Synopsis Explaination of domain names, what they are, and how to choose one for your website.

Chapter Contents Getting Your Website Online Domain Names Web Hosting Recommended Providers Uploading Your Website

Domain names

A domain name is the address of a website. Some examples of domain names are yahoo.com, doubleclick.net, irs.gov, and apache.org. People who want to visit a website can do so by entering the domain name into a web browser (such as Internet Explorer).

The first step in making your website accessible to visitors is to find a domain name. We suggest choosing a domain name that is related to the theme of your website. This will make your website appear more credible. For example, if your website is about digital cameras, you might choose a domain name like digital-snapshot.com, cameracareguide.com, or photoclicks.net.

Domain names ending in .com are the most popular, so it can be difficult to find .com's that are still available. You should consider registering a .net or .org as an alternative. You can use .com, .net, or .org extensions for any type of website. (It is a common myth that domain names ending in .org are reserved for the websites of non-profit organizations. This is not true.)

It can be frustrating trying to find a domain name you like that is still available. You must be creative. Most all one-word domain names have already been taken, so you will have to try stringing together two or more words.

Activity

Try finding an available domain name using the look-up service on our website. Simply type in a domain name (example: photoclicks.net), and the system will tell you if the name is still available. If you find an available domain name you like, write it down. We will help you register it later.

Access the domain name availability service

If you are having trouble finding an available name, try the Deleted Domain Search. You can use it to search through lists of previously registered domain names that are now available. There are some hidden gems there! Simply enter a keyword related to your website theme, and the system will return a list of available domain names that contain that keyword. If you find a domain name you like, write it down. We will help you register it later.

Access the Deleted Domain Search