Next, why do you need a domain name? Domain names are important for a number of reasons, the main one being that they give customers a way to find you. If you have a business but no domain name, it’s like throwing a party but not giving anybody directions to the venue.
So many people ask, “do I need a domain name for my website?” Well, one of the key benefits of having a domain name is that it stops people from taking the name of your business and using it for their own domain name. Cue confused customers looking for you online and finding your competitor.
So, how important is a domain name? Well, almost as big a deal as having a company name. It puts you on the map, literally, so that you can make yourself known in the industry you work in.
So, Get Your Domain Name Today
5 Benefits of Having a Domain Name: Let Us Convince You
The importance of a domain name is all linked (no pun intended!) to the heap of benefits it has for your company. If you own a business, your domain name will be the address your clients, customers, stakeholders, and partners can use to check you out, contact you, place orders, and more.
- So first of all, it’s a point of contact. That means that a clear domain name will help people get in touch with you. If you just have a shy listing on Google Maps with no website, it’s going to be really tough for anyone to contact you or save your page to their favourites.
- Secondly, it’s a way to showcase who you are. Your website is the centre of any marketing campaign. It’s like a virtual office that people can visit to get a sense of who you are, what your brand represents, and what your values and vibe are.
- Thirdly, it’s a very useful way to make sales. While your all-singing, all-dancing social media is super helpful for showcasing your work and directing people to some contact details, websites can be optimised for selling. A domain name is a serious part of this, and a catchy and simple one will be easier to remember and hopefully help boost your sales.
- One other big benefit to having a domain name is that no one else beats you to the punch. If you’re starting a farm called Radical Radishes, and someone else claims the domain names “radicalradishes.com” and “radicalradishesfarm.com,” you’re then left with fewer options for your own website. Even worse, your customers might land on the wrong website when they are really looking for you! So, you want to get in and claim your domain name as soon as you know what you want it to be and gain a competitive business advantage.
- A good domain name helps with SEO optimisation. Since SEO depends on specific keywords for ranking high within a search engine result, a great domain name can ping keywords associated with searches for your services or goods.
- One last, but not final, benefit: it makes you look legit. A good domain name will make you look like you have your house in order and know at least the basics of good customer service.
If your domain name is something long-winded and cheap-sounding like trees-4-u.blogspace.net, it can make you seem unprofessional and like you don’t want to spend money on a cleaner domain name (and no one likes a cheapskate). You also risk people thinking your site might be dodgy or fraudulent. Something like www.trees4u.co.uk is a vast improvement (this isn’t actually a real domain name! Don’t get excited, tree huggers).
So, What’s the Difference Between a Domain Name and a Website?
Basically, a website is a series of pages and multimedia, like images, text, and video. Websites can be accessed through various devices, such as smartphones and laptops, and are a collection of these documents. The website is what appears on your screen when you click a domain name link.
The domain name is the address of that website. It’s like the difference between an address for a physical property and the building itself. The website is the building, and the domain name is the address the postal service agent needs to know to deliver mail to that building.
Do You Need a Domain for a Website? What Happens if You Don’t Have a Domain Name?
The long and short of it is yes, you do need a domain name for a website. While you technically absolutely can go without one, this choice can end up biting you in the tail. Let us explain:
Some website hosts, usually free ones, will allow you to build a website with them without a domain name. They give you “subdomains” which are associated with your websites.
So if your website host is “genericwebsites.com,” your subdomain could be called “radicalradishes.genericwebsites.com.” So there, you have an address that people can type in and reach your web pages. Now, here’s the catch:
You don’t own this address, the host does. It was free to you because it isn’t really yours. This means the host can technically delete it whenever they want, or if the host goes out of business and shuts down their service, you lose your address.
And losing your address is a big deal. It means your longtime (and newer) customers can no longer find you online, and any links to your website from other parts of the internet will be broken without a redirect notice.
Even if you’re canny, plan ahead, and keep a backup of all your files, you would still need to create a new website and find a way to funnel your old customers to the new address. Many might just assume that you went out of business. Nightmare scenario.
Can’t I just use the IP address of my website instead of a domain name?
Technically, you can, but why would you want to, is the short answer. Your IP address is a string of numbers and hardly easy to remember for your customers. A couple of simple words, preferably the name of your company followed by a “.com,” would be much easier and more efficient.
If your website is not for any business purpose, then sure, you can just use an IP address. It’s just not very user-friendly. There are many types of domains with different prices, so it’s worth getting one.
Imagine having to learn everyone’s phone numbers off by heart and type them in every time you want to talk to them. What a hassle! It’s easier to search for their name on your phone. This is just the same.
Why Do You Have to Pay for Domain Names if the Internet Is Free?
The Internet isn’t exactly free, even though things like ChatGPT and Google are free at the point of use. However, the Internet does cost money to make it work. This cost is divided over lots of companies that run servers that bring web pages to the public.
Do you have to buy a domain name? Yes, and when you buy a domain name, you own it for a certain amount of time. The people you pay are the company that hosts it on their name servers. These companies have to charge for the domain names to afford to run their name servers. You just might have to shop around for a reasonable price.
Why do some domain names cost more than others?
Some domain names have fixed prices that are decided between the registry and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (a kind of regulator for domain names). The cost for older domain options such as .com and .net are limited by the regulator.
The regulator doesn’t control the cost of any new options, like .shop or .news. This means that sellers of these domain names literally pick a number when it comes to charging for them, and prices can skyrocket depending on demand.
What to Weigh Up Before You Buy a Domain Name
Before you buy a domain name, you really want to consider two things:
- The cost: As some domain names are much more expensive than others, you should consider whether you really need a fancy new domain name option like .shop.
The classic .com options are standard and professional, but it’s your call.
- The audience: If you’re selling to people in the UK, you might want to opt for a .co.uk address to clarify that you are in fact a company based in the UK. This is a quick and easy way for customers to know they’re on the correct website.
Buy the Domain Name You Need to Succeed From OnlyDomains and Receive the Support You Want
Choosing the right domain name is just a part of the puzzle. The other part is choosing the right provider. OnlyDomains offers DNS management, 24/5 phone support, URL forwarding, and Whois privacy features as part of their service. Try OnlyDomains today!
