DISCLOSURE: fromzerotoguru.com is a free resource that is 100% supported by you. This website contains affiliate links, we may earn a commission. It comes at no extra cost for you, but it helps us to create more content and allows the site to continue to operate.
In this article we are going to be going over what is a domain name and why it is important. When you are starting a blog or website, the domain name of the website is a critical step.
In this article we will review what a domain name is and several key items that relate to domain names.
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name how people find websites on the internet. They use a common name like google.com to visit the website. There are three key components that make up a website.
- The first is the domain name, typically a branded name or something easy to remember, followed by a .com, .net, .org, or something else.
- The second is what it points the domain name to in DNS (Domain Name Search), referred to as a server IP address. This is where your website is physically located.
- The third component of a website is the content or HTML that makes up the pages that people see when they get to your site.
What is a domain name system?
Domain name system or DNS as they often refer it to allows for URL’s to be mapped to IP addresses so that when you type the name of a website in to your browser, you can go to the website.
Back before DNS, you would have to remember the IP address of the website you wanted to visit. DNS changed that so that people could use easier to remember addresses for their websites.
Remember, it maps Domain names to server IP addresses on the internet. Interesting experiment is that you can access google.com by typing this IP address in to any browser.
8.1.2 this number will take you to google.com
How do I Pick a Domain Name?
We start with what a domain name is, now we are going to move on to how to pick a domain name. Picking a domain name is very simple as long as it is available. However, there are some tips and tricks to getting the name want.
When selecting a domain name be sure it is relative to what the website is about. Doing this will allow people to associate your domain name with what the website is about. You don’t want to name a site and it references something else.
Tips and Tricks:
- Use the below domain search to see if your domain is available
- Try adding additional items to the end of the domain, like info or blog.
- Make sure it applies to the website. Especially for a business or someone that is branding their name.
- Keep it short and get a .com
How do I Register a Domain Name?
Registering a domain name is very simple. You can head over to Bluehost and click the Get Started button. They will take you through getting one registered in a couple minutes.
How Much does a Domain Name Cost?
The cost of a domain name varies by hosting provider. In the example above, Bluehost offers hosting for as little as $2.95 a month.
Other providers may offer similar deals however Bluehost works very close with WordPress. Because they are a partner with them they are very good at making sure the install of wordpress is seamless for you.
Conclusion
Starting a website requires you to find a domain name relevant to your content. This connects your audience with your content. Readers will remember your website and come back.
Having a domain name easy to remember is the first step is starting your online journey.
