Domain Registration Ins and Outs

Ask any real estate agent the most important attribute of any home or business property and the answer undoubtedly will be “location, location, location.” This is no less true when looking for virtual real estate online. Whether for business or pleasure, your location, or domain name, can either make or break your website.

What is Domain Registration?

Domain registration is the process of securing your location, or your address on the web. You need a unique address (web address) and an IP address (numerical address of your site content). To register a domain name, companies and families looking to create a web site must contact a domain registrar.

What are Domain Registrars?

Domain registrars vary in their services offered, prices, and contract specifics. Some offer registration only, others also offer site building tools, email, and site hosting as well. Registration contracts with a domain registrar are typically in place for one year. Therefore, it pays to shop around for the services and features you need.

What Does the Domain Registrar Do?

When you register your site with a registrar service, they contact ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) to make the domain you have selected is available. The database used by ICANN is called the DNS (Domain Name Server) database. If the domain name is available and you opt to register it, the registration is logged by ICANN in the DNS database along with the unique IP address of your site host. This is where all your pages are located in cyberspace.

What Information Do I Need to Provide?

As you complete the registration process, you’ll be asked to give your contact information, which will be available through the WHOIS database. The WHOIS database is a public access database that lists contacts for web sites. It also lists the expiration date of the domain name. Once a domain has expired, it becomes available for others to register.

When Will My Domain Be Available?

Once your domain has been successfully registered, it could take hours or even a few days to see your domain online. Most registrars will put up an “under construction” or similar placeholder until you upload content. Sometimes, there is a small charge for this “coming soon” page. But many registrars and hosts offer it free of charge.

What is the Difference Between the Extensions?

The .com neighborhood isn’t the only place to park your site. It is the most common, which means most short site names are already taken. You may not realize which other extensions, or neighborhoods, are available. Here are a few:

• .net is the second most common extension. .net is short for "network" and is the top choice for ISPs, hosting companies, and other Internet related companies.
• .org is used for non-profit groups and "organizations." which is what .org stands for.
• .biz is a pretty new extension, but is very popular among Internet “businesses.”
• .info is a great choice for “informational” websites. Many credible informational sites choose the .info extension when they are not in the business of selling products.
• .us stands for “United States” and is the extension used for websites that are run by the US government or are only applicable in the US.
• .gov is the US government extension. While only official government agencies can use the .gov extension, both government and private businesses can use .us.
• The .tv extension is primarily used by the entertainment world and is short for “television.”
• .jobs is a relatively new extension for job postings and employment details.
• Personal use websites have a different option, the .name extension. This is the only extension set aside for personal use.

Are There Exclusive Extensions?

Most countries have their own restricted extensions. .uk, for example, can only be used to register sites in the United Kingdom. .eu, on the other hand, is a new extension that is exclusively for businesses in the European Union.

Domain registration takes very little time. Most applications can be completed within an hour and cost less than $20 for a year. Choose your location wisely, it can be a real pain to move.