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Domains

The choice of a domain name is a really important part of setting up a web site. The domain is how people find and remember you and it appears as part of the address of every page of your site. There are a number of factors involved in choosing a domain name and there are things involved with maintaining that domain registration.

First, the ending part of every domain name (like “.com” or “.co.uk” or “.org”, which is called the “top-level-domain” or TLD) needs to be considered. Different TLDs say different things about what sort of an organisation you are and in part where you might be located in the world. People using on-line shops like to order from .co.uk sites since this shows them that shipping and currencies will be easy. Many “.com” companies are based in the USA and won’t make international shipments.

Just because you have the “.co.uk” version of a domain name, does not stop other people having the “.com” or “.org” etc versions of the same name. You may not want a particular name if a direct competitor or some business you would not want to be associated with already has the same domain name with a different ending. Someone trying to find your site might end up at one of the others by mistake. It may also make sense to register several of the endings yourself, both to prevent this sort of conflict and to direct visitors to your main site regardless of which ending they type.

The choice of the actual domain name is also tricky because it has to be reasonably concise, easily remembered, unambiguous, and match your trading name or suggest your line of business. Since millions of domain names have already been registered (many of which do not actually have sites but are still unavailable) you will find that many of your top choices are probably not going to be available.

It is also important to realise that you do not buy domain names, you rent them. So it is important to renew your registrations on time or they go back into the pot for anyone else to register. It is also important to ensure that the contact and administrative details held with the registrar are up to date.

We can work with you to find an appropriate domain name and then to register it and ensure that it is kept safe for you.

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