expensive legal issues.
Plus, using someone else’s name can only cause confusion and make it harder for you to build your own authentic brand.
In closing
The best practice is to purchase a domain name immediately after coming up with your business plan and a business name. In fact, you might even want to consider changing your business name in case you realize that you cannot use the name because the domain name is taken. That’s how important a domain name is.
But in situations where you have to stick with a particular name, use free domain name generators to come up with good alternative ideas for your website.
