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All about domain names (web addresses)

Having a good web address is important for your on-line business. Having great products or services and an excellent web site will take you a long way but a memorable and appropriate web address helps too.

What is a web address?

All devices and places on the Web have to have an address. If they didn't, how would you find the one you wanted, access it or send anything to it? [Technical/jargon alert] Real addresses on the Web are just special numbers - like 123.101.207.150 and 192.168.1.1. These are called 'IP addresses' from the Internet communications protocol that uses them, TCP/IP.

Thankfully there's a system of names available that hides these numbers from us. The www Web addresses that we normally use can be assigned to real Internet addresses to make it easier to use. For example, the address (domain name) of the Clarihon web site, www.clarihon.co.uk, points to a real address in cyberspace of 212.67.202.196. The xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.yyy part of the Web address is what's called the domain name. More than one name can point to the same numeric address. More of this later.

Types of address

For our purposes, I'll refer only to the addresses called domain names. clarihon.co.uk, clarihon.com, clarihon.eu, clarihon.net and clarihon.uk.com are examples of domain names.

It's the combination of the main name and the suffix (.co.uk or .com etc) that makes up the domain name. The first part doesn't have to be unique but the full name, including suffix, does.

Different bodies control the assignment of different domain names. For example, in the UK, a company called Nominet controlls the assigment of all domain names that end in .uk - that means .co.uk, .org.uk and .me.uk. There are many companies who can register domain names for you (including us) but ultimately we all have to go to Nominet to validate our requests to register a new domain name.

The same is true for all other domain names. As the Internet was largely created in the US (with apologies to Tim Berners-lee), all of the common, top-level domain name types - including .com, .net, .biz and .info are controlled by a company there called ICANN. Other countries control their own domain names, for example Germany handles all .de registrations and France all .fr ones. Although the UK is relaxed and open about who can gegister a .uk domain name, the same is not true throughout the rest of the world. For example, only someone resident or owning a business or a brand in France can register a .fr domain.

Registering addresses

Registering an address is easy. You can do it through your website designer or yourself direct with one of the many registration companies. After checking that the address you want is available, it can be registered for as little as around £2.50 per year. Many types of addresses need to be registered for at least two years and all addresses have to be renewed on a regular basis to retain 'ownership'. If you don't do this you might find that your 'ownership' has lapsed and the address gets registered by someone else - even a competitor.

Linking addresses to web sites or 'Parking'

Once and address is registered it can be left, ('parked') or it can be linked to a website. To link to a website you, or your website designer, can configure your address to point to the web space where the code making up your website resides. Anyone typing in your www address will then be directed to your website.

Transferring addresses

If you have an address registered already it might be best, or even necessary, to transfer it to another Registrar. Some Registrars charge much more than others for exactly the same service. Linking the address to a website and e-mail facilities may be easier and cheaper if it's moved to another company. Moving addresses is usually easy and cheap but occasionally it can be very difficult. It all depends on the Registration company that holds the address prior to the move. The move is something your website designer can help with

Choosing suitable addresses

It might seem obvious to register the address which matches your company name, and it's something that we would highly recommend, but it shouldn't be the only address you think of.

Suppose your business name is The Cornish Fine Wine Company. You should register www.thecornishfinewinecompany.co.uk but your customers and potential clients won't thank you for it! Register it to stop rivals using it to either steal or obstruct your business but register one or more alternative addresses such as www.cornishwines.co.uk or www.winesincornwall.co.uk for example. You could think larger, or further afield, and register southwestwines.co.uk or www.drinkcornish.co.uk. There's no limit to the number of Web addresses you can register and point to your website as long as they're available.

If you'd like some help with web addresses, please call us on 01579-342360 or e-mail us at enquiry@clarihon.co.uk