One of the first questions you'll be asked by your web designer is "do you have a domain name?" But what is a domain name and how do I get one?
Without domain names, the internet would not be such a friendly place. We would be using websites like http://203.217.23.28 and sending emails to info@118.127.11.97. Remembering numbers like these would be nearly impossible. Domain names allow us to use words to reference those numbers, much like the phone address book in your mobile phone allows calling by name rather than having to remember the numbers.
A domain name is an overall description of you or your business. When choosing a domain name, consider that it is part of your identity. Your website and emails will be titled by it, so a wisely chosen domain name can make a huge difference. Your choice of domain name might include your business name, or it might be a description of one of your products.
A domain name is unique, so you have to choose something that doesn't already exist, or offer to buy it from the person who has the domain name you want. Just because your business name is registered does not give you rights to the domain name, in most cases it is first in. Try to keep the name simple and easily to remember and spell.
Some domain names have special conditions, such as the .au series, which require a registered Australian Business Number to be supplied. Since all .com.au domains have this restriction, by using a .com.au address your visitors can be assured that you are an Australian business.
Pricing of domain names is not regulated. Although all companies ultimately purchase from the same source, with reseller agreements and volume discounts some are able to offer a better price than others. Some companies sell domain names for extremely cheap prices, but usually this is part of a deal where you also need to purchase other products from them. QMG sell domain names for a competitive price, guarantee that you retain ownership of the domains and do not limit their use to package deals.
Often when purchasing a domain name, you are presented with options to buy similar domain names with slightly different spelling, or different extensions (e.g. .com, .net etc). These domain names can be useful if you think that your domain name is easily misspelt, you want to protect a trademark or you wish to trade internationally. If you have multiple products consider a domain name for each, especially if you are going to have a website dedicated to each product.
Check out QMG’s new website dedicated to offering affordable and reliable hosting and domain registration:
www.qmghosting.com.au
