Domain Name Breakdown
What I learned about domain names and why I changed mine
I was inspired to start a blog after reading the following Ray Bradbury quote:
Jump off the cliff and learn how to make your wings on the way down.
This image spurred me to action. I had no technical background whatsoever, but I threw myself into the project with enthusiasm. I got my website up and running, but soon hit several roadblocks. I didn’t understand how to get my posts found by search engines. I was overwhelmed with plug-in options for my new website. I didn’t understand half of the online tutorials I watched. Soon, I was lost and couldn’t see the way forward. That is when I discovered the simplicity of writing on Medium.
After publishing on Medium and building confidence, I decided to try again to get my blog up and running. This time, however, I enrolled in a training program. This is what I learned about domain names and why I decided to change mine.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is your online address. The content on your domain is what visitors see when they visit.
If you create content, your domain is the perfect place to house your work. An online presence will allow you to build up an email list of fans who wish to read your work. If you’re an author, your domain is your online portfolio available for agents, publishers, and readers to see.
If you wish to take your business online and have access to the millions of people conducting internet searches daily, you need a domain. When you have a domain, you have the opportunity to recommend products and services for affiliate income as well.
Your domain appearance
Imagine you’re having visitors over to your house. What do you do? You clean it up and make it presentable. You might mow the front lawn or rake up the leaves.
When you have visitors click on your website or blog, you want it to look clean and professional. Your domain name is like a storefront window or the exterior of your house. When visitors see it, do they want to enter?
You want a domain name that is relevant and provides credibility. It should give insight into your website content. You want a domain name that will be recognizable one day.
Spend some time choosing your domain name. It’s an important choice.
What is an IP address?
“Every website is identified by a unique series of numbers called an IP address. This numeric set is what your computer uses to connect to the server where the website data lives.”
For most people it’s much easier to remember words than numbers. This is where the domain name comes in. The words used to identify a website are known as the domain or URL.
When I lived in the UK some of the houses had names like Rose Cottage or The Hollies instead of house numbers. These names conjured up images of idyllic, homely places and they were easier to remember. You want a domain name that is memorable so people will return your website again and again. A good domain name will also appear in searches more often.
What do the words in the domain name mean?
If you look at a domain, the words to the left of the dot represent your name, business, or store. This is the identity of your website.
The number to the right of the dot is the top level domain (sometimes called an internet domain extension) and these are often .com, .org, .net or country specific like .co.uk. Top level domains provide an instant way to understand what a website is about. For example, a .gov TLD (top level domain) tells you that the content of the website is centered around government.
Here are some common Top Level Domains:
.com — commercial .org — organization .net — network .biz — business
Certain tld’s are restricted because guidelines must be met to qualify for them. For example:
.edu — educational institutions .int — international organization with a UN registration number .gov — U.S. government .mil — U.S. military
If you want a more complete list of top level domains you can find them here.
Where can you register your domain name?
You can register domain names on a number of sites like: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, 1&1, and NetworkSolutions.
There are a number of ways to get a free domain name if you’re starting out. This post by lifewire.com tells you how.
Why is it important to rank well in searches?
When I set up my first blog, I had no idea what I was doing. I chose a .co.uk top level domain because I was based in the UK. Now, I’ve learned that .com and .org domain names rank better in search results. Also, I’ve moved back to the U.S. and now my UK domain limits my reach. So, I’ve changed my domain name and chosen a top level domain with a wider reach.
Imagine you want to find out about free, local concerts. What do you do? You go to Google and search for free concerts in (insert your city). There are usually about 10 results that show up on the first page of your search. Do you ever look on the second page? Occasionally. What about the third page? Rarely. And the fourth? Almost never.
So, if you want people to find your website, it’s important to choose a domain name that will rank. A domain name that ranks well will bring traffic to your website. Traffic equates to followers, sales, and online growth.
These days, you can choose more unusual top level domains like .club or .icecream.
However, if you want your domain name to rank well and be found in searches it is still best to choose a .com or .org top level domain. Here is a helpful post about choosing between a .com, .org, or .net domain name.
If your business is country-specific, you may wish to use the TLD (top level domain) of that country. e.g. .au (for Australia) or .co.uk (for the UK).
Key Learning
Today we’ve taken a close look at domains. We’ve done a domain breakdown for beginners. We’ve learned it’s important for your domain to rank well in online searches. We’ve also discovered that it’s helpful to target a .com or .org top level domain if your content is not country-specific.
If you’d like to find keyword research tools to help you choose your domain name, you may want to read this post: