Domain Names Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
A domain name is the address of your website, it’s what people type in a web browser to access your website online. As each domain is unique, it serves as the identity of a person, business or organisation on the Internet. Domains are also used for transmitting and receiving data, files, and emails and for running web applications. As a domain represents a person, brand or business on the internet, it may very well be the most valuable asset you’ll own. Imagine what value Google.com holds for Google. There you go.
As soon as you register or transfer a domain, you can create a hosting server and start creating your website with WordPress or any other CMS of your choice. What’s more, you can also opt for stand alone drag & drop website builders.
Every domain name comprises of two parts. For example, our domain name is ‘abc4516.sg-host.com’, the first part is our brand name ‘rocket’ and the second part is the extension ‘domains’. An extension, therefore, is the last part or ending of your domain name and is also known as the ‘TLD’ (Top-Level Domain) or the domain root. Some of the most popular TLDs include .com, .net, .online, .co.uk, .org.
There are hundreds of other extensions such as ccTLDs and the new gTLDs. ccTLDs stand for “Country Code TLDs” as they denote a specific country, for example .us for the USA, .co.uk for the UK and .com.au for Australia.
The ICANN has introduced new gTLDs which are more memorable and meaningful, for example, .online, .site, .blog, .lawyer, .dentist, .accountant, .property etc.
It’s advisable to register your domain name in as many extensions as possible to ensure your brand name remains fully protected against cybersquatting.
Gone are the days when you were limited to generic .com, .net, and .co.uk. Rocket Domains offers the widest range of trade specific domain names on the planet like .expert, .online, .doctor, .healthcare, .dev, .site, .photography and more. Our advanced yet easy to use domain search system, called RocketEngine, can find the most relevant and meaningful names for your project or business in seconds. View all available domain name extensions.
Selecting the best domain name is key to creating a strong online brand value and presence. You can name your domain whatever you want as long as that name is available. Simply follow these steps to find your perfect domain name:
✧ Make sure it’s easy to type and memorise.
✧ Keep it short and relevant to your field of work/industry.
✧ It should ideally be your company, business or brand name, trademark or service mark or your own name or that of your organisation.
✧ You may then choose a domain extension relevant to your industry or field of work like .property, .accountant, .dentist, .lawyer. You may also choose a geographical extension for the area you do business in. For example, if you sell to the British market, a .co.uk, .london, .org.uk or even the shorter .uk domain extension will be best. If you’re based in the USA, a .us or a .com and .net may be suitable. There are plenty of domain extensions to choose from, so look at all available domain extensions before you choose one. You may also want to register more than one domain extension to protect your trademark, service mark, and brand name from cybersquatting.
Back in the days, the most popular domain name extensions were the .com, .net. and .org. That, however, has changed, and today you may choose from more than 1534 ICANN approved domain name extensions for your website.
Anybody can register a domain name, however, there are some extensions that have certain qualifying criteria for domain registrants. For instance, you can only register a .law domain, if you are a qualified lawyer, and .eu, .ca, .ie if you are residents in the applicable geographical area. Most extensions like .com, .net, .online, .site are available for everyone to register.
Registering a domain name you want is easy. Just type in the name you desire in the search bar on the domain search page, and within seconds it will tell you if it’s available. If your desired name is already registered, it’ll display alternative domain names that you may choose from. It’ll also highlight if the pre-owned domain is listed on a marketplace for sale so you may buy it.
After you have bought a domain name, you will have the ability to add a Website builder, Web Hosting, G Suite, Email, SSL Security Certificates and much more.
What’s more, you’ll be able to forward your domain to any other web-page, or website and will also be able to redirect emails from your domain name for free. This means your domain and website will be live on the Internet straightaway.
DNS stands for the Domain Name System which is the address-book of the Internet. Prior to domain names, web addresses were made up of a string of numbers called IP (Internet Protocol) addresses which in turn identified the computers hosting webpages on the Internet. These IP addresses were hard to remember and presented great difficulty for humans to access websites online.
The Domain Name System offered a solution to this problem as follows:
✧ The domain Names could be made up of simple words which were easier for people to memorise and relate to;
✧ The domain Names could be pointed to the unique IP addresses of the computer that hosted a website;
✧ People could therefore access a website by simply typing a Domain Name in a Web browser.
Thanks to the DNS System, humans were able to easily access information online through domain names, like abc4516.sg-host.com, usa.directory or google.com.
A domain name can be registered or renewed for a maximum of 10 years at any given time.
For instance, if you register a domain for 1 year you will be able to add another 9 years to its life.
In other words, you’ll be able to renew your domain, before expiry, for a period starting from 1 to 10 years thereby extending your ownership for an indefinite period of time.
Our advanced domain search system (Rocket Engine) will automatically check whether your desired domain is listed for sale by its current owner and at what price.
You’ll be able to purchase the domain on Rocket Domain for its listed price within seconds.
Absolutely! Please reach out via phone, email or by opening a ticket from inside your MissionControl Dashboard, and we will be delighted to help.
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