If your business has a website, you need a domain name. But how does registering a domain work, and what name should you choose? While these might not seem like critical decisions on the surface, the impact these decisions have on your business shouldn't be underestimated.
With the ideal domain name enhancing your business’ credibility and driving website traffic, purchasing the right domain helps attract more customers and increases conversions. Ready to find out more? Here, we cover the basics of domain registration, like choosing the perfect name and the best domain providers for your needs. Things like whois allow you to check the owners of certain domain names and review privacy and protection in the digital space.
What is a domain name and how does it work?
If you’re still uncertain about what a domain name is, it’s simply the website address that appears in your browser – like “google.com”. With the spelling of this domain entirely up to you, you must remember this name represents your business and provides an easy way for customers to engage with your website.
So how do domain names work? Your website has two key features comprising the domain name and your web hosting server. With this server storing all your website’s information, such as files, code and images, your website traffic accesses this information by inputting the correct domain name into their browser.
How do I choose a domain name for my small business?
Many small business owners mistakenly purchase a domain name that fails to capture the essence of their business.
As you want to closely associate your domain name with your business and its brand identity, ideally, you can use the exact same name for both. For example, an e-commerce store called Assemble Shoes could have the domain name “assembleshoes.com”.
With this domain name short and easy to remember, potential customers shouldn’t get confused with the spelling or formatting. Although you might be tempted to have a domain name with more descriptive words, adding hyphens or numbers to this address can trip up customers and cause them to lose track of your website. If you’re starting out, you can also consider free web host and domain providers as well to ease the journey in.
How do I register my own domain name?
If you’re ready to buy a domain name, you need to visit a domain service provider like Google Domains or GoDaddy. Services like these have built-in domain name availability tools, where you can check to see whether your desired option is open to use.
If it’s taken, you can try to register the same domain name with a different extension such as “.net” or “.org” instead of “.com”. Alternatively, you might decide to use your company’s slogan rather than your business name.
Once you’ve decided on a domain name, just make payment and add your contact information. However, the process isn't complete until you verify ownership of your new domain using a unique code. Typically, your domain service provider will send an email that asks you to confirm your contact information.
Discover small business success
Ready to launch a successful e-commerce business? One of the first steps involves registering a memorable, eye-catching domain name. Maintain the health of your website by looking at things like its bounce rate as well.
Then, consider the latest technological trends to ensure you’re keeping up with the competition. Find out more in our guide to starting a business in Malaysia or discover which payment gateways are driving the most success for e-commerce operations today.
