Domain Names
The domain name is about the least expensive piece of one’s Internet presence – yet one of the most important!
Domain names are annually renewed and paid for just like a post office box – if it lapses, anyone else can obtain it and use it. It can be a nightmare to recover your domain should that happen – a nightmare none of our domain name clients has ever had to endure.
There are various ways to purchase and register domains. Domain name registration through CharlesWorks offers personal service benefits.
Extensions
Top Level Domains are the extensions of the domain, such as .com, .net, .org, etc. The most popular TLDs are .com and .net. If you find that your domain is already registered, you might try for an alternate TLD.
Keywords
Having words pertinent to your business in your domain are increasingly important. Simplistically put, search engine algorithms (the math formulae used to compute the importance or value of words contained in your site) rank the importance of web sites according to words. Many businesses use a domain name to describe the name of their business and, in addition to that, own domains which contain keywords which are present in their website.
Free Search
We recommend to all of our existing and prospective clients to exercise caution in how you search for a domain. Unscrupulous companies purchase domains people search for to sell them to those people at much inflated prices (often $100+ for $15 domains). CharlesWorks can help you avoid this problem. You can search for available domains safely for yourself at no cost (click here), which helps you avoid the risk of losing your preferred domain name.
Cost
The charge for various domains varies according to TLD (that stands for Top Level Domain, like .com and .net and .info and many others), and also depending on who you register with and what country they are in and so on. CharlesWorks lets you search for domains at no cost, and you can register most domains at only about $15 per year. Click here to check for your domain.
Privatization
Domain registration with CharlesWorks can include private registration (so your personal information is unavailable to others and you are protected more from spammers and scams).
When you register a domain without privacy, your name, address, email address and phone number are made available to anyone. Your personal information is exposed 24 hours a day, every day, to anyone, anywhere. Domain privacy protects you from that with a Private Registration for a small additional charge. The “privacy” shields you – preventing your personal information from being placed out publicly on the Internet for the spammers, stalkers, and other unsavory individuals and companies who would harvest and use your personal information.
DNS Set Up Included
DNS is the worldwide system that enables your computer to determine which Internet address (the numbered address) goes with the web address (URL) you entered in your browser. Then your computer can talk to the computer (known as the server) that runs that website. DNS is like a phone directory for IP addresses – it converts names to numbers. When you look up a domain name in your web browser, DNS provides your browser software (like Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome or Apple’s Safari and so on) the IP address so it can find and display the website for you.
Renewals
Domain Terms
Some light reading when you have time
Domain Terms