Posts about Domain and hosting | Webnode Blog https://blog.webnode.com/category/domain-and-hosting/ Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:07:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 Enhance your Credibility and Marketing with a Branded Domain Name https://blog.webnode.com/branded-domain-name/ https://blog.webnode.com/branded-domain-name/#respond Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:31:33 +0000 https://blog.webnode.com/?p=32580 A branded domain name plays a big role in branding, building credibility, and digital marketing. Explore how branded domain names can help your business and how to choose the right one.

The post Enhance your Credibility and Marketing with a Branded Domain Name appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
With the continuous advancement of technology and the rise of e-commerce, more and more businesses are now moving online. Instead of being a nice-to-have, it’s now a necessity to have an online presence. This is why having a great website is crucial.

But what exactly makes a great website? A visually appealing design, a seamless and intuitive site experience, fast loading speed, and great content. But one often forgotten thing is your domain name. It actually plays a huge role in establishing your brand and conveying your credibility.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the importance of branded domain name. We’ll also be giving you a rundown on the best ways to choose a great one.

What is a branded domain name?

Launching a website can be fun, but you need to think about the domain name. Domain name is the name of the website that you type into your browser. For example, ours is webnode.com.  

You may now be thinking, “Isn’t that just the URL?”. Not quite. URL is the complete version of your domain name, like https://www.webnode.com/. URL can also direct you to a specific part of a website such as https://www.webnode.com/blog/ or https://www.webnode.com/webnode-reviews/. 

See the difference? To put it simply, if your website is your office, your domain name is your office address. While the URL will tell you the path or route to go to it. 

Now let’s talk about branded domain names. It’s also really simple. Branded domain names are those that incorporate the name of your brand, business, company, or organization. Compared to generic domain names, branded domains are more recognizable due to having branded elements or keywords. 

Let’s say you’re Coca-Cola. Using a domain name of softdrink.com is too bland and generic. Especially since there are hundreds of soda brands in the world. However, using a branded one such as coca-cola.com clearly identifies the website as a part of the Coca-Cola brand. 

Why is using a branded domain name important?

branded domain name

There are many benefits to using a branded domain name. Some examples are: 

  1. Creates a positive first impression

For most people, your website might be the first thing they see from you. If you have a well-thought-out and proper domain name, you’ll have a stronger and more positive impression. It shows that you are a legitimate business and not a scam website

Let’s say you’re a flower shop with the name Blooming Haven. A branded domain name of bloominghaven.com instead of londonflowershop123.com makes you look more professional and gives a better first impression. 

  1. Increases brand recognition

Using a branded domain name that is cohesive with your branding can help increase brand recognition. They’ll see your website address and instantly identify it as a part of your brand. 

Make sure your domain name is also consistent across all your platforms. Let’s say your brand name is Fiery Tacos. Then you should use fierytacos.com for your domain name. If you suddenly use hottacos.com, people will be wondering if they are on the right page. So use a branded domain name to avoid confusion as well. 

  1. Establishes credibility

A proper and professional domain name adds credibility and legitimacy to your website.

Imagine if KitKat used bestchocolate.com instead of kitkat.com. The first one sounds generic and looks potentially like a scam, right? It’s best to stick to a branded domain as it looks way more professional

  1. Enhances SEO and marketing efforts

A branded domain name that contains your brand name or your targeted keywords can help boost your SEO and marketing strategies. 

When people search for your business or brand, they will typically enter your name in the searches. By using your brand name or related keywords in your domain name, they are more likely to click on your website, thus increasing your site’s relevance and authority.

The same goes for your online marketing efforts. Whether your website is linked to your Facebook page, Instagram Ad, or LinkedIn post, people are more likely to click on it if the domain name is cohesive and synonymous with your brand name. 

  1. Avoids cybersquatting

Securing a branded domain name can also protect your brand from cybersquatting and other malicious online activities. It ensures that people can’t misuse your brand name to set up scam websites as well as ensure that you maintain a positive reputation for your brand. 

Tips for choosing a great domain name

Tips for choosing a great domain name

Now it’s time to choose your domain name. Some things to consider are:

  1. Relevant to your business

It might be something that seems obvious, but it bears repeating.

Make sure your domain name is related to your brand. After all, you’re creating it to reinforce your branding. If it’s not relevant to you or not something that can be immediately associated with you, then there’s no point.

The easiest way to do this is to use your brand name or business name in your domain. Think nike.com, hellofresh.com, walmart.com, and so on. Their domain name is their brand name. It’s as simple as that.

You can also use your name as your domain name if you are an influencer, content creator, celebrity, or freelancer. Examples are neilpatel.com, colleenhoover.com, or addisonrae.com. This is because as individuals, their real name is their “brand name”. So it makes sense for them to use that as their domain name. 

  1. Keep it short and simple

While we recommend using your brand name or real name, there might still be an issue with it. And that is if your name is too long or too complicated. 

There are some ways to go around it. First is shortening your name to include only the most important or recognizable part. 

An example is Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf using only coffeebean.com as their domain name. Another one is consulting firm Mckinsey & Company shortening their domain name to only mckinsey.com. 

You can also use your initials or an acronym for your domain name. American Eagle only uses ae.com, Comedy Central uses cc.com, and the space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration uses nasa.gov. 

In general, your domain name should be simple and easy to remember. Avoid hard-to-spell names. Avoid numbers, hyphens, or letter strings that people can easily mistake as well. You will find bestwebsite9734.com. or bessstwebsite.com confusing, right?  

  1. Add keywords if you can

Adding keywords can help your website appear faster on search engines. If you can find one that is relevant to your business, you can try adding them.

Let’s say your company name is ABC Plumbing and Repair Services. You can use abcplumbing.com instead of just abc.com since it adds an important keyword to your domain name. It also immediately conveys to your audience that you offer plumbing services before they even go to your website. 

Of course, it’s important to still make it natural and brandable. Don’t just stuff keywords for the sake of SEO. You don’t want to end up with abcbestnewyorkplumbingsealingrepairservice.com! 

  1. Choose the right domain extension
choosing domain name

The domain extension is a part of the URL that follows your domain name. These are the .com, .net, .gov, and the like.

Each domain extension has a different meaning. For example, .com and .net are commonly used by commercial sites. These are generally used for all business types, whether big or small. 

While .net was initially used by websites that focused on network and tech services, it is now nearly interchangeable with .com. Some even use .net if their preferred .com domain name is already taken. 

What about the other extensions? Non-commercial sites and non-profit sites use the .org extension. Educational sites use the .edu. Meanwhile, federal, state, or local governments use the .gov. 

The right domain extension matters in how your business is perceived. Don’t use extensions that don’t apply to the nature of your company, just to get that more “credible” look. You’ll actually just do the opposite, as people will view you as scammy or not trustworthy.

  1. Be unique and distinct

With millions of websites in the world, how do you stand out? It all starts with your name. 

Your brand name and subsequently your domain name should be distinct, unique, and memorable. Avoid too generic names that don’t say anything about your business. At the same time, avoid names that are too similar to existing websites or brands. 

Of course, make sure to check if your potential name is still available. You don’t want to get copyrighted or be accused of plagiarism. And to begin with, having a name that is too similar to existing websites won’t do you good either, since people will just mistake you for the original and won’t remember your brand for who you are. 

To come up with your domain name, start with a great brand name or business name first. You can check out business name generators if you are having trouble coming up with ideas. From there, you can modify it or adjust it to your preference.

Once you have a great brand name, coming up with a domain name should be easier. Since you can just use your name as is or just add a keyword to make it more optimized for SEO. But if you want a more creative domain name (or if your domain name is already taken), there are also domain name generators you can use to give you more ideas.

Conclusion

As the popular phrase said, “If you’re not online, you don’t exist”. And that is proven true in our increasingly digitized world. If you don’t have a website, you might as well not exist at all, as your website is the hub that contains all your info, content, branding, and marketing.

A great website is important. And choosing a great domain name for it should be your first and most crucial step. By following the tips above, you should be on your way to finding a branded domain name that significantly establishes your online presence. 

Have you chosen a domain name yet? Read on How to Get a Free Domain Name

The post Enhance your Credibility and Marketing with a Branded Domain Name appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
https://blog.webnode.com/branded-domain-name/feed/ 0
How to Get a Free Domain Name and Hosting https://blog.webnode.com/how-to-get-a-free-domain-and-hosting/ https://blog.webnode.com/how-to-get-a-free-domain-and-hosting/#respond Fri, 08 Mar 2024 12:39:45 +0000 http://blog.webnode.com/?p=17658 Nowadays, it’s possible to create a website from the comfort of your home regardless of your skill level. Taking the first steps may be intimidating but setting up a free domain name and website hosting is a breeze with Webnode.

The post How to Get a Free Domain Name and Hosting appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
Nowadays, it’s possible to create a website from the comfort of your home regardless of your skill level. Setting up a free domain name and website hosting is a breeze with Webnode. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a few minutes of your time. You can become a website owner in no time.

Index:

How domains work 

Understanding how domains work is the first step in getting started. What exactly happens when someone types your domain name into their browser?

The browser starts the process of opening your website by sending a request to the DNS (Domain Name System) database where the domain names are translated into IP addresses.

The IP addresses that computers use to communicate together consist of strings of numbers such as 193.86.73.180. Numbers are ideal for computers, but much more difficult for people to work with. Therefore, people came up with simpler substitutes made up of words – domain names.

Thanks to the IP address, your request gets forwarded to a specific server where your website is stored. This server then sends all the files that make up your site back to the browser and your website pops up.

Learn how IP addresses and domains work

How the domain name system works in practice

It may sound complicated, but all of this takes only a moment. Most of the time it happens so quickly and smoothly that you’d have no idea there were so many steps happening behind the curtain.

What is a domain name 

A domain name, such as webnode.com, is an internet address or a unique name chosen specifically for your website to help users find it online. Just like you’d give friends your home address to have them stop by, you can give them your domain name to visit your website.

Domain name structure

To better understand domain name structure, let’s break down the basic structure of the URL (uniform resource locator). First of all, a URL is not the same as a domain name. The domain is just a part of the URL and, combined with other detailed information, forms the web address that directs the browser to a specific web page.

A real-life example of a simple web address shown in browsers could be:

Structure of the domain name

HTTP/HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol / Secure)

HTTP is a language used for communication or the transfer of data over the web. The extra “S” at the end means that your connection with the website is “securely encrypted” with an SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer)–a protocol that allows web browsers and servers to encrypt, decrypt, and authenticate data sent over the Internet. This means that you can trust that the data you share with an HTTPS website won’t get into any unwanted hands.

Most modern browsers don’t show the protocol in the URL bar but they will show a warning if a website can’t be considered secure. This will scare off the majority of visitors.

HTTPS secured website

The first example shows the way Google refers to an HTTPS secured website and the second is the way it alerts you if the website isn’t secure.

HTTPS is a must, especially for online stores working with private customer information. If you create your website with Webnode, it will automatically be set up with HTTPS.

WWW (World Wide Web)

The acronym www identifies this web address as a website. This part of the URL also indicates a subdomain that can look something like this:
https://blog.webnode.com/

Subdomain (Third Level Domain)

A domain within a domain separated from the main domain with a dot. Let’s say you have a website promoting your florist business on a personalized domain prettyflowers.com and decide to add an online store. You’d like the store to be a part of your brand, so it shouldn’t have a completely different domain name. At the same time, you’d like to keep it separated from the business presentation because the content will be different. You can easily solve this dilemma by creating a subdomain such as eshop.prettyflowers.com and base your store there. If you registered your domain with Webnode, you can get subdomains for free.

SLD (Second Level Domain)

This is the actual domain name you’ll be registering. In google.com or facebook.com, the words “google” and “facebook” are the SLDs. This is the most prominent part of domain names and usually corresponds with brands or website names. SLDs are unique for every domain and can consist of letters, numbers and dashes.

TLD (Top Level Domain)

This is the domain extension or the combination of letters at the end of the domain structure. There are 3 types of Top Level Domains:

  1. ccTLD – Country Code Top-Level Domains
    • ccTLDs usually consist of two letters and represent a specific country–for example, .es for Spain or .de for Germany. There are a total of 312 ccTLDs. Some of them can only be purchased if you provide proof of residence, but most are publicly available and can be purchased by people from all over the world. They can be used if the website is targeting an audience in a certain country.
  2. gTLD – Generic Top-Level Domains
    • gTLDs include many well-known domains such as .com, .info, or .net. They focus on topics rather than locations. For example, the best-known .com means “commercial,” and .org is intended to represent primarily non-profit “organizations”. Unlike ccTLDs, gTLDs always consist of at least three letters. They’re especially good for global targeting.
  3. sTLD – Sponsored Top-Level Domains
    • sTLDs can be considered a sub-category of gTLDs. Not everyone can use them as they are reserved for certain types of institutions. For example, .gov is intended for government authorities, .edu for educational institutions, or .museum is reserved for museums. This restriction limits their use, but on the other hand, sTLDs have high credibility.

A generic .com remains the most popular TLD, but country-specific extensions as well as an ever-growing number of special TLDs such as .bar, .photo, and .wedding are getting a fair share of the spotlight. Check out the complete list of TLDs offered by Webnode, including the ones you can get for free for the first year.

Root domain

Another important term you may come across, for example, when setting up an AdSense account, is the root domain. A root domain is the combination of SLD and TLD, such as Amazon.com or Apple.com. All the pages on your website will have the same root domain–this is usually your homepage’s root domain.

Path

The path shows what exactly you accessed on any website. You might open a page, a file, or an image and the path will show which one exactly. In our example above, the word “template” at the very end of the web address means you’re on the page listing our website templates.

For the rest of this article, we are going to focus primarily on the SLDs and TLDs since these are the parts of domains that people struggle with the most when registering their own domain. 

8 reasons why a domain name is important

Anyone can get their own domain name. It’s simple, inexpensive (you can even get a domain for free), and takes only a moment. But what is a domain name used for and what are the advantages of owning a domain?

Living in a predominantly digital age, we’re used to having all the information at our fingertips. This means that people will expect to find everything about you or your business online in a few quick clicks. You could just keep a simple profile on social media for this purpose, but having a website with your own custom domain brings many more benefits:

  1. Forms part of your online identity
    • It doesn’t matter what type of website you’re managing, if you’re serious about it, you’re also serious about the way you present yourself and your brand online. Think ahead and be prepared for when potential visitors and customers look you up. A domain name will be their first point of contact.
  2. Makes your website easier to remember
    • Imagine meeting a potential client by chance and discussing your business. Is the client going to remember the name of your website to look it up later and even share it with others? A good domain name makes sure they will.
  3. Appears professional and boosts your brand
    • As a business owner, you want to look trustworthy and a custom domain name gives you an immediate and effortless credibility boost.
  4. Allows you to create personalized email accounts
    • Domain-based email addresses also have a more professional vibe than many free or generic email services such as Gmail or Outlook.
  5. Can help you with search engine optimization
    • Does a domain name matter for SEO? Given two websites with comparable content and backlinks, search engines will certainly prefer the one with a custom domain because it’s one of the indications that the website is legitimate. 
  6. Can easily create subdomains
    • You can create any number of subdomains under your domain.
  7. Enables the mobility of your presence on the Internet
    • If you decide to change hosting, move to another country, or even start using your own server, your domain name will stay with you. This allows you to continue building your brand without having to start over. This is also better for SEO purposes as search engines take the age of a domain into account.
  8. Gives you ownership
    • When you register your domain with Webnode, you become the domain’s sole owner. No one else can use your domain. It will remain yours for as long as you pay for its registration. 

8 tips for how to choose a domain name 

When you register a domain, you are choosing both the SLD and TLD. It’s not an easy process, so here are some handy tips for how to choose a website name:

  1. Keep it short and simple
    • To make sure the domain is truly memorable, keep its length within 14 characters and keep the numbers, dashes, or hyphens to a minimum.
  2. Make sure it’s easy to spell and pronounce
    • This goes hand in hand with simplicity. Avoid confusing users by forcing them to remember whether to use any special characters or if the number in your domain is written as a numeral or spelled out.
  3. Try to be unique
    • With over 360 million domain names registered all over the world, it’s understandably hard to find an original one. Short, catchy, and meaningful domains that perfectly describe your business can be hard to come by and many good ones are, unfortunately, already taken. Still, try to differentiate yourself from your competition. You might want to use your own name, brainstorm a completely original word, an acronym, or a combination of words (this is how the names Google and Bing were created). You can also use domain name generators for inspiration.
  4. Use your brand
    • If you already have an established business with a recognizable brand, it makes perfect sense to use the same name for your domain name (e.g. twitter.com, google.com, dribbble.com). Brand domains tend to rank better in search results but you’ll have to work on the promotion to make sure that people easily associate the brand with your products or services.
  5. Try to think long-term
    • If you decide to change your domain in the future, it will cost you money and SEO rankings. For example, if you sell pizza, it seems like a good idea to register the “toppizzaonly.com” domain. However, if you expand your menu in the future and want to offer Italian cuisine, the chosen domain name could limit you. Don’t let the domain name constrain your long-term vision.
  6. Consider using a keyword
    • The advantage of a keyword-based domain is that just a quick glance will let people and search engines know what exactly they’ll find on your website. However, keyword-heavy domains are often used by spammers. If you decide to go with a keyword in the domain name, it’s best to use just one. Otherwise, you risk getting picked up by Google’s algorithm that fights keyword-dense domains.
  7. Add a location
    • Including a location might be helpful if you focus on a specific, regional market. Making it clear where you operate will save your customers time and push search engines to promote you within your chosen location.
  8. Use a common TLD
    • If you can, go for a TLD that people are familiar with in your country. In the US, people will most likely assume that your domain ends with .com, Italians would naturally go with .it, Germans with .de, and so on. If you operate globally, it is best to choose .com as most people are accustomed to it. If you decide to register a domain that’s not too common, you might lose some visitors who won’t remember the correct ending of your domain and instead will search for the most common TLD. This can also be easily prevented by registering several domains with different extensions, pointing all of them to the same website, and picking one of them as the primary.

How to register a domain 

Domain names can be registered directly through domain registrars or via providers. Domain registrars are companies authorized to directly manage the registration of domain names. Providers are intermediaries offering domains for sale but usually cooperating with registrars to perform the actual registrations.

Registering a domain means you and only you will have a right to use it for a specific period, ranging usually from one year to up to 10 years. The longer the registration period you choose, the better the price you will usually get. If you want to keep your domain, don’t forget to renew it in time before its expiration. Otherwise, if your subscription expires, someone else can register your domain. If you decide that you no longer wish to keep the domain for yourself, simply don’t renew it.

The registration process itself is extremely simple and can be done in just a few clicks. If you’re using Webnode for your domain registration, we’ll walk you through the entire domain registration process in 6 simple steps without having to leave the website builder.

How much does a domain name cost per year 

Generally speaking, the exact cost of the domain registration depends on the provider and on the TLD.

Free domain registration is not the norm, however, many domains are available at affordable prices. While the price of generic domains such as .com can start relatively low and range from $2 to $15 for the first year, special or trendy domains such as .car or .makeup can cost more than $500 from the very beginning.

Domain prices can also rise with their renewal. You can save a bit of money if you choose a longer-term registration period but expect a price increase in the future. Make sure to also watch out for hidden fees. In addition to higher renewal prices, some registrars can also include special maintenance fees or fees connected to a transfer of the domain to a different provider. Webnode isn’t one of them and you can clearly see the domain prices before registration.

How to get a domain name for free 

If you’d like to cut down on the expenses for your website with free domain registration, there are 2 possible solutions. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each of them:

Create your website on a free subdomain 

Many first-time website owners want to ease into website ownership without too much commitment. If you need time to test the features and see if people will be even interested in buying your products, a website on a free subdomain is a good solution.

Many online website builders let you create a website on a free-for-life subdomain, but the exact conditions differ from one builder to another. With Webnode, for example, you can launch your website at no cost at all. You don’t need to upgrade to a paid Premium plan or purchase a domain from the start. Your website can go public on a free Webnode-branded subdomain, such as yourwebsitename.webnode.com and can be replaced with your own domain if or when you’re ready for it.

There are, however, some downsides to publishing your website on a free subdomain:

  1. You are not the owner of the subdomain
    • The subdomain is still the property of the website provider. All subdomains are dependent on the main domain. For example, if your provider’s domain expires or gets penalized in a search engine, it could negatively affect your subdomain.
  2. The length
    • The dots and the name of the website provider make the subdomain much harder to remember. Considering that the goal of having a website is to attract visitors and keep them coming back, it’s best to make the whole process as effortless as possible for them.
  3. Trustworthiness
    • Compared to the custom domains, subdomains are deemed less trustworthy. A website on a free subdomain might indicate that it’s brand new or even temporary, and therefore much harder to take seriously. Whereas, a personalized domain, on the other hand, shows you’re in it for the long run.
  4. Search engine optimization
    • A website on a subdomain might be a disadvantage for you in the eyes of search engines. Google typically prefers to promote websites with custom domains rather than those using subdomains.
  5. Brand protection
    • If you successfully build a brand, but still use only a subdomain, it is possible that someone will abuse the situation and register a domain with your brand name. If this happens, it will be very difficult or expensive to get a domain with your brand name.

Considering both the pros and cons, we recommend building a website on a free subdomain only as part of your short-term strategy. You’ll get away with it at the beginning of your website-owning career, but you should plan to invest in a custom domain name sooner rather than later.

Get a free domain name for 1 year 

There is another solution if you’d like to get a free domain and, considering the pros and cons of the previous suggestion, this might be your best choice. Webnode offers a free domain for one year if you sign up for one of the Premium plans. It’s a cost-effective solution where you’ll get access to premium features while lowering the initial expenses connected with website creation.

How to register a domain name with Webnode 

The whole process of registering a domain with Webnode consists of just a few simple steps. Most importantly, you don’t have to take care of any technical settings, those will be done automatically. Go through the steps outlined below and your website will be displayed under your brand new domain name in 24 hours:

1. Create an account and pick a template 

Go to webnode.com and register using your email address, Facebook, or Google account. Then, pick the template that you like the most and that fits your overall requirements.

Choose your template

Choose your template

2. Edit the website 

Make the template your own. Upload your pictures, rewrite texts, set up titles and descriptions or fill the online store with products. Once you’re happy with your website, it’s time to register your own domain.

How to register domain

In the project detail, click on the “Register new domain” button.

The domain checkout is accessible through the Settings section of the website builder as well as through the project administration.

In the Webnode website builder, click on Settings.

In the Webnode website builder, click on Settings.

3. Search for available domains

If you haven’t decided on a domain yet, you’ll see two suggestions based on the name you gave your site. If you want to customize your own domain name, first check its availability to see if it isn’t already registered by someone else.

How to see if a domain name is available? You can easily check if it’s taken by typing the domain name into the search bar. If the name and the extension are available, you can register them right away. If they are in fact taken, the system will automatically offer you other available website domain names.

Choose your domain name

Want to check domain name availability? Type the domain name into our free domain search, then press Enter or click on the search icon. If you find a desirable domain name, click on Register. 

4. Choose your plan

To get a free domain for the first year, choose one of these Premium plans – Mini, Standard or Profi. Each plan offers several advanced features with differing amounts of available storage and bandwidth, which are part of your website hosting. Don’t forget, you can get free domain registration for the first year if you sign up for one of Webnode’s Premium plans. 

5. Fill in your contact details 

This contact information identifies you as the owner of the domain for both technical and legal reasons, so make sure you enter it correctly and use an active email address.

Fill out the form and provide accurate personal information to identify you as the domain owner.

Fill out the form and provide accurate personal information to identify you as the domain owner. Click on Proceed to checkout.

6. Select a payment method 

In the last step, pick from the selection of payment methods and once the payment is sent, you can sit back and relax. Webnode’s customer support team will contact you by email if they need more information from you to finalize the registration process. 

Select the payment method and click on the Purchase button

Select the payment method and click on the Purchase button to complete your order.

During the last step, you can consider adding privacy protection. The required contact details you’ve just filled in are collected by ICANN and stored in a public database. To protect your privacy and avoid receiving spam, you can opt for the private registration feature which hides your publicly available contact details and replaces them with Webnode ones while you remain the owner of the domain name.

To activate the private registration, click the Protect my privacy box.

To activate the private registration, click the Protect my privacy box.

How to create your own email domain

Once your newly registered domain is up and running, create a domain-based email address and enhance your professional appearance. You can do it from the administration of your website project and it’s even simpler than the domain registration as you just need to fill in a simple form. If you’re on a Webnode Premium plan, you’ll get a free business email with your domain name included in your plan.

A form for setting up an email account with a domain name.

The form for setting up a free domain email account (included in Webnode’s Premium plans)

What is web hosting 

What is the difference between web hosting and a domain? While a domain is basically the name of your website, hosting is where your website lives. Hosting a website means that you have a space where you store all the code, files, images, texts and everything else that makes up your website.

How does web hosting work 

Websites are stored and hosted on specialized computers called servers. There are many different types of hosting. The most common and also the most affordable option chosen by many personal or small-sized business websites is called shared hosting. It’s used by websites with modest requirements allowing them to share the server space with other similar websites. The technical details of shared hosting are usually taken care of by the host.

What is shared web hosting and how to get it for free

How web hosting works

On the other end of the spectrum is dedicated hosting, which is suitable for large websites with huge traffic volumes. These websites have special technical requirements and need their own server space. Dedicated hosting allows for more hands-on control and flexibility but requires technical knowledge and tends to be more expensive.

Why web hosting is important 

Having a domain name alone is not enough to run a website, you also need web hosting. You can manage the hosting and all its technical aspects yourself or you can leave all that to the web hosting service and the hosting provider.

What is a hosting provider? It’s a company that offers web hosting services. A provider guarantees that your website will always be accessible when someone types your domain into the browser. 

How to get free web hosting 

Free stuff is great when you need to save money, but beware that it always comes hand in hand with limitations. Free website hosting might suffice for recently created websites with no special requirements. However, compared to the paid plans, crucial features such as storage and bandwidth are usually restricted. With some hosts, your website might also end up sporting a flashy advertisement to compensate for the free website hosting.

Before choosing free hosting, consider how much space and traffic you’ll need to make sure the website runs smoothly. If your provider allows it, you can always start small with the free website hosting option and upgrade to a paid and less limited plan as your site grows.

Get free website hosting with Webnode 

Webnode provides free, safe, and reliable hosting for all websites created with the Webnode website builder. More importantly, Webnode hosting can grow along with your website. When you realize that you want to add more content or need to accommodate more traffic, you can easily upgrade to one of the Premium plans.

Features and benefits of Webnode premium plans

Features and benefits of Webnode Premium plans

Security is non-negotiable (even with free website hosting) so Webnode employs HTTPS and SSL protection on all plans to make sure that communication between browsers and servers is safe and all the data exchanged is protected according to international standards. Concerning your website’s performance, Webnode’s reliable hosting makes sure that your site is up and running 24/7 on a stable network connection. With Webnode, you won’t have to worry about website hosting or domain maintenance at all.

How do you get free website hosting from Webnode? Simply register, pick a website template to create your website, and your hosting will be automatically set up.

Domain name and web hosting FAQs 

Can I buy a domain name permanently? 

A domain can’t be purchased permanently. Its registration has to be renewed every year. However, you can subscribe to an automatic domain renewal for several years in advance. This guarantees that your domain name will be renewed on a yearly basis and you won’t have to worry about its expiration.

When does a domain expire?  

It will automatically expire if you do not renew your domain registration before the end of the subscription. A domain can fall into a protected quarantine after its expiration and remain there for a limited period of time while only you, as its former owner, can renew it. The length of this quarantine depends on the type of TLD and is not available for all domains. Renewing a domain from a quarantine requires an extra fee. 

What happens when the registration of my domain name expires? 

Once the quarantine is over, anyone can register the expired domain. If someone else registers your domain after it expires, it will be tricky (and likely expensive) to get it back.

Do I need a website to register a domain name? 

In general, no, you do not need a website to register a domain. You can register the domain first and create the site later on or not at all. You can also keep the domain name solely for the purpose of protecting your brand or if you want to sell a desirable domain for profit. However, this depends on the provider. In Webnode, you’ll need to create a website first to register a domain but you can then choose to move the domain to another website at any time.

Can I buy a domain separately without hosting? 

You do not need web hosting to register a domain. If your preferred domain name is available, you can purchase it with a domain registrar. The domain is then yours and no one can create a site under the same domain. The website hosting can be purchased later when it’s time to create your website.

However, buying a domain and web hosting from the same company is easier, as is managing and restoring both services within the same interface. Webnode therefore offers domains and hosting together.

You can also buy a domain and web hosting from two different companies, but you will need to direct your domain name to the web hosting company by adjusting its DNS settings. This might be technically challenging.

Can I move my domain name to a different domain provider? 

Yes, it is your right as the domain owner to use any service you want and to transfer your domain name anytime you want.

We have detailed step-by-step instructions that you can follow if you’d like to transfer your domain to Webnode.

Can I change my web hosting provider without changing the domain? 

Yes, you own the domain name and can change its settings to point to any hosting provider.

Create a website with Webnode and get free web hosting

The post How to Get a Free Domain Name and Hosting appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
https://blog.webnode.com/how-to-get-a-free-domain-and-hosting/feed/ 0
10 reasons why having your own domain name is a must https://blog.webnode.com/why-you-need-your-own-domain-name/ https://blog.webnode.com/why-you-need-your-own-domain-name/#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2021 13:39:46 +0000 http://blog.webnode.com/?p=4738 Get your own domain name today. Read why...

The post 10 reasons why having your own domain name is a must appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
Are you a happy website owner but still hesitating whether to buy your own domain? Well, the answer is fairly simple – just get it, and do so as fast as possible. This article will show you why you need a domain name – and it’s not only if you want to start a successful website.

So, what is a domain name?

Simply put, a domain is a human-friendly address of a website. For instance, Webnode’s domain name is webnode.com, while Facebook’s is facebook.com.

Why human-friendly? Because the actual address looks like this: 142.250.98.138 – which is not exactly easy to memorize. You’d rather type google.com to your browser, right?

You’ve probably seen a lot of domains that end in .com. There are also other generic domains like .org or .net, or country-based domains like .cz, .de, .fr. We mortals call this part an extension, but the official name is a top-level domain (TLD).

The second-level domain is the name to the left of the dot. In yourdomain.com it is the yourdomain part.

10 reasons that will make you buy your domain right now

In the online world, your domain name is not just the address of your website, it is your unique identity. In this day and age, there can be no argument: you need an online identity.

1. It gives your online presence an instant credibility boost

You might agree that if you continue using your free domain such as my-business1298.webnode.com, it doesn’t look professional despite you being serious about your business.

Moreover, it’s not easy for your clients to remember and won’t look great on your business cards.

Registering a domain also affects the credibility of your email addresses. For example, you can use jane@doe.com instead of janedoe@freemail.com. We’ll get to this later.

Investing in your own domain will instantly make you look more professional and trustworthy in the online world.

This applies not only to your business and professional creative portfolio, but also to your online curriculum vitae. You don’t need a dedicated website for your online CV. Simply forward your domain, for example, janedoe.com to your LinkedIn profile or Twitter, and impress the recruiter right away by showing your competency and seriousness.

2. It increases your (personal) brand visibility

Having your own domain is a perfect way to maintain brand consistency in the offline and online worlds.

For your business or personal brand, use a single identity offline, online and throughout all your online profiles.

Don’t lose your customers over different platforms. Make it easy for them to cross this offline/online border and look you up online instantly.

3. Owning a domain presents your business as progressive

Let’s face it, in this day and age it is crucial to claim your online territory. Your customers expect you to have an online presence – even if you don’t run an online store, but only an offline corner shop.

Imagine their surprise when they type the name of your shop into the browser and end up on a webpage run by your competitors!

Don’t let them or other speculators seize your perfect domain – you might regret it sooner or later.

4. Having a domain helps you increase your search engine ranking

The process that Google and other search engines apply for organizing search results is voodoo for most of us earthlings.

Although there is no direct proof that the domain name itself is a definite ranking factor, parts of it might be.

For instance, myonlinestore.com would rank better than my-online-store.webnode.com, as it is shorter and looks more trustworthy.

Also, it would look much more legitimate for actual human beings too. As Google highlights the domain name in the search results, they might click on your competition with a more professional-looking domain instead of you.

Pick a domain that is memorable, uses great keywords, or has strong branding potential. Opt for a shorter one, 8 characters being a sweet spot. You can’t go wrong here.

5. It helps you protect your copyrights and trademarks

Branding is not an easy process. To be truly effective, once you settle on the name of your business, buy the most applicable domain name as a first step.

Do not give speculators the chance to buy the perfect domain first and exploit it. Claim it as soon as you can. To retrieve your domain from them later might be expensive and complicated, if at all possible.

6. Go global – with your domain

You can choose to build your market just in your home country or take it around the globe.

Depending on which you want, you can opt for a generic TLD (.com, .net) or country code TLD (.us, .pl, .hu).

Of course, the more the merrier. You can choose a specific TLD for each country you wish to conquer.

7. It makes your online presence flexible

When you need to change your Webnode project, web hosting services, servers, country, or planetary system, it will move with you.

In any case, you wouldn’t need to use a brand new domain and build your online presence around it all over again just because you decided to change the website. Having your domain gives you the necessary mobility to move around online space as you need.

In addition to a domain, you’ll need a web hosting account. There are many options to choose from, but a recent trend has singled out managed VPS hosting as the most popular service on the market. It provides an excellent launchpad and a reliable, easily scalable environment for budding online businesses.

8. Create custom email addresses

Did you know you can also use your domain name for your email?

Without question, it looks much more professional when you send messages to your customers from info@yourbusiness.com than from mybusiness@freemail.com.

Apart from branding, you can also provide your employees with their dedicated work addresses that you can control yourself. This also gives your whole business a more professional appearance. In addition to branding, you can also offer your employees dedicated work addresses that you can control yourself, alongside their employee headshots.

9. It gives you email provider independence

It is a truth universally acknowledged that changing the provider of email services is a painful process.

But, by having your own domain you can also change mailbox providers (for instance from Gmail.com to Outlook.com) without needing to create new email addresses. You can get a new mailbox with the same address effortlessly.

Also, there is no consequent informing customers about the new address every time you move the mailbox, or changing login details into various online services. Isn’t that nice?

10. It isn’t expensive

A good domain name is one of the most affordable branding tools. You can have your .com TLD for a 15 USD yearly fee. That is a fair price for all the above-mentioned benefits, isn’t it? It doesn’t cost a lot, but it makes an instant difference.

Of course, depending on the chosen TLD the prices might vary. We recommend checking out the price list and seeing all the options before the actual registration and purchase.

How to choose your domain name?

Now that you are aware of all the advantages of owning your own domain, let’s pick the right one for you.

Make it relatively short and easy to remember. The longer the domain name, the bigger chance for typos or generally messing it up. The ideal length is between 6 and 10 characters.

Make it easy to pronounce. Imagine telling your website address to your customer over the phone. Is there any chance he might mix up some characters and end up on a completely different website?

If so, you should think of something else. That also takes us to our last tip:

Make it specific for you. Does this domain help to build your brand and make you stand out in the vast ocean of competitors? It does? In that case,

Buy your own domain name

The post 10 reasons why having your own domain name is a must appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
https://blog.webnode.com/why-you-need-your-own-domain-name/feed/ 3
How to Choose a Domain Name https://blog.webnode.com/how-to-choose-a-domain-name/ https://blog.webnode.com/how-to-choose-a-domain-name/#respond Tue, 14 May 2019 11:12:49 +0000 http://blog.webnode.com/?p=16729 What is a domain name? Basically, it’s the address of your website on the internet. But that’s not all. The power of domain names goes well beyond this simple definition. Selecting the right domain can have a significant impact on the success of your website. A domain name, website and web hosting What is the […]

The post How to Choose a Domain Name appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
What is a domain name? Basically, it’s the address of your website on the internet. But that’s not all. The power of domain names goes well beyond this simple definition. Selecting the right domain can have a significant impact on the success of your website.

A domain name, website and web hosting

What is the difference? This is a very common question for anyone starting their own website. Let’s take a look.

  • A domain name (or domain) is a form of internet address used to identify websites and e-mail accounts. For example, the domain name of this website is Webnode.com. It identifies the website and people can find it through their web browsers. If you have a Gmail account, name@gmail.com, then gmail.com is the domain name.
  • A website is a final product that people see on their screen when they enter a domain name into the web browser. It’s a collection of pages, images, files, and other data.
  • Web hosting (or web host/web server/hosting) is the place where everything that makes up your website is stored. It is the physical location of your website on the Internet. Usually, a specialized type of computer.

To sum it up, when visitors want to view your website, they type your domain into their browser. Their computer will then connect to your web hosting and your website will appear to them through the browser. Therefore, if you are thinking of getting a domain name, you will need web hosting too. If you are looking for a complete solution for your website – possibility to register domains with hosting included, easy editor and stunning design – you will find it all in Webnode.

Parts of the domain name

A domain name consists of a group of characters followed by a dot and an extension.

Parts of the domain name
Domain name

We can distinguish two important parts of a domain:

  • SLD (Second Level Domain) – this part can consist of any number of alphanumeric characters (a-z, 0-9) and hyphens. No spaces are allowed. For example, if your business is called Luigi’s café you may want to make your SLD luigiscafe.
  • TLD (Top Level Domain) – you can choose from certain available TLDs. These are the most popular ones, together with their originally intended and nowadays mostly ignored purposes: .com (intended for all commercial purposes), .org (organizations, often non-profit), .net (network projects), .info (universal).
    As an alternative to these generic domains, there are many country-specific/regional TLDs, such as .uk for the UK, .it for Italy, .de for Germany or .pt for Portugal. They could be an ideal choice if you plan to keep your website local.
    If you’re looking for something more unusual, you can also choose one of the trendy TLDs, such as .wedding, .bar, .yoga, .photography or .blog. Here you can find the whole list of these modern TLDs provided by Webnode.
    There are no rules for choosing a TLD. Pick any that seems like the best fit for your future website.
How to choose domain name
Second Level domain and Top Level Domain

Your domain name is important

A domain name is not just some address on the internet. It will have a direct impact on the success of your website, so you definitely want to get the best possible domain. A domain that sounds good, is professional, trustworthy, memorable and clearly communicates what your business is about. If chosen correctly, it will bring you recognition, better discoverability and visibility in Google as well as other indirect benefits.

Most of the domains that pop into your mind are probably already registered, which makes the task of choosing one more difficult. Instead, focus on choosing a brandable domain name. Branding is essential for any successful website, whether you want a domain for your blog, personal website or an online store. A domain name should allow you to establish a brand that will remain imprinted in visitors’ minds even after they leave your website.

How to register a domain name

You can register your domain name with a registrar – a company authorized to sell and register domains. There are hundreds of registrars and each might offer different domain extensions for a different price. You can expect to pay a lower price for a new generic domain compared to a trendy domain like .wedding or .blog. Each domain can be registered just once. It means that when a domain is registered, it’s unavailable to be registered by anyone else until the owner decides to stop the renewal of its registration.

Tips for choosing a domain name

We have collected a list of rules for choosing a domain name based on the most common mistakes. Make sure that:

  • Your domain is not registered by somebody else

You can check its availability while registering your domain with Webnode or in WHOIS. Check on social media as well. Using the same name for your website and social networks will build your brand and identity. Your visitors, fans and customers will easily find you wherever they’ll be.

  • Your domain is unique

Is anyone else using the domain you would like to register? Even though it might appear available, make sure that nobody registered the same name with a different TLD. Ideally, choose a truly original domain which can’t be confused with another one. If the other domain is a registered trademark, using even a part of it in your domain name can lead to unnecessary legal troubles.

  • Your domain is short

The most popular website names have on average only 6 characters and the most popular domain length is 11 characters. In this case, less is definitely more as shorter domains tend to be more memorable.

  • Your domain is easy to write and spell

You wouldn’t guess how many people typed Tumbler/Flicker/Ernestandyoung instead of Tumblr/Flickr/Ernstandyoung. All of these companies decided to purchase common misspellings of their domains to make sure people reach them. You wouldn’t want to lose potential customers just because they don’t know how to spell out the name of your website.

  • Your domain is distinctly pronounceable

If not, visitors are less likely to remember it, share it with friends and you’ll lose the advantage of a naturally occurring word of mouth advertisement.

  • Your domain is not made up of keywords only

People will type in certain keywords when looking for your website on Google. If you include one or two of them in your domain, it might help your website rank just a little higher in the search engines. Your visitors could also instinctively predict what the website is about. However, a domain consisting of only keywords could hold back your brand and business expansion in the future.

Plan for the future

Will your domain still look and sound good after a few years? Will it stand the test of time or are you just following some momentary trends?

  • Consider using your own name as a domain

This option is just fine if you own a blog or a personal website. You can be your own brand.

  • Choose the right extension

You can always go for generic .com, but if you operate internationally, it would be strategic to register local domains as well. Luckily, you can register as many domain extensions as you want. They might come in handy if you plan to expand in the future or if your website is multilingual.

Domains might have a history

And it’s not always good. Your domain could have been owned by someone else in the past and even be used for shady purposes. Check with Google to make sure it was not marked as spam. You can also:

  • Use a “site:” operator search in Google. If nothing is found, it’s a good sign. If the domain existed before, it has been already removed from Google index;
  • Use the Wayback Machine;
  • Check for the domain’s Whois History.

On the other hand, it may be advantageous to use an existing history domain. So-called expired domains are domain names for which the former owners have stopped paying regular fees. These domains are traded in special markets. An expired domain can already contain quality backlinks and make it easier for you to get organic traffic and positions for your search keywords.

Get inspired by domain name generators

You can create new words, that’s what Google or Bing did, or you can combine existing words. Using a thesaurus to find interesting words for your brand could be useful as well.

To sum up…

To start a website (personal or business website, online store, blog), you need to choose a domain name, hosting and a website platform that will run the whole thing. You can find all of this and much more with Webnode.com. Easily create your website, use our suggestions to pick the best possible domain name and you can even get the first year of the domain registration for free.

Suggestion: Create a memorable Web address for unique content areas of your website using subdomains. For example, you could create a subdomain for your blog or online store accessible through blog.domain.com or eshop.domain.com.

Check out the detailed guide
How to get a domain and hosting

The post How to Choose a Domain Name appeared first on Webnode Blog EN.

]]>
https://blog.webnode.com/how-to-choose-a-domain-name/feed/ 0