Domain Name – What is a Domain Name
A domain name is the address in the browser URL bar that you type to access a website. Every website on the web has a domain name. If you create a website of your own, you can choose your own domain name.
What is a Domain Name Explained
The internet is a global network of computers, and each computer has an Internet Protocol (IP) address which enables it to be identified. An IP address looks like this: 68.213.26.204. The trouble is that such a number would be hard to remember.
That’s where domain names come in. Domain names stand in for the IP of a website to make it easier to find and remember. Each website has a unique domain name that distinguishes it from all other websites on the internet.
When you click on a Google result or enter a website domain in your web browser, the global Domain Name System (a network of servers) sends your request to the web servers storing that data, which then sends the data back to your browser. It may sound complicated, but it only takes about a second.
If a website was a grocery store or museum, its domain name would be its address—the location where visitors could find it. In this case, though, people would not be walking to it but using their web browser of choice to find it.
What is a Domain Name – The Structure
A domain name consists of three elements. Let’s take as our example the most popular website on the internet, Google.
If you look at the address bar of your web browser, Brandlings main English search page shows up like this: www.brandlings.com
The main elements of a domain name are separated by dots (.). Let’s break them down to better understand what a domain name is made of.
- www – This is an acronym for the World Wide Web. It basically means that the website is on the internet. These days, you’ll see domain names without the “www.” For example, Wikipedia, the world’s largest free encyclopedia, uses the domain name en.wikipedia.org where “en” differentiates the English version of the site from other language versions. In the case of Wikipedia, the “www” is implied even if it doesn’t appear in the search bar.
- brandlings – This is the name of the website. If you make your own website, you can choose this name. This element of the domain name is usually your business name or else readily identifiable with your business.
- com – this is the domain name extension and typically refers to the type of website. “com” stands for “commercial” while “org” stands for “organization.” The most popular domain name extension, “com” is also a Top Level Domain Extension.
Without a domain name, a website would not be easy to find on the internet. Let alone to remember.
What is a Domain Name – How to Obtain
Today, anyone can register a domain name whether or not they want to build a website. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) keeps track of domain registrations. But you can buy a domain from any web hosting provider that offers domain registration as a service.
You cannot use a domain name that’s already in use, though you could buy it from the owner if they are willing to sell it.
Registering a domain name is an essential step to creating a website and establishing an online presence. That’s why it’s important to choose your domain name carefully, making sure it’s easy to type and remember.
At the end of the day, domain names make the internet a tidier and more accessible place. Just imagine if instead of domain names we’d have to use strings of numbers to remember websites!
Brandlings.com Domains and Websites
We have a number of domains that have been developed to kick-start your business or rebrand your web presence. Please feel free to review our shop for the latest prices.
