What is a domain?
Every website has a domain name. This is because a domain name is the address of your website. It is what people will type into the URL when searching for your website.
Why the need to have domain names?
A domain name is needed because the Internet is basically a giant network of computers which are all connected and communicate to each other through network cables which span across the whole globe. Due to the vast number of computers that are connected and are communicating with each other, they need to be able to identify each other. This is done via an IP address which is assigned to each computer.
IP addresses are basically a series of numbers which allow other computers on a network to identify each other. These IP addresses could look as follows: 67.233.88.2 or 55.298.76.4 etc. Now if you are quite an advanced Mathematician, it could be quite simple to remember these numbers, however, if you’re like me who struggles to do maths without using my fingers, it can be quite a task to remember numbers such as those previously mentioned.
Domain names were created to help make remembering an IP address a whole lot easier. Now to visit a website you only need to remember the domain name of a website, ie "takealot.co.za" or "breadfactory.com" etc. This makes finding a website a whole lot more attainable rather than having to type in a set of numbers that you’ve most likely forgotten the moment you’ve started typing it into the URL.
Purchasing domain names carefully is a very important aspect of owning a website. Having a website is an important part of running a business. Make sure you are the rightful registered owner of your domain name.
Registering domain names
Registering domain names is also quite a simple task, if the domain is available, that is. If the domain name has already been used, it is still possible to use it, however, you will have to go through a potentially arduous process in order to obtain this domain name. This could involve having to find the owner of the domain name and ask if they are willing to sell it to you. Depending on how in demand the name is or how badly you want it, will affect the price of it.
Domain names are an extremely important aspect when having a website designed. Think of it as online real estate. Your architect has plans ready to build the house, but you need a place to put that house. This is your domain name. For more information on registering domain names and the importance of it, check out our article on registering domain names.
An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.
—Roy Ash
