We are all on the internet. Some are there for shopping whereas some are there for selling. Some are their cause they have work while some are there because they have none. But there is unprecedented amount of data that we share with a huge network of networks that spans all across the globe. And internet is the place where we can find everything. From cricket scores to latest deals and offers on our latest products, it assists in every possible way. And that service is provided to us by various websites.
Now how do you get to know about this website? What is a domain name? And what is the relationship between the two? We will discuss all that.
Domain Name
A domain name is your website’s name. It is that address through which Internet users will access your website. This name can be used by all the people on the Internet to go and browse the contents available on the website as it is easier to remember a name than a string of digits which represent IP address. Examples of domain names are google.com, zoutons.com, Amazon.in etc.
There are various extensions that can be used with the domain name like .com, .in, .org etc. The basic necessity for a domain name is its exclusivity. It must be one of a kind and registered so that no one else can use it and create chaos and confusion.
This choice is very important as it is one of the first choice you make while creating a website and thus a lot of thought goes into it. The business or the organization’s first step is to get unique virtual identity and then all the processes kick in. You can say all thanks to technology as you can start a business without an actual place or that much amount of money. You can buy a new or an existing domain name according to your preference and need. There are several websites which help in these processes such as GoDaddy, BigRock etc. They give you the domain name and the required extension for a minimal fee. They also provide you the services of web hosting.
Web Hosting
Web hosting and domain name are generally used together and are closely related. We know that domain names are addresses for your websites. But there is content in those websites which include several HTML documents, images, video etc. Thus, web hosting is a service provided by various companies which rent out their servers in order to store your filed and ensure customers can consume the content without any hassle. Most companies give domain names and web hosting services in the same package and charge a fee.
There are several types of web hosting catering to different kinds of customers and their needs. There is shared hosting where several websites including yours are sharing one server. This usually for those business which have started and have low traffic generally. Their cost is low as it is shared among the various website owners but it is also slow and sluggish. Other one is Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting. It enables sharing of hardware but the websites are allocated separate software resources which helps in the cases of sudden rise in traffic and prevents shutting down of the website. The Dedicated Server is one where only you use it and you have full control over it thus higher costs but faster and more efficient. Thus, customers have variety of options to choose from.
Many companies such as BigRock, HostGator, GoDaddy etc. provide web hosting services along with domain names at affordable costs. Web hosting offers provide you lucrative plans at their base prices and lets you enjoy quality services at lower cost.
Domain Name and SEO
Whenever you need something, you Google it. Basically, you type the keywords and the search engine shows you the related results. Suppose you have a website selling musical instruments. Now, what are the odds that if someone searches musical instruments online, your page pops up first? This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Marketing (SMM) come into the picture.
Search Engine Optimization or SEO is the process of getting traffic and being more visible online through search engine results which are a free and organic way of getting more users. Thus, it is very important you choose the right domain to get more people on your website. Some experts suggest buying EMDs (Exact Match Domains) which are domains comprising of the keywords that the website targets. Suppose, for a musical shop the EMD can be ‘agarwalmusicalshop.in’. EMDs were very useful earlier but now their effectiveness has dropped but still can be used as a secondary feature of your domain.
Another option is using your brand name. Brand name is all the hard work of the organisation and represents the goodwill a business holds. One can use its good reputation and include the brand as a keyword in the domain. As people generally remember the brand name, it will increase the number of hits on the website. It also helps in the cases where the customers have a faint idea of your product and they know the name only in parts. In such cases, through navigation searches the customer will reach the website as the search engine will identify some parts similar to the brand name. Thus, many companies now use brand signals to improve their reach. It basically involves popularising your brand so much that people themselves talk about it and look it up.
Taking the example of Apple. It is a generic word that has nothing to do with the company’s operations. But as their brand marketing has been top notch, it has helped them reach new heights.
You can also have Partial Match Domains which can be a mix of brand and targeted keywords. Though you should keep in mind that your domain name should not be too long and it is preferred that it does not have numbers in it. It must be short without much complications and combinations.
Always remember if the content on your website is great, then only you can sail further. Having a great domain, right web hosting with good SEO will only exemplify your hard work and determination.
