What a Domain Is & Why You Need It for Your Business

Posted 2 years ago by Anastasia Prokofieva

As桂a桂small business owner, don�셳 underestimate the桂importance of桂having an桂online presence. Your website is桂often the桂first point of桂contact between you and桂your potential customers, so桂making a桂good impression is桂a桂must.

One of桂the桂essential elements of桂your website is桂your domain name. Simply put, this is桂the桂address your customers will type into their browser to桂find your ecommerce website.

This article will give you a桂crash course in桂all things domain-related. You�셪l learn what a桂domain is, why you need one, and桂how to桂choose the桂perfect domain name f늡곶桂your business website.

What Is桂a桂Domain Name?

First, let�셲 answer this important question: what does domain mean?

A桂domain is桂a桂unique reference that identifies a桂website. Simply put, it桂is桂the桂location of桂your website, 늡곶桂an桂address people type into their browsers to桂find your website online.

You can think of桂a桂domain name like your website�셲 street address. Just as桂your business has a桂physical address that customers use to桂visit you, your online store has a桂domain that helps your customers access it.

For example, our domain name is桂ecwid.com. If桂you type it桂in桂your browser, you�셪l be桂taken to桂our website.

The actual address of桂a桂website is桂a桂complex numerical IP桂address. For example, the桂IP桂address of桂google.com is桂172.217.3.196. Such strings of桂numbers are great f늡곶桂computers but are not very human-friendly. That�셲 where domain names come in桂�� they connect to桂numeric IP桂addresses, making it桂easier f늡곶桂us桂to桂find the桂website we桂need.

The Difference Between a桂Domain Name and桂an桂URL

To桂avoid confusion, it�셲 essential to桂understand the桂difference between a桂domain name and桂an桂URL.

A桂domain name is桂the桂location of桂your website. A桂URL (uniform resource locator, also known as桂a桂web address) is桂a桂specific page on桂your website that someone is桂visiting.

For example, our domain name is桂ecwid.com. The URL of桂this blog post is桂/blog/what-is-domain.html

ecwid.com is桂a桂domain name

A桂URL consists of桂the桂protocol, the桂domain name, and桂the桂path. Though you�셱e now familiar with the桂definition of桂a桂domain name, you might be桂wondering: 혫What does a桂protocol and桂path mean?혬

A桂protocol is桂a桂method by桂which data is桂sent from one computer to桂another on桂the桂internet. A桂path refers to桂the桂exact location of桂a桂page, post, 늡곶桂file.

For example, in桂the桂URL /blog, 혫ecwid.com혬 is桂the桂domain name, 혫https혬 is桂the桂protocol, and桂혫/blog혬 is桂the桂path to桂a桂blog on桂the桂website.

Learn more: Guide to桂URL: Design URL Structure For the桂Best SEO Results

Understanding Types of桂Domains

Now that you know the桂domain definition and桂the桂difference between domains and桂URLs, let�셲 dive into the桂different types of桂domains.

The basic form of桂a桂domain name consists of桂two elements:

The domain name itself, such as桂혫ecwid혬
The extension, such as桂혫.com혬

A桂domain extension is桂a桂suffix that follows the桂domain name in桂a桂web address. It�셲 likely you�셱e already familiar with the桂most common domain extensions: .com, .net, .org, .co.

To桂distinguish domains from one another, there is桂a桂hierarchy within the桂domain name registry. Let�셲 look into the桂most common domain levels.

Top-Level Domains

Top-level domains are the桂domain name extensions that represent the桂highest level in桂the桂Domain Name System hierarchy.

There are generic top-level domains. For example:

Domains used f늡곶桂general purposes: .com, .net, .org, .info
Domains used f늡곶桂their specific purposes: .pro, .biz, .name
Domains used by桂companies of桂a桂certain industry: .edu, .gov, .travel

.edu domains are usually used by桂universities

There are also country-specific top-level domains. They are associated with certain countries 늡곶桂geographical locations. For example, .au represents Australia, .ca f늡곶桂Canada, and桂.uk f늡곶桂the桂United Kingdom.

Second-Level Domains

Second-level domains are domains that follow top-level domains. For example, in桂혫ecwid.com혬, 혫ecwid혬 is桂the桂second-level domain of桂the桂혫.com혬 top-level domain.

Usually, second-level domains are the桂name of桂the桂business that registered the桂domain name with a桂registrar. It桂can be桂a桂brand name 늡곶桂a桂company name that potential customers use to桂identify it.

Third-level domains

Third-level domains follow second-level domains. For example, 혫www혬 is桂the桂most common third-level domain.

Third-level domains are often referred to桂as桂subdomains. Large companies often use subdomains to桂distinguish between departments 늡곶桂parts of桂their site. For example, a桂company can host its blog on桂a桂subdomain like 혫blog.companywebsite.com.혬

The Importance of桂a桂Domain f늡곶桂Your Business

Now that you know what a桂domain is, you might be桂wondering: do桂I桂really need one f늡곶桂my桂business website? The answer is桂yes!

There are several reasons why having a桂domain is桂essential f늡곶桂your small business. To桂name a桂few:

It桂helps customers find your business online. A桂domain name makes it桂easier f늡곶桂customers to桂remember your website and桂search f늡곶桂it.
It桂defines your brand. A桂domain name can support your brand, letting the桂customers know who you are and桂what you sell. A桂unique domain name helps associate your name with your product.
It桂helps optimize your SEO. Search engine optimization relies on桂keywords to桂help your rankings during searches. It桂can be桂useful to桂have a桂domain that contains a桂keyword related to桂your business.

Artists often use their name as桂their personal brand name and桂domain name

Also: 8桂Best Practices f늡곶桂Choosing a桂Domain Name

How to桂Register a桂Domain

Before you put your knowledge to桂practice, let�셲 discuss domain registration.

Before registering a桂domain, you should come up桂with a桂domain name. It桂should be桂short, unique to桂your business, and桂easy to桂remember. It�셲 a桂good idea to桂choose a桂.com domain, as桂this is桂the桂most popular and桂recognizable domain extension.

And never forget about SEO! It�셲 important f늡곶桂your domain authority桂�� this describes your website�셲 relevance f늡곶桂a桂specific subject area 늡곶桂industry. The higher your domain authority scores, the桂higher your domain ranks in桂search engines. You can check your domain authority using .

Once you have an桂idea of桂what you want your domain name to桂be, you can check if桂it�셲 available using a桂domain availability checker tool. For example, 늡곶桂 both have easy tools f늡곶桂determining domain availability.

A桂domain availability checker shows that the桂domain is桂taken and桂offers an桂alternative

If桂the桂domain name you wanted f늡곶桂your business is桂taken, you can try a桂domain name generator tool to桂come up桂with some alternative domain name ideas. For example, 늡곶桂 both can provide great results.

When you find an桂available domain, you then want to桂register it桂with a桂domain registrar. It桂is桂a桂business that sells domain names and桂handles the桂process of桂registering them.

Some of桂the桂most popular domain registrars are , , , , , .

To桂buy a桂domain:

Go桂to桂the桂domain registrar of桂your choice.
Type in桂your domain into the桂search box and桂click Search Domain.
Select the桂extension you need (for example, .com) and桂add the桂domain to桂your cart.
Complete the桂registration and桂payment process.

Congratulations, now you have a桂domain f늡곶桂your business!

Also: How to桂Buy the桂Perfect Domain Name f늡곶桂Your Store

However, there�셲 an桂even easier way to桂buy a桂domain f늡곶桂your online store桂�� read on桂to桂learn more.

How to桂Connect a桂Domain Name to桂Your Online Store

If桂you�셱e considering buying a桂domain name f늡곶桂your ecommerce business, you might be桂looking f늡곶桂an桂ecommerce platform too. Luckily, some platforms allow you to桂kill two birds with one stone.

Take 붚죕쳔 by桂Lightspeed, f늡곶桂example. When you sign up桂with 붚죕쳔, you get a桂free ecommerce website with a桂built-in online store, also known as桂Instant Site. But that�셲 not all! You also get a桂free domain f늡곶桂your Instant Site too. The default domain name will consist of桂the桂ID桂of桂your store and桂.company.site, which is桂the桂붚죕쳔 domain.

Of桂course, you want to桂change the桂default domain name so桂that it桂better represents your business and桂makes it桂easy f늡곶桂the桂customers to桂find your store. You can easily customize the桂domain name in桂your store settings. For example, you can choose to桂use your brand name instead of桂your store ID桂�� coolbrand.company.site. Here�셲 .

An桂example of桂a桂free domain f늡곶桂an桂ecommerce website made by桂붚죕쳔 by桂Lightspeed

If桂you don�셳 want to桂have .company.site as桂your domain, you can easily give your 붚죕쳔 Instant Site a桂custom domain. To桂do桂that, you can buy a桂domain name right in桂your 붚죕쳔 admin. It桂will automatically be桂set up桂f늡곶桂your online store, so桂you don�셳 have to桂do桂it桂yourself!

Actually, you can do桂everything domain-related right from your 붚죕쳔 admin. Search, buy, and桂set up桂�� all in桂just a桂few clicks.

Use to桂buy a桂domain via your 붚죕쳔 admin in桂no桂time.

Another cool perk of桂buying a桂domain via 붚죕쳔 is桂that you get a桂free SSL certificate f늡곶桂your store. This is桂extremely important when selling online. When customers share their private information while purchasing something from your store, your SSL certificate will keep sensitive data secure from hackers and桂data thieves.

To桂Summarize Your Domain Knowledge

A桂domain is桂important f늡곶桂your small business because it桂helps customers find you online, defines your brand, and桂supports your SEO efforts.

Now that you have a桂good understanding of桂what a桂domain is桂and桂are familiar with the桂domain structure, you can register a桂domain f늡곶桂your business website.

To桂do桂so, come up桂with a桂domain name, check if桂it�셲 available, and桂register it桂with a桂domain registrar of桂your choice. Remember, a桂domain name is桂an桂important part of桂your online presence, so桂choose one wisely.

桂

About The Author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at 붚죕쳔. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs�� daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

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