The Importance of a Domain Name

What's in a name? Well, on the World Wide Web, there's a lot in a name, more than you might think at first glance. And that's what makes registering a great name at the right price so important.

A name on the Internet - or more properly a domain name - is first of all, like a sandwich. How? Well, the name you choose (the sandwich "filling," if you like) comes between a prefix (like "www") and the "top level domain" (tld) extension, like .COM.

You can choose virtually any "filling" you like as long as it's not already registered, (owned) by someone else. You can also improve your chances of getting a name you like by trying out an assortment of tlds. Can't find the name you're looking for ending in .COM? Try searching for the same name with another tld, like .NET, .ORG, .US, .BIZ, .INFO or others. Each tld suggests a slightly different purpose for a web site - you wouldn't want .BIZ for your family site, for example. But that doesn't mean you can't register whatever you want. And remember, you don't have to have a web site to register a domain name.

A domain name can be the actual name of your business. It can also be just an address, much like a street address for a home or business. A domain name can be a commodity, whose value may raise or fall over time. It can be a calling card, a memory device, a service descriptor, a gift for the hard-to-buy-for person ...