What is a domain name and what is it for

A domain is the address of a site located on the Internet. Именно с помощью него пользователи могут быстро переходить на сайт и просматривать контент. All a person has to do is enter a domain name in the browser bar so that it is automatically converted into a link and the desired service opens.

Why domain names are created

A site contains one or more web pages with content. This can be text, video or images. These pages are hosted on a special web service. A domain name is used to easily find content throughout the World Wide Web. It helps to get instant access to the desired content. At the beginning of the 21st century, domain addresses were in the form of numbers. It was very inconvenient, as it is almost impossible to remember a few IP-addresses in your mind. That is why the domain was gradually replaced by text. If a person has his own site, then to simplify the search is recommended to choose a short and succinct name that is easy to remember.

The domain is also used for the following purposes:

Redirect. For example, the site has changed design, hence the domain name has also changed. The creator of the site doesn't want to lose regular visitors, so he sets up redirects. When going to the old address, users will automatically be redirected to the new one.
Reservation. Needed when the site is still in development, and a good domain has already been found. It can be redeemed and added to the main screen banner, notifying that the site will soon appear.
To set up a corporate email account. The domain name can be used as an e-mail address. This is very convenient for the company's clients and the owner himself. The email created can be used as mass mailings or communication with potential customers.

Domain name: building description

The standard domain contains 3 levels. The hierarchy created allows the domain name system to function properly.

Level One

The rightmost position behind the last point. Can be called a domain zone. It is selected during registration on the server. Additionally, first-level domain names are divided into 2 categories:

Geographic. Help users determine which country the site is located in. For example, .ru is Russia, .eu is the European Union, etc. But not always this indicator signals the true location of the site. For example, small companies specifically choose a domain name of a small country, as it is much cheaper.
Thematic. Most often needed in order to explain to users the theme of the site. .gov is the government, .com - commerce. But no one monitors the use of these domain names, so they can be found on completely inappropriate sites.

Additionally, it is worth remembering about the zero-level domain. It is a dot at the end of the string and is not visible to users.

Level Two

The main domain, which is the parent domain. May contain not only letters, but also numbers. In most cases, the domain name reflects the name of the site. Before buying it should always be checked for originality. If there are sites with similar names, it is worth looking for another option. Otherwise there is a risk of losing a large number of users.

Level Three

To the left of the last point is a subdomain. It allows the user to immediately open the page of interest on the site. This can be very convenient. Subdomains allow you to make the structure of the site more convenient and logical. A big plus is that within the site does not need to create separate addresses to go to sections. The owner of the site has the ability to create an unlimited number of subdomains. Also to the left of them can be 4 level - sub-subdomains. But they are not used as often.

How to choose the best domain

If you take DNS into account, it does not matter for him what domain name will belong to the site. The main thing - that it was unique. But the situation changes dramatically when it comes to the audience of the site. If the site address is similar to the name of the company, the users will have more confidence, because they will be confident that they went to the official site. If the domain name cannot be made consonant with the name of the company, it is recommended to reflect in the name of the activity.

To promote the site in the domain name you can put one or more keywords. This will have a positive effect on the dynamics of popularity and will attract new visitors. Identify a good domain can be based on the following characteristics:

Simple pronunciation. The name of the domain should be such that it can be pronounced in a business conversation and easily remembered orally.
Small size. The smaller the size of the domain, the better. Users will be much easier to type it in the search box and remember.
No complicated letters. Some Russian letters can be translated into English in several variants at once. You should try to avoid such characters in order not to mislead users.
Good memorability. One of the main factors that help retain a regular audience. If the domain name is well remembered, the user will easily remember it and enter it into the search box. If the name is too complicated, then with a probability of 95% of people will go to the competitor's site.
Associations. If the name reflects the site's activities, that's half the success.

When choosing a domain name, it is worth remembering that there are certain restrictions. They may differ from each other depending on the domain zones, but the standard list looks like this:

When using. russ or. rf, only Russian letters in the name are allowed;
the maximum length of the domain name - not more than 63 characters;
the name cannot have a hyphen at the beginning;
numbers, Latin letters and hyphens are acceptable;
The upper and lower case letters are visually indistinguishable from each other and are equivalent.

The list of restrictions may be longer. You can read about them when choosing the desired domain zone.

What to check before registering a domain name

Be sure to check the availability of the selected name. You can do this through special Whois-services. They allow you to find out all the important information about the domain name, including its employment and date of creation. Whois check is available from all major registrars.

For example, to test the performance can take any well-known site and enter its name in the appropriate field. In about 30 seconds a menu will pop up saying that the selected domain is busy. Below will be written detailed information about the current administrators, as well as the place and date of registration. This information may be useful if one wants to buy the address from the current owner.

Whois-service will also help identify the previous owners of the domain name, if there were any. But it is worth knowing that this service is provided for a fee. To promote the site in search engines is recommended to choose older domain names, as they are considered authoritative. If the address is subject to certain SEO restrictions, it is better to bypass it.

Is it possible to buy a domain name forever

No, you can't do that. A domain name can be rented. The minimum lease period depends on the particular domain zone. For example, .com has 10 years and .ru has 1 year. You can find out about the length of the lease and renewal terms when registering the domain name.

A few months before the end of the lease, the site owner must make payment for the next period. If he missed the right moment, then do not worry, because he has another 30 days. If after this period, the domain will not be extended, it goes to auction, and the previous owner of the site loses access to it. That is why you can not forget about the timely payment of funds.