Registering Domain Names

What is a domain name?

A domain name is the name that tells visitors where your website is on the Internet. It is part of the URL address that visitors type into their web browsers to get to your site, like http://www.yoursite.com/. Domain names move from specific to general domain as you read them from left to right. So if a domain name is library.stateuniversity.edu, then you are looking at a web page that is from the library at the state university, which is in the .edu or education domain with other schools and universities.

There are many domain extensions, like.com and .edu., some of which will be options for you as you choose a domain name. Extensions such as .edu, for educational institutions and .gov for governments, are restricted to those types of websites. The extension .com is commonly used for businesses, as is .biz, while .org is normally used for organizations, and.net was originally meant for web service-oriented sites. The price for registering your domain name may vary depending on which extension you choose.

How do I get a domain name?

You will have to have a domain name to have your website accessible on the Internet. Many web hosts provide subdomain names with their services. This means your website's address is a subset of the server's address, like yoursite.webhost.net. While this may serve your purposes, having your own domain name, like yoursite.com, looks more professional and is easier to remember.

ICANN is the international group that manages domain names. You can register a domain name with an ICANN-approved site like GoDaddy.com, which will help you register your site and pay for it. When you register a domain name this way you take the domain name with you to your web host, and if you switch web hosts the name moves with you. Some web hosts offer lower prices for customers who have their own domain names.

You can also register your domain name through some web hosting services. Many web hosts offer packages that include the registration of your domain name, or charge this article has all rights reserved and is copyright by 100 Best an extra fee to add domain name registration to the services you receive from them. This can be a quick and easy way to register your domain name, but usually costs more, and may mean that you can't take the domain name with you if you switch web hosts.

For web hosting services that offer domain name registration, see our listing of web hosts.