All computers on the Internet have their own Internet Protocol (IP) address which consists of a series of numbers. The domain name system connects unique domain names to the relevant IP addresses so that users do not have to remember a long string of numbers. Domain names are mainly used in web addresses such as (http://www.nominet.org.uk)and in email addresses (firstname.lastname@nominet.org.uk). In this example, the domain name is “Nominet.org.uk”
Domain names consist of a varying number of segments. The part on the far right of a domain name is known as a top-level domain (TLD). For example, in the domain name nominet.org.uk the top level domain is .uk. The part to the left of the top level domain is known as the second-level domain (SLD). In the domain name nominet.org.uk, the second level domain is .org, used for organisations.
What is a Domain Name? - Choosing a Domain Name
Domain names
Choosing a domain name
It’s important to choose the right domain name for you and your site. You need spend time choosing a name that people will remember. After all, the right domain name will increase visibility, inspire trust and attract more visitors.
Tips for choosing a domain name
Here are some great tips to help you through this process.
1. Choose your domain name quickly
.uk domain names are being registered at a rate of one every 20 seconds and allocated on a first-registered, first-served basis, so a delay in decision making could mean someone else gets there first.
2. Choose a name that suits you and your requirements
You should choose your domain name so that it best represents your site’s objectives. With the majority of people now turning to the internet for information, it pays to select a domain name that reflects your site. It makes it much easier for your visitors to remember how to find you if it is an easy name, or relates to what your site is about.
3. Seek opinion
When you have settled on several available name choices, see what your friends and contacts have to say. A name that may make perfect sense to you may be too hard for other people to remember.
- Is your domain easy to say?
- Is it hard to spell?
- Do you have to explain why you chose the name?
4. Keep it short and memorable
Short memorable names are effective, especially if relevant to you or your site. If you keep the name short and snappy it is also less likely that people will misspell it and more likely that they will remember it and pass it on via word of mouth. For the same reasons it’s a good idea to keep the number of words in a domain name to 2 or 3 at most.
5. Character Types
When defining your domain name, remember:
- They can only be made up of letters, numbers, and dashes.
- Spaces and symbols are not allowed.
- Domain names are not case sensitive
6. Register your domain name in other suffixes
It’s not a bad idea to register several similar domain names. If you have ‘yourname.me.uk’ you could register ‘yourname.org.uk’ or ‘yourname.co.uk’ so no-one else can come in at a later stage and capitalise on your domain name.
7. Hyphens: Good or Bad?
If your ideal choice of domain name is not available, you might consider using a hyphenated version. One advantage of using them is that hyphens are said to identify keywords to search engines more clearly. The disadvantages of using hyphens are it makes your domain name harder to remember and more difficult to tell to a potential visitor (e.g. on the telephone).
8. Take account of misspellings
Don’t use words that are difficult to spell, as people are likely to misspell your domain name, which may mean they don’t arrive at your web site.
9. Check whether your chosen name has already been registered
Use the WHOIS search facility on the Nominet home page www.nominet.org.uk to check the availability of all .uk domain names. If the domain name is not available in any of the suffixes, you could try and contact the current registrant to see if they would be willing to sell the name to you. If the domain name includes your registered trademark you may consider using Nominet’s Dispute Resolution Service to try and obtain the domain name.
Registering a domain name
Registering a domain name helps you build your credibility on the Internet. You can use the domain names you have registered to support your site and assist in creating a dynamic online presence. The domain names that you select should help establishes your online identity and increases overall awareness. Whether it’s a single domain name, or multiple domain name, registering them will help you:
- Keep your protect your domain name.
- Promote your website.
- Drive more traffic to your website.
- Provide visitors more ways to find you on the Internet.
- Capture common misspellings of your domain name, instead of sending visitors to an error page.
The basics of registering .uk domain names
If your website or business focuses on your local community then it makes sense to get a country-specific domain. You can actually benefit from having such a local domain because the people in your country know that they're dealing with a local entity, which is what they want.
The .uk top level domain is separated into a number of second level domains. People are encouraged to register a domain name within these Second Level Domains that correspond to their type of activity. These include:
- .co.uk for commercial enterprises
- .org.uk for non-commercial organisations
- .me.uk for personal domains
- .ltd.uk and .plc.uk for registered company names only
- .net.uk for Internet Service Providers
- .sch.uk for schools.
The most popular Second Level Domain within the UK is .co.uk, which accounts for 91.3% of registrations. This is managed by the .co.uk registry, Nominet.
Benefits of .uk
British Internet users appreciate the value of .co.uk domain names. When searching for information online, 72% of people will choose a .uk address ahead of a .com address. A .co.uk domain name says the information available on the web site is local, relevant and most of all trusted. This shows the importance of a local Internet presence for UK businesses and those wishing to do business with UK consumers.
.uk is the most trusted country suffix in Britain. Recent research revealed that .co.uk resonates with British consumers as it represents local information. It also highlighted that .uk sites were perceived to be more dependable.
Overall, .uk is well placed to meet consumer’s needs delivering trust and confidence. UK consumers trust and prefer .uk web sites and actively seek them out from search results. These findings should help UK businesses make the easy choice to promote themselves with a .uk domain name.
Find out more about why .co.uk is a great place to be for your business, visit agreatplacetobe.co.uk.
Top Level Domains (TLDs)
A top-level domain (TLD) is the part of the domain name located to the right of the dot (" . "). The most common TLDs are .com, .net, and .org. These common TLDs all have certain guidelines, but are generally available to any registrant, anywhere in the world.
There are also restricted top-level domains (rTLDs), like .aero, .biz, .edu, .mil, .museum, .name, and .pro, that require the registrant to represent a certain type of entity, or to belong to a certain community.
Country-code TLDs (ccTLDs) represent specific geographic locations. For example: .uk represents the UK and .eu represents the European Union. Some ccTLDs have residency restrictions. For example, .eu requires registrants to live or be located in a country belonging to the European Union. Other ccTLDs, like the ccTLD .it representing Italy, allow anyone to register them, but require a trustee service if the registrant is not located in a specified country or region. Finally, there are ccTLDs that can be registered by anyone — .co representing Colombia, for example, has no residency requirements at all.
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