Chapter 1 MA TE RI AL Domain Names CO PY RI GH TE D In this chapter: Q 1. Have you thought of a good domain name for your website? Q 2. Do you need multiple domain names? Q 3. How much should you pay for a domain? Q 4. Do you know what makes a good domain registrar? Q 5.
CHAPTER 1 DOMAIN NAMES Importance You cannot own a domain name. Domain registrants are given exclusive right to use a domain name for a certain period. This right is managed through regulatory agencies, such as the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the international agency that oversees generic (noncountry) domain names such as .com or .org, for periods of up to 10 years.
1 . HAV E YO U T H O U G H T O F A G O O D D O MAI N NAM E FO R YO U R W E B S I T E ? memorability. If your company name is four words long, it will be easy to remember a domain name that matches those four words exactly. You can also help visitors remember a longer name by capitalizing words in print (HealthWiseFitnessEquipment.com) or using different colors for the parts of the name.
CHAPTER 1 DOMAIN NAMES Importance You need to make sure that you correctly point additional domain names at your website. There can be negative consequences when dealing with search engines unless you do it right, which involves creating what’s called a 301 redirect. What this redirect tells search engines is that the website has permanently moved from one domain name to another. For detailed instructions try the search redirect phrase multiple domains 301.
2 . D O YO U N E E D M U LT I P L E D O M A I N N A M E S ? As more top-level domain (TLD) extensions are added or country codes are opened to general use, there can be a lot of hype about the need to register your domain name with a particular extension to prevent competitors from snapping it up. Sometimes, that’s all it is—hype. But if a TLD extension does take off and come close to .com in popularity, you’d hate to miss out.
CHAPTER 1 Importance DOMAIN NAMES 3. How Much Should You Pay for a Domain? The price of a domain name is determined by two variables: the base price set by the agencies that control the various domain name extensions (.com, .us, .tv, and so on) and the markup charged by domain name registrars. That’s why you see such a variation in the prices charged by a single registrar for different domain extensions, as shown in Figure 1-1.
3 . H O W M U C H S H O U L D YO U PAY FO R A D O MAI N ? You can also get an existing domain name by agreeing to pay the current registrant to transfer the registration to you. Many registrars offer domain name brokering services to facilitate these kinds of transactions, or some will run domain name auctions. The cost of registering a domain name this way is completely a matter of what you’re willing to pay the current registrant—it can be a couple of hundred dollars or a couple of thousand (or more).
CHAPTER 1 DOMAIN NAMES A popular scam is when a domain registrar sends out a notice saying that your domain is expiring soon, so you should make sure that it’s safe by renewing now. Except that when you sign the form, you’re actually agreeing to transfer the domain from your existing registrar to this other company, and usually at crazy high rates (upward of $70 per year).
4 . D O YO U KN O W W H AT MAKE S A G O O D D O MAI N R EG I S T R A R ? 4. Do You Know What Makes a Good Domain Registrar? There really isn’t much for a domain registrar to do except record who registered which domain name, so the only way to tell registrars apart is by the other services they offer.
CHAPTER 1 DOMAIN NAMES On Video For a detailed view of a domain management interface, I’ve created a short tour on the DVD. Use one domain regis-trar for all your domains. Ending up with two or three or more registrars can be a nightmare of paperwork, and you can even end up missing notices for domains that need to be renewed.
5 . W H O W I L L R EG I S T E R YO U R D O M AI N A N D I N W H O S E N A M E ? 5. Who Will Register Your Domain and in Whose Name? 11 Importance Although registering a domain name is straightforward, some people are not comfortable doing it themselves or they’re too busy, so it’s not uncommon for a web designer or a company to register a domain on behalf of their client.
CHAPTER 1 DOMAIN NAMES Your domain managel ment login is completely separate from your hosting control panel login. Remember that your domain name is not the same as your website— the domain tells the world which server has your website files. Make sure the login data for your domain and your hosting control panel are different. a site like domaintools.com. You can fi nd out the registrar and whether you’re listed as the domain registrant.
