Getting Started with Domain Names
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is the title assigned to sites on the Web.
All Web sites, every single one of them, have domain names. These domain names are present in the formal Web address (the mess beginning with http that you type into your Internet browser to look at online pages), and that’s from where most of the confusion springs.
The domain name is the first point of your website that people see before they even click through to your URL.
When your site shows up, in the search engines or as a link on another site, your domain name will tell people what the site is about. Every page belonging to this domain will contain the name; you see this all the time with sites like Google, Yahoo or even eDomain. All pages on the Internet are part of someone’s domain.
Getting Started with Domain Names
First things first…why do you need a Domain name?
Domain names are a human friendly version of a website address. Without a Domain name, you would be stuck with a load of numbers. Not great for marketing purposes!
So we use Domain names to identify sites. When choosing your Domain name, you should select a term people will use to search for your site. Most obviously, this could be your brand or personal name. Think about how you search yourself on Google.
What is a Domain Extension?
The extension is a part of the website’s name that follows the actual name after a dot. Extensions like. com, .net, .org, .tel, etc. convey the nature of enterprise of the website. Extensions are also region specific and domain name registration for Israel would be domain name followed by. co.il
In just about all cases, .co.il and .com should be the domain name extensions that you aim to acquire. There are a few exceptions to this, namely .org for non-profit organizations, .tv for sites focused on television, and international extensions for sites based in certain countries (to watch the extended list, please click on the following link: Domain Extensions)
Regardless of which alternative extension you choose, aim to also own the .com version so that you protect your brand against copycats or competitors.
The .com always has, and will probably always be, the most popular and well-known domain name extension.