A domain name is that the address that you just sort into an online browser address bar to induce a web site. associate example of a website name is computer network.website.com. a website name is exclusive to a web site and can’t be shared between totally different websites, and a custom name is one that’s specifically for your web site.
There are several reasons why you ought to get a custom name for your web site, notwithstanding your web site is “just for fun.” during this article, we are going to explore a number of these reasons, additionally as show you wherever and the way to urge a free custom name for your web site.com web site.
Why you wish a custom domain for your web site
Yes, it’s true that you just don’t necessary want {a domain|a web site|a site} name for your website. In fact, there ar several web site builders that supply free plans with free web site addresses. however these free web site addresses are available in the shape of a sub-domain. for instance, if your web site builder is “example.com” (not a true web site builder), they will produce a sub-domain known as john.example.com for you to use on your web site. guests typewriting in http://john.example.com can find yourself at your web site.
The sub-domain is free and it’s not closely-held by you, however rather by the web site builder and that they will produce and delete any sub-domain they want. once an internet site builder decides to delete a sub-domain, the web site that’s related to it’s deleted additionally. you’ll say, “Simple enough, I’ll simply build a brand new web site on another web site builder.”
But you will not understand it’s not that easy.
When you lose your web site address, you lose all of your regular guests – people that bookmarked your web site and come oftentimes for updates and new info. once they click on their marker link, they’ll find yourself at a browser error page.
Not to mention all the promoting work you have got to try and do to publicize your new web site and acquire your guests back. it’ll be for a while before your web site gets back to what it wont to be.
Contrast this with what happened if you have got discovered your web site on a custom domain. Yes, you’ll still have to be compelled to notice a brand new web site builder and construct your web site, however as a result of you own the custom domain, you’ll take it beside you and re-attach it to your new web site on the new service supplier. To your guests and search engines, there’s no amendment of net address and your web site will still be reached at constant address as before.
Other reasons why a free sub-domain is dangerous for your web site
many folks won’t wish to try and do business with a corporation that doesn’t even have its own name. after you get a custom domain, you’re not solely obtaining an expert web site, you’re conjointly obtaining an expert email address.
Say you’re within the marketplace for legal services, that firm would you presumably contact, ABCLaw@ABCLawPractices.com or ABCLaw@hotmail.com.
You, and plenty of people, can largely possible contact ABCLaw@ABCLawPractices.com as a result of by employing a custom domain, the firm appearance a lot of skilled, credible and trust-worthy.
Search engines like Google and Bing provide preferences to domain names instead of sub-domains. This means, given constant web site content and same quantity of links, search engines can rank ABCLawPractices.com more than ABCLawPractices.example.com.
notwithstanding your web site} may be a hobby site or it’s “just for fun” it’s an honest plan to urge a custom domain rather than employing a free sub-domain. Don’t underestimate 1st|the primary} web site that you’re making “for fun” – that’s however Facebook started within the first place. You don’t wish to attend till your hobby web site becomes serious before you investigate obtaining it a custom name. deem all the traffic, visitors, links, etc. you might’ve already accumulated – it would be too late by then.
Are custom domain names free? what quantity do they cost?
While a website name itself isn’t free, you’ll get one for gratis from web site.com.
The cost of a website name depends on wherever you’re shopping for it from, additionally because the domain extension you’re shopping for. for instance, country-specific domain names like .ca and .co.uk ar typically costlier than the generic .com or .net. A .com name generally prices around $10 to $15 annually.
Many different web site builders hang on a free 1-year domain registration after you register for associate degree annual service arrange. But, the free domain offered by web site.com is totally different in 2 ways:
different web site builders’ free domain supply solely applies to a .com or .net name, which means if you wish a free name, you have got to decide on a .com or a .net name. Say, if you wish to use a unique domain extension (such as a .org or a country-specific domain extension), you will have to be compelled to pay the distinction.
however with web site.com, you get to decide on from thirteen totally different domain extensions. And whereas a country-specific domain extension generally prices quite a generic domain extension, if you wish to use a .ca name rather than a .com, plow ahead – and be confident that you just won’t be charged the distinction or further prices.
The free name that different web site builders supply is for a 1-year term solely. this implies at the tip of the primary year, if you wish to continue mistreatment constant name, you’ll have to be compelled to pay the then-current renewal rates, sometimes around $12 to $20.
But, with web site.com, your free name is auto-renewed for you for the time period of your web site builder service arrange. If you renew your service arrange for an additional year, Website.com can extend the free domain for an additional year.
I want to urge a free custom domain from web site.com. What’s subsequent step?
Once you’ve determined to proceed with a custom name, your next step is to travel to web site.com and register for an internet site builder arrange. Then, from there, you’ll hunt for the name you wish to use.
As we’ve got mentioned earlier, you’ll make a choice from thirteen totally different domain extensions. And whereas a country-specific domain extension prices quite a generic domain extension, if you wish to use a .ca name rather than a .com, plow ahead – your 1st domain is on US.
How to opt for the proper domain name?
When selecting a website name, it ought to be:
- Relevant to your content, service or business
- simple to recollect – keep it short and catchy
- simple to pronounce
- simple to spell
- Not a violation of somebody else’s trademark
Shorter names create higher domain names – they’re easier to sort and fewer at risk of mistakes. Longer domain names, on the opposite hand, have a bonus once it involves keywords and search engines provide preferences to keywords that also are found in your name.
What if the .com name i need isn’t available?
When it involves domain extensions, folks tend to like the a lot of widespread ones like .com and .net. there’s associate degree simple familiarity with a .com that you just won’t notice with the other domain extensions. however if your web site targets native customers, you may wish to think about employing a country-specific domain extension.
Learn a lot of concerning Domain Extensions in our article: will it matter that domain extension you employ for your custom domain?