A domain is a unique subset of the internet that contains addresses sharing a common suffix. Domains are used to identify a website and two sites cannot share the same name. The process of coming up with a distinct name might sometimes be hard, especially if an individual is not conversant with the rules to be observed. One of the major challenging questions that people have while developing an identification name is whether they can use special characters. Primarily, domains cannot have special characters. The only symbol allowed is the hyphen, but even so, it cannot be placed at the start or the end of a name.
Acceptable Domain Characters
Considering that special characters are not allowed in a domain name, you might be wondering which characters are valid. Interestingly, an individual can use any alphabet letters between a to z, numbers 0 to 9, and a hyphen. While creating domains, you can use a mixture of alphabets, numbers and a hyphen to fit your preferred name. Apart from the hyphen (-) and dot (.), no other type of symbol or punctuation can be used in a website identification name. Further, the length of domains ranges from 3 to 63 characters.
When coming up with a domain name, you can do so in both upper and lower case. Domains are not case sensitive, and as such, you can try advertising your web name in lower or upper cases or a combination of the two. Moreover, much as a name can contain up to 63 characters, you should bear in mind that longer domains are hard to recall and are also prone to being mistyped. Thus, it is advisable to use shorter names since they are easy to remember and write on business cards.
Importance of A Domain
Finding a web page on the internet would be quite tedious were it not for the presence of domain names. Whereas domains are vital to everyone, there is no doubt that businesses and institutions reap more benefits from having unique names. If you are a business owner, having a unique identification name adds credibility and makes you look more professional as compared to those who operate with a more generic one. Additionally, successful brand names are built through well-developed domains. In this period of digital revolution, it is crucial to have a well-developed name because it will help you market yourself and generate web traffic.
As discussed, the certainty is that domains are a vital component of any business or organization. Nonetheless, it is important to note that your domain name may be deleted if you fail to have it renewed as per the agreement with your domain host. You are expected to have your domain renewed 24 hours before the expiry date. If this is not done, the domain goes to a pool, which is a site where expired domains are stored. Although you can purchase or back-order your domain, it is expensive. Based on this, therefore, ensure that you renew your domain before it expires.
Domain Registration Process
People willing to register a domain name should be aware that there is a process to be followed for successful registration. The first step is choosing the name of your liking. Once this is done, you are supposed to send your request to a registrar. Primarily, a registrar is a company that oversees the reservation of domains. Further, the registrar confirms your chosen name is available, and if it’s not, you are asked to select a different one. After this, the registrar sends your preferred name and contact information to the registry, which in turn creates a WHOIS record. In addition, the registry adds the registered name to master servers whose role is to inform other servers of the location of your website on the internet.