Website Domain Names Explained

Domain name is the technical term for the text that goes after the "http://www." of a web address. Our domain name is "websitedesigned.co.uk". Much like a house number and post code, web addresses (domain names) are unique and once registered to you, cannot be taken away (as long as you maintain the annual payment).

You may have seen there are a number of different endings to domain names, endings such as ".com", ".org" and ".net" are typical examples. It can be a little confusing what they all mean and why so many different options. With the number of websites having increased tenfold over the past few years, a number of different endings have also been provided and the ending can often (not always) signify the type of business.

If you are a UK based company, the ideal ending for your domain name is ".co.uk". If you are an American based company, then ideally it should be ".com". These were the endings created at the initial inception of the WWW and still to this day, it is advised to follow these guidelines, particularly for search engines as this helps them to decipher in which country your company is based.

There are a number of websites where you can check what domains are available, we use this link to check - www.ukreg.com. Once your domain is registered and hosted, you then have the option to have an email address at the same domain name, such as ours enquiries@websitedesigned.co.uk

Think carefully about your domain name, bearing in mind where your business might be in five years time. Choose a domain name that indicates the services you provide now and those it may also in the future. If you do not already have a domain name and a hosting account, we are happy to arrange these for you.