Understanding domain names
What is a domain name?
A domain name is basically a website address. For example, "Apple.com" is the address of the Apple website and is also the site's domain name.
You might have noticed that there are identical domain names that differ by extension, which is their identifying code. The five most popular Top Level Domains (TLDs) are:
.COM
Short for .commercial. Domain names with the .com extension are by far the most popular, and can be purchased by any individual or business.
.NET
Short for .network, this domain extension was originally designed to be used by technical Web sites. However, domains using this extension can be registered by anyone.
.ORG
Short for .organization. Originally designated for non-profit firms and any other organizations that did not fit under the .com or .net extension, any individual or business may now register a .org domain name.
.INFO
Short for .information. .INFO has been introduced in 2001 and is for both businesses and individuals. In 2005, the total number of .INFO domain names registered is getting closer to the much older .ORG extension domains.
.BIZ
Short for .business. .BIZ is dedicated to the business community and an ideal alternative to the crowded .com space. With .BIZ users can get a great name and expand their online presence.
.US
.US is "America's Internet Address." It is the official country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United States within the global domain name system (DNS).
There are also different Country Level Domains (ccTLDs): every country has its own extension, but there may be restrictions to registration of these names.
There are specific guidelines that regulate the format of domain names: length must be between 2 and 63 characters (excluding the extension). The characters can include any combination of letters, numbers or hyphens. The first and last character cannot be a hyphen. Domain names are not case-sensitive. i.e. "apple.com" would be the same as "Apple.com."
How do I register a domain name?
There are different ways to secure a domain name, depending on whether they are available, registered but about to expire, or registered for a long time.
Available domain names (names that do not belong to anybody) can be registered using the service offered by ICANN accredited registrars (around 300) and their resellers. The prices may vary between $7 and $35 USD. The registration is in most cases immediate.
Domain names that are about to expire can be back-ordered using specific services that continuously monitor the domain name to register it on your behalf when it expires. They then transfer the domain name to the registrar of your choice.
Registered domain names can be purchased or rented from the owner, either directly or through a site that conducts auctions. So, if you want a domain name currently owned by someone else (and not about to expire) you can contact the owner directly (you will find more info about the owner in the WhoIs record associated with that name), or check an auction site. For a listing of auction sites, see Rate-A-Registrar, and then make sure that among the top checkboxes only "Auction" is checked.
What can I do with a domain name?
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• Domain names can be used to establish a unique identity on the internet. Companies usually register domain names that correspond to their company name, and individuals can get a domain name for personal use.
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• Take advantage of the popularity of a specific word / combination of words: companies can register domain names that are related to their industry to receive additional visitors to their websites. I.e. a company in the Real Estate industry could register RealEstate.com and redirect it to its main website to drive more customers.
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• Get a personal, unique email address: a domain name can be used to serve a personal email address. I.e. mr. John Smith could register smith.com to get john@smith.com, a personal email address that would be easy to remember.
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• Trade it! There is a whole secondary market of domain names, where people buy and sell domain names for profit. 7- figure sales have been reported in the past for names sold through specialized websites and private deals.
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