If you have given any thought to putting a website up for your business, one of the tasks you will encounter is choosing a domain name. A domain name is a way to easily identify the computer that your site resides on. Computers are identified by what is called an IP address, which is a string of numbers, sometimes called a dotted quad. The numbers look something like 63.241.136.201. Instead of getting to your site using a string of numbers that may be hard to remember, we use domain names, otherwise known as your Web address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Each domain name takes the place of that string of numbers!

Your name can be almost anything you like (as long as no one else has already registered the name you wish to use). You should choose a name that reflects your business. A logical choice would be to use the name of your business. If that name is already taken you can try different variations. Although domain names can be up to 67 characters in length and can include letters, numbers and hyphens, it is wise to choose something a little shorter. After all, you will be using the name on your business cards, letterhead, and other promotional materials, and choosing something short will be easier to remember. And domain names are not case sensitive. So www.christyscrafts.com is the same and www.ChristysCrafts.com.

So now that you want to buy our own dot com address, how does it work? Buying a domain name is much like a magazine subscription. You pay for the use of the name, usually annually (although you can pay for up to 10 years at a time). If you fail to renew your 'subscription' at the end of the term, you no longer have use of the name. It then goes back 'out there' and anyone else who may want to use that name can do so by paying the registration fee.

You can purchase a domain name from any accredited registrar. A list of registrars can be found at The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ( ICANN - http://www.icann.org/ ), which is the non-profit corporation that was formed to assume responsibility for domain name system management, as well many other related tasks. We like to think of them as the DMV of domain names. ICANN accredits registrars that in turn can sell domain names to consumers. Prices can range from $6.95 per year to $35 per year, depending on where you register and for how long .

If you do not yet have a hosting company, you can purchase a domain name from a registrar and reserve it for use at a later date. This is called "parking" it. When you are ready to put your site online, you will sign up with a hosting company. They will ask you whether you need to register a domain name or if you wish to transfer an already registered domain name. Some will transfer the name to their servers for you, but most of the time you will have to do this yourself.

To transfer your domain name from the place where you have it parked to your hosting company (if they are different) you will need the name servers. This information tells the domain name to "point" to the servers of your hosting company. Your hosting company will provide you with at least two name servers. The information will look similar to this:

NS1.NAMEOFCOMPANY.COM
123.45.6.122

NS2.NAMEOFCOMPANY.COM
123.45.6.123

With this information, you can now log-in to your account where you purchased your domain name and change the name servers. After you have done this, it can take 24 - 48 hours before your domain name is pointing to your new servers.

Once you register your address, you are entered into the WHOIS database. This is a database of all domain names and who owns them. You can look up the owner of any domain name using a WHOIS search such as METADOG WHOIS ( http://www.metadog.com/whois/ ).

There are advantages to having a domain name. If you decide you want to move your site to another server, you can take your domain name, and any associated e-mail addresses with you (as long as the company offers virtual domain hosting). Having a domain name also gives your customers a sense of professionalism.

Choosing your domain name can be one of the more enjoyable tasks of getting your business on-line. So go ahead and have fun with it! Take the first step in realizing your goal of getting your business on the Web! Check below to see if your domain name is available!

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