Many ISPs will offer you a certain amount of free web space as part of your subscription package and you can use this space to build and host a website of your very own.
However, it's possible that the standard address provided by your ISP might be a little longwinded and complicated. If you want a catchy, easy to remember or personalised address for your website, then purchasing your own domain name is the answer.
There are a number of companies in the UK that can register a domain name for you. You can then set up your site so that anybody who types in the address will be sent to your homepage.
You can also set up email accounts for your domain name for personalised email addresses and mail that pertains to your website.
In this feature we'll show you where to get your domain name from, how to register it and how to set up your site to work with it. Registration
There is a vast assortment of organisations willing to register your domain name for you - for a small fee, naturally.
You might want to check with your ISP or the organisation that hosts your website first to see if they offer domain name registration; it may be cheaper or even free if you have already signed up to a particular package.
Registration of a domain name generally lasts for one or two years. Prices vary depending on which company you register the domain name with and the type of domain name you choose. A .com domain name, for example, is usually more expensive than a .co.uk address because of its worldwide status.
While the price of registering a domain name doesn't usually include the cost of hosting a website, several organisations provide all-in-one or discounted packages that offer both services.
Bargainhost, for instance, charges £49 for 100Mb of web space with a free UK domain name. Fasthosts offers a variety of hosting packages from £1.99 per month or £19.99 per year. Register a .co.uk domain name with them and it will cost £6.93 for two years.
You could also try the popular Easyspace, which offers a range of different domain registration, hosting and email management services. Flick through the pages of Webactive or search for 'domain name registration' on the internet and you'll find plenty of further offers.
The steps involved in buying and setting up a domain name are actually quite straightforward but first, you'll need to ascertain whether the domain name you want to use has already been taken by another user.
Checkdomain has an independent domain name search facility, but most domain name registration sites, like the ones mentioned above, will also provide you with a search facility to check if a domain name has already been used before you attempt to register it.
All you need to do is type in the domain name you would like to use and hit return to see what's available. In some cases you will also need to enter the extensions you would like to search for.
Dot what?
There are several different extensions for domain names, ranging from the familiar worldwide .com to the UK-specific .co.uk. The final part of the extension is known as the Top Level Domain (TLD).
This can be a country code (.uk or .fr) or it can be a non-country specific extension such as .com or .org. For extensions that include a country code, there is usually also a subcategory such as .co or .ltd followed by the country code itself.
This sub-category is called the Second Level Domain (SLD). The main section of the domain name, which you choose (after www.) is known simply as the name.
If you find that a domain name you would like to use has already been registered, you may be able to try an alternative extension. If the .com or .co.uk version of your domain is already taken, the .net or .org name might still be free.
Some restrictions apply, however. Domain names ending with .ltd.uk or .plc.uk are registered with Nominet UK, and only company names that have been registered with Companies House can use these with their own company name. Similarly, domain names ending in .net.uk are for internet service providers and .sch.uk domains are reserved for schools.
What's in a name?
There are also several restrictions concerning the main name part of a domain name. The name must be between three and 63 characters in length and should be lower case.
Letters, numbers and hyphens can be used, but spaces are not allowed, and a name cannot start or end with a hyphen. The use of a hyphen is helpful when dividing a long name. Hyphenation also makes it easier for search engines to find your website.
Jonathan Robinson, director of business development at NetBenefit advises keeping a domain name short and simple. "Users do not like to type lengthy names into their browser's address bar," he says.
"Also, they may only see your domain name briefly and not have the opportunity to write it down. It should be recognisable, easy to remember and relate directly to your family, business or club name."
Robinson also advises that, if at all possible, a number of domain names should be registered at the same time. "Instead of browsing the internet by business name, many people browse by product or service name," he explains.
"To increase the chances of them remembering your web address or finding your site, register extra domain names relating to your core business or products. For example, a vineyard may choose wine.com or grapes.net as well as its company name."
Extending your reach
You might also want to consider registering several different extensions for your domain name. If they are available, you could pick up both the .com and the .co.uk domains to make sure that visitors are sent to your site, whichever extension they use.
It's not essential to do this but bear in mind that, if you don't, people looking for your site could end up somewhere completely different if they type in a different extension.
This can be particularly awkward if you are using your domain name for business purposes. Take Apple, for example. Type in www.apple.com and you'll get to the computer company's US homepage. But if you assumed that www.apple.co.uk would take you to the UK version of Apple's site you would be mistaken.
In fact, you would wind up browsing the website for the UK-based Apple Agency, which deals with commercial illustrations. In the worst possible scenario, you could find that inadvertently typing the wrong extension might take visitors to a website that belongs to a direct competitor or even one that contains offensive or inappropriate material.
Once you have decided on a domain name that nobody else has used and the extension(s) you want, you will need to register it/them with an organisation such as the ones we have already mentioned.
Registration is generally similar to any form of online purchase, where you need to submit personal details including full name, postal address and payment details. Following registration you should receive confirmation of payment and your domain name via an email.
You will also be provided with a username and a password, which will allow you access to a specific web page where you can set up your preferences, divert or upload a site.
Email accounts can also be set up at this stage. See Setting up your Website below for a step-by-step guide to diverting traffic to an existing website that is hosted elsewhere.
Worldwide and national registries
There are a number of organisations around the world that oversee and regulate the registration of domain names. Worldwide .com, .org, .biz and similar non-country specific domain names used to be managed by the US government.
Since 1998, however, they have been overseen by the non-profit-making Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann).
UK domain names ranging from those with the familiar .co.uk to the latest .me.uk extensions are registered by Oxford-based Nominet UK. This is also a non-profit company and was established in 1996.
Nominet's website contains plenty of advice and information on registering a domain name. The site is a real oasis for anyone who is confused about the subject of domain names, and it contains lots of useful, jargon free information.
The purpose of registries such as Nominet UK is to manage the different domain names including registration of new and existing owners. If, for example, you register a UK related domain name via a domain name registration website, the details will be submitted to Nominet UK.
Once the registration is complete, Nominet UK issues a certificate containing details of the legal registrant of the domain name.
Such organisations also deal with disputes where a domain name may conflict with two organisations or businesses. If two people try to register the same domain name at the same time, this can be dealt with by Nominet (if UK related) using its Dispute Resolution Service.
The Nominet UK website explains how this would be resolved: "On rare occasions there may be a clash between two people wanting to register the same domain name.
"In this instance, Nominet does not judge the legality of a claim, but instead tries to mediate between the two parties to bring about a mutually agreeable outcome."
Where conflicts of names exist, Nominet UK has a dedicated online submission form that can be used to voice concerns.
"Nominet will seek a response from the Registrant, after which it will initiate an informal mediation process," according to the advice on the Nominet website.
If this is unsuccessful, Nominet can refer the case to an independent expert, but this will cost £750 plus VAT. If this is again unsuccessful, an appeal can be conducted for a further £3,000 plus VAT. This may seem like a lot of money, but taking the case to court can incur similar costs.
Making the right choice
During the dotcom boom of the late 1990s, there was a craze for registering domain names that big companies or celebrities were slow to snap up. Legend has it that early cyber squatters (as they are known) made millions by selling on the domain names when businesses began to realise the importance of the net.
Several high-profile legal battles later, however, cyber squatting no longer seems like such a good idea, as many companies have won the right in court to reclaim or extinguish contentious domain names.
With that in mind, it's best to try to ensure that the domain name you want to register doesn't obviously conflict with any businesses that may pursue a legal case to have the name removed.
Also, check alternatives of the domain name (different extensions and use of hyphens) to ensure there are no other websites with a similar name, particularly offensive ones.
As you can see, there's quite a lot to consider before registering and paying for your domain name. But, if you think about it, choosing the right domain name for your site is one of the most important aspects of creating a website and it's not a decision you'll want to take lightly.
After all, you want your site to stand out from the crowd and a good, memorable domain name can help increase traffic to your corner of the web immeasurably.
SETTING UP YOUR WEBSITE
Once you have registered and paid for a domain name, you will be able to use the online tools provided by your registry organisation to divert to your website.
Step 1
Following registration and payment, you should receive a confirmation email containing details of what to do next. There may be a link to click on to enter a website where you can set up information concerning your domain name. The email should also contain details of a user name and password for you.
Step 2
After clicking on the link in the email or copying and pasting the URL into your web browser, you will be taken to a special web page where you can make changes to your domain name's settings. You will have to log in using the password provided as a security precaution.
Step 3
Once you have logged in, you should be presented with a range of options for your domain name. These may include email forwarding and website diversion. Most of these should be free, but some services may incur a small fee. If you already have a website online and would like your new domain name to point to it, simply enter the current URL of your site into the box next to the 'divert' option. Look for a button on screen to apply the changes you have made. Now, open up a new browser window, type in your new domain name and check that it takes you to your homepage. Bear in mind that it sometimes takes a few hours for a diversion such as this to be processed.
Useful contacts:
Bargainhost
Checkdomain
Easyspace
Fasthosts
NetBenefit
Nominet UK
Icann
Computeractive
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