What Is A Domain?
A domain (domain name) is your unique internet address.
Your domain name includes:
- https: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (Protocol)
- It can, but does not need to include www
NOTE: www stands for World Wide Web but it’s no longer necessary - TLD: Top-level domain such as .com, .net, .org
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http vs. https
Have you ever stumbled upon website with a “Not Secure” notice to the left of the domain name?
That’s because the website Protocol began with http, not https.
In order for your site Protocol to begin with https you need an SSL Certificate.
What is a TLD?
TLD stands for Top-level domain.
The most common TLDs are
- .com
- .net
- .org
But those aren’t the only ones. I have one that’s nancyfields.design.
You will also need to choose a TLD when you choose your domain name.
To see a complete list of over 1,000 TLDs click this link.
What Domain Name Should You Choose?
So many industry descriptive domain names were purchased years ago such as realtor.com it’s best to choose your first and last name, or your company name.
But what if my name is already taken?
In 2000 my first and last name were already take, so I chose nancyfieldsdesign.com and also fieldsgraphicdesign.com.
I use both domain names so if someone types in NancyFieldsDesign.com, it redirects to FieldsGraphicDesign.com.
A few years ago I bought nancyfields.design, but it’s still “parked” meaning I own the domain but have not yet used it.
Using a different TLD
I were an author and my name was not available I could choose something else, such as nancyfieldsauthor.com, or nancyfields.blog.
If I were a coach, nancyfields.coach. An artist, nancyfields.art.
How to Find a Domain Name?
There are lots of ways to find domain names. Most hosting companies sell domain names, but I prefer logging onto https://who.is/. This website tells me within seconds if a domain name is available and at what price.
You can buy your domain from who.is, but, if you have not yet purchased a website hosting account you might want to check with them because many web hosts, like bluehost, also offer one free domain name for your first year of hosting.
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