What is a Domain?

If you are going to start an internet site, whether for business purposes or just for fun, you need a domain name. So, what is a domain?

What is a Domain?

When you finally make the decision to jump on the internet revolution, one of your first steps is to pick a domain name. Most people rush into this process without really giving it the though the subject deserves. They might pick something they think is catchy or they might just use the name of their offline business. Both steps can be a mistake. So, what is a domain really?

In technical terms, a domain name is your address on the Internet. Much like the physical world, a person finds you buy going to your address. In the case of this site, they simply type in marketingtitan.com and they come to our virtual business. You will note that the domain is represented as words and letters. In truth, computers do not read words or letters. Instead, your domain is really a numerical sequence. The working of it are really beyond what you need to know, but the fact numbers are used make your domain more like a street address than most people realize.

When considering what a domain is, however, it is important to think in broader concepts. First and foremost, picking your domain is like getting married. People will come to know your site by the domain name. If you start switching domain names, they are going to have problems finding you. Further, the time you own your domain for is a factor in getting the site ranked in search engines. It can take up to a year for Google, for instance, to rank a domain with a new owner. If your goal is to get your site ranked highly to draw traffic, you absolutely must commit to it for the long term.

You domain is also an identifier in relation to where you are located. Going back to our physical address analogy mentioned above, the domain tells the visitor what part of the net you are located on. As with any city, there are good spots and bad spots. In practical terms, this refers to the extension use for your domain. You always want to use the “.com” designation. Yes, there are others, but people are hardwired to type in .com when they try to find a site. If you register anything other than this, you risk someone registering .com and getting your traffic.

So, what is a domain? In technical terms, it is your numerical address on the web where people can find you. In practical terms, it is a marriage and you want to make sure you marry the right guy or girl!

<< Back to Domain Names