Week 9

Purchasing a domain and webspace

Module 3

What is a domain?

A domain name is intended to be

a friendly and memorable

“nickname”… an easy way to get

to a website

Domains and URLs

A domain name is not the same thing as a URL

• A domain name is commonly part of a larger Internet address called

a “URL"

• A URL goes into much more detail than a domain name and

includes the specific page address, folder name , machine name,

and protocol language

Anatomy of a URL

IP Address

The true technical address of a web host is its Internet Protocol

Address, or IP Address

• An IP address is a unique identifying number given to every single

computer on the Internet

• Like a car license plate, an IP address is a special serial number used

for identification

IP addresses and URLs

Both the IP address and domain name URL can be used to

connect to the same web server:

• e.g. 72.246.51.15 = www.nasa.gov

• e.g. 152.91.56.138 = www.gov.au

• e.g. 208.185.127.40 = www.about.com

Try it out! Enter the

IP address and see

where it takes you!

Best practices for domain names

Short

• Up to 63 characters… but make it as

short as possible

Memorable

• Make it easy to remember

• Don’t use - _ , acronyms or numbers

Descriptive

• Use your company name

• …or say what it is:

“bestdogwalkerinhamilton.ca”

• Consider keywords that people

would search for (SEO)

• Do you operate in a specific location

specific? Use the location in the

name, e.g. Hamilton

Unique

• Make it stand out and be catchy!

(think etsy)

• Don’t copy an existing URL or make

it confusingly close to something

else

Aim to get the .com or .ca

• …but don’t be pressured to buy more

options like .net

• .ca can be an advantage too

Purchasing a domain

Purchasing a domain

• Googling “domain name purchase”

generates many, many results…

Where to go? What to buy?

• Best bet? Choose a popular

company that has been around for a

while and has a good reputation

Purchasing a domain

Reputable sites:

(I’ve used these)

• godaddy.com

• easydns.com

• 1and1.com

Registering process

• Pricing is very competitive! Often registrars will offer incentives for

first year or when combining domain name with hosting options

• Search for an available domain on a domain registrar’s site… e.g.

1and1.com

• Make yourself the owner of the domain if it’s for your company or

site

• If you’re registering on behalf of a client, make them the owner, you can be a

technical contact if needed

• Keep in mind that owner info is publicly available (https://www.whois.net/)

Hosting

Congratulations on the purchase of your domain!

• You’ll now need to host your site (web pages, css, images, etc) on

a server

Hosting options are almost endless…

• For a basis site you’ll need a basic plan to start

• Your Internet Service Provider may offer this service, or there are

many options available

• Once you’ve purchased web space create an FTP account,

connect it up and post your site!

• Ok… that’s a simple explanation, but it sums it up

Example… 1and1.com

Sample admin area… allows you to access domains, create FTP

accounts set up your web space

Tips

Read the fine print!

• https://www.easydns.com/10-things-to-know-before-you-register/

(Remember you usually get what you pay for)

Renewing

• Ensure the contact email address is kept up to date

• You’ll need to ensure the domain is renewed yearly (or pay for

more years at a time)

• If a domain expires it can be a pain/lots of work to get it back…

Buying an existing domain name

What if someone already owns a

domain that you want?

• Domains ownership can be

transferred

• You can offer to purchase it from

the current owner

• Negotiate to determine the price

• Do your research… Don’t buy a

domain without checking into its

past!

References

• http://www.motocms.com/blog/marketing/10-tips-

choosing-domain-name/

• http://www.domaintools.com/

• http://www.dotomator.com/

• https://www.1and1.com/web-hosting

• https://ca.godaddy.com/hosting/web-hosting.aspx

• http://cira.ca/ca-websites/101/