What is a domain name and how do domains work?
A domain name is the address of your website that people type into a browser URL bar in order to visit your website.
In the simplest of terms, if your website was a house, then your domain name would be its address.
Anyone can buy a domain as long as it isn’t already owned by someone else. Domains can be purchased online from several registrar companies such as Godaddy and Namecheap, and usually start at $10 a year. Once you purchase a domain, you own it for as long as you continue to renew it and pay the annual fee.
Tip:
If your first choice of domain is taken, try a variation of the same name or add a new word instead of opting for a different extension like .org or .biz. For example, if www.johnsmith.com is taken, try www.johnsmithseattle.com or www.jsmithrealty.com. Avoid purposeful misspellings like www.johnsmth.com or very long names such as www.johnsmithsellsrealestateinseattle.com.
What’s the difference between a domain name, a website, and website hosting?
A website is composed of files such as the code it was written in, the content inside of it, images, and more.
If the domain name is the web address of your website, then web hosting is the home where your website lives.
To create a website, you need both domain name and website hosting.
However, it’s important to note that they are two separate services that can be bought from two different companies.
Most domain companies offer website hosting and vice versa.
We recommend getting both your domain name and hosting from the same company to allow you to easily manage both under one account. So, if you decide that you want to build a Squarespace or WIX account, we recommend that you also purchase your domain from them.
If you decide that you’d like to own a WordPress account, we recommend that you buy your domain from whatever hosting provider you choose such as Bluehost or GoDaddy.
Different types of domain names
Domain names are available in many different extensions. The most popular one is .com. There are many other options like .org, .net, .tv, .info, .io, and more. However, we always recommend opting for the .com domain extension.
What is domain privacy and do I need it?
ICANN(Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) requires that anyone registering a domain name provides an email, physical address, phone number, and other personal information to be made available publicly.
Domain Privacy is a separate add-on service sold by domain registrars and allows you to show their information instead of your actual personal info.
You don’t need to buy domain privacy if you don’t want to. However, if you are concerned about privacy, then you should consider purchasing it.
Connecting the domain to your website
Once you’ve purchased your domain, you’ll need to tell it where to point. Just like a home address, domains help visitors find your website. To set up your custom domain with your website, you’ll need to login to the “back end” of your website.
Here are directions on how to connect a domain to a few of the most popular website hosts:
Connecting a domain to your Squarespace site
