Your identity on the world wide web.
If you didn't know already, a domain name is the part of an internet address that usually follows the "www.", or the part of the email address that comes after the "@" symbol. It forms part of the address that all of your customers and potential customers will see on your business cards, in your brochures, on your letterhead, on your vehicles - anywhere you can think of. And it's easier to remember than a phone number.
When you access an organisation's website, you'll no doubt see their address in your browser window. This includes their domain name along with the actual page of their site that you are on. Take the BBC as an example. To get to view their web-pages for children, you go to the web address http://www.bbc.co.uk/children/. The first part of that address, “http://” tells your computer that this an internet address for a website. The next part, “www.” is optional, but most sites use it anyway. Then we come to the domain name, which is “bbc.co.uk”. Finally, the part that reads “/children/” directs the computers used by the BBC to show you their children’s pages.
Continuing with the example of the BBC, the domain name will also be seen in email addresses. For example, to get in touch with your favourite breakfast radio presenter then you’ll need to perhaps email either terry.wogan@bbc.co.uk or chris.moyles@bbc.co.uk. The part before the “@” is the email address they were allocated by the technical people at the BBC that look after emails. The format of how that part of the email address looks is up to the owner of the domain name – they could have easily used wogant or cmoyles if they’d have preferred.
We can split the BBCs domain name down a little further to help you see what your options would be for your company’s new domain name. The bbc.co.uk domain name is actually made up of two parts. The first part, unique to the BBC, is “bbc” – the part before the “co.uk”. Essentially this first part is what identifies the organisation to anyone who sees their web address. The last part, “.co.uk” is what type of domain name it is. You see lots of different abbreviations describing this part of the domain name, but what is important is to know what types are available to you.
First of all, you need to consider some options as to what you’d like the first part of the domain name to be, and some second and third choices too. Chances are your first choice will have already been taken.
Secondly, depending on availability, think which domain ending you would like. For a UK-based organisation then “.co.uk” is the favourite. It’s also wise to purchase the “.com” name too. Most people who perhaps guess at website names would try the “.com” and “.co.uk” versions of a name first. Other types are available, and although these are less desirable they may give you more chance of getting the first part of the name you wanted. Examples include “.net”, “.net.uk”, “.org”, “.org.uk”, “.us”, “.name” and many more. Some ending are not available unless you meet strict rules for eligibility – for example “.de” is only available to organisations with a presence in Germany, “.ie” is only available to companies registered in Ireland.
