What is a Domain Name?

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what is a domain name

What is a Domain Name?

domain name is the address of your website. Simply put, your website is home and your domain name is your home address.

Every domain name is unique and cannot be shared by more than one owner at the same time.

Domains are the unique identifiers for the web servers that represent your website. They are what separates one website from another on the internet.

Every website is identified by an IP address. Your computer will connect to the server where the website data is located through the IP address.

Why are domain names created? It is because the IP address is too complicated to remember. So domain names are created so that users can remember them easily.

How’s the Structure of a Domain Name?

A simple explanation for you to know about how a domain name looks like: www.exabytes.my

  • www: this refers to the third-level domain (World Wide Web)
  • exabytes: this refers to the second-level domain, usually it represents the name of the website.
  • .my: this is the ccTLD (Country-code top-level domain), also known as a domain name extension.

Differences between gTLD, ccTLD, and new TLD domain names

www graphic

a. gTLD Generic Top-Level Domain 

Generic Top-Level Domain, a domain with three or more characters. For example:

b. ccTLD Country Code Top-Level Domain 

There are two types of Country Code Top-Level Domains – open ccTLD and closed ccTLD. Open ccTLD is the domain used by the country it belongs to, but it is open for anyone to register, such as .TV (country code for Polynesian island nation of Tuvalu).

On the other hand, closed ccTLD is the domain used by the country it belongs to, but it is restricted as to who can use it.

Examples of closed ccTLD are .MY domain (only for Malaysians or companies registered in Malaysia), .AU (only for Australian residents), and more.

c. New Generic TLD Domain

New generic top-level domains were introduced by ICANN to help niche businesses secure their brand identity. Over 1500 new generic TLD domains have been introduced including .XYZ, .APP, .VIP and more.

How Do I Find a Great Domain Name?

There are a number of ways to find a great website name. One way is by typing in the words that you think are good domain names and check if they are available.

Another way is by looking at your competitors’ domain names and trying to find something better for yourself.

In the end, there is no perfect formula for finding a perfect domain name, but it’s always best to be creative and think outside of the box!

Why is This So Important?

A good domain name can make a good first impression. When you create a relevant domain, it will be perceived more positively. Otherwise, your website may be viewed negatively.

This will also affect the SEO results and organic search ranking for your pages. Although exact match domains (EMDs) are no longer necessary, your domain name keywords still have the ability to improve your SEO ranking.

Are you looking for a domain name to define your brand? A good domain name can increase your business recognition.

Tips for Choosing the Right Domain Name

search website url

If you are still thinking and considering what kind of domain name you want, here are some ideas for you to help you make the right decision when choosing a domain name.

1. Easy To Remember

Every day, more and more new registered domain names are appearing online, so having a domain that is catchy and memorable is essential.

Once you’ve come up with a name, share it with close friends to make sure it sounds appealing and makes sense to others.

2. Easy To Type

To ensure your domain name stands out from others, don’t pick a domain name that requires spellcheck to get it right. This is usually caused by complex words, uncommon words, or unusual spellings.

A good domain name will give users a greater impression and appeal to a wider audience.

3. Keep It Short & Simple

While there is never an ideal length for a domain name, it is best to keep your domain name length as short as possible.

By maximizing the readability and appearance of your domain name online, the short domain name can become a strong marketing tool.

4. Use Keywords

Include the target keywords that you want to focus on SEO marketing when creating your domain name.

5. Research

Don’t just simply follow the trend or advice from any particular party.

Do your own research; find the best domain name that is suitable for your website. Ideally, your domain name must have a strong linkage with your main objective for your website.

A different domain name might bring higher traffic to your website.

6. Domain Name Extensions

Choose the best domain extensions that suit your business industry, for example: .BIZ is for business or commercial use; e-commerce sites / .INFO is for informational sites / .ORG is for non-commercial or non-profits organizations.

7. Geographic Area

A domain name ending with a geographic extension will get a higher reputation in the respective country and gain more trust. Examples of a few country domain name extensions:
1. .SG: Singapore
2. .MY: Malaysia
3. .ID: Indonesia
4. .UK: United Kingdom

8. Branding

Be innovative and unleash your creativity when choosing your domain name. Currently, you can register using one of the many new domain name extensions to create an interesting domain name, such as:
1. listen.la
2. i.am
3. hello.me 

9. Checking the domain name availability 

To purchase / register a domain name, you need to find one that is available (i.e. one that no one else owns) when you carry out your search.

You can use a search engine such as Google, and enter the domain name you wish to get and find out if it is already registered. Exabytes also provides a domain lookup tool to search for domain availability before you purchase the ideal domain.

Read More: How to find a domain name for your company website?

How to Buy a Domain?

To buy a domain name, simply sign up with an online domain name registrar and then pay for a subscription.

Malaysia Top Trusted Domain Registrar and Hosting Provider, Exabytes provides domain registration services and allows you to sign up for a domain and hosting plan at the same time. To know more, don’t hesitate to contact us. 

What Can You Do With a Domain Name?

  • Get a hosting plan and build a website
  • Link your domain to your social media
  • Register your business
  • Trademark your business
  • Create a custom email address
  • Design and develop your website
  • Force HTTPS redirection
  • Market your website

To find out more, read our blog post – 8 Things To Do After Buying A Domain Name 

Why Must You Own a Domain Name?

Owning a domain name that represents your BRAND is a great investment to your business. You might not have enough resources to build your website/ eCommerce store Today, but taking charge of your brand aka domain name is a must!

It’s essential to all businesses. Businesses often register a domain name to prevent cyber-squatting or unauthorized use.

Use your domain name in your business email. It builds your BRAND Identity and shows professionalism.

For example, exabytes.my and [email protected].

Related: Who is The Domain Owner or Website Owner

What Are the Requirements to Register a Domain Name?

  • A domain name can only contain characters from A to Z, 0 – 9; 
  • A domain name may contain “hyphen/-” but may not begin or end with a hyphen; 
  • Spaces and special characters, such as question marks (?), exclamation points (!), and underscores (_) are never permitted; 
  • A domain name cannot have hyphens as the 3rd and 4th characters (reserved for multilingual domain registration eg: xn--example.com).
  • The information provided in the domain name registration must be true, correct, up to date and complete; 
  • Domain name owners must ensure their domain Whois information is always up to date.

What is the Domain Grace Period & Redemption Grace Period?

domain grace period timeline

Domain Grace Period (0-30 days)

Domain grace period allows you to renew the domain within 30 days after expiration in case you change your mind and want the domain back. We recommend you to renew your domain name before it expires to reduce the risk of losing domain ownership.

Redemption Grace Period (30 days)

In this stage, you still have the last chance to renew or transfer domain, but it costs an additional renewal fee. Different fees are chargeable for different registrars or web host providers.

Pending Delete Period (5 days)

In this stage, your domain name is pending delete and you’ll never be able to get back the domain name after this. The process takes 5 days and the domain name will be fully removed. 

Domain Auction

Your domain name will be released to public auction if no one places a backorder on your domain name.

What is Domain ID Protection?

whois is proctection example

Whois ID Protection is often known as ID Protection or Domain Protection

ID Protection ensures the confidentiality of your private contact information. It will not be exposed to the public and is protected by the Domain Privacy Protection Service.

Your contact information will not be displayed but will be replaced with the Domain Privacy Protection Service’s contact information.

With your private contact information hidden from the public record, your privacy is assured.

With Whois ID Protect, the visible email address to the public is constantly changing, so while it is being harvested and redistributed, it will change and the previous address will no longer work for spammers.

What is the Difference Between Add-on Domains, Subdomains and Parked Domains?

The Differences between an Add-on Domain, Subdomain and Parked Domain

a. Add-on Domain

You can register another domain and park it under the same hosting after signing up for a domain and web hosting account.

For example, now you have a hosting account and a domain (www.domain1.com). A few weeks later, you buy another domain (www.domain2.com) to create an additional website.

All you need to do is just host the domain on the same web hosting account without paying for hosting again.

b. Subdomains

A Subdomain is extremely useful as it allows you to have a stand-alone website with unique content without having to register for another new domain.

For example, you own the domain (www.exabytes.my). To create a blog for your company, you just need to create another subdomain (blog.exabytes.my). In this case, blog.exabytes.my is the subdomain. 

c. Parked Domains

Domain owners use a parked domain to point to their main website.

For example, if (www.domain1.com) is your main site, you can register another domain (www.domain2.com) and assign it as a parked domain.

When a website visitor visits (www.domain2.com), they will see the exact same content as on (www.domain1.com). In this case, www.domain2.com is the parked domain.

For more information: Addon domain vs. Subdomains vs. Parked Domains

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