What is a Domain Name and How Does It Work

Think of a domain name as your house’s address. Every house has an address name and number, and every website on the internet has its own domain name.

Just as an address helps people locate your home, a domain name helps users find your website in an ocean we call the internet. A domain name is a key element of your online identity. It represents your brand, influences how easily people can find you, and plays a crucial role in building trust with your audience.

Let’s see what a domain name is, how it actually works, and why it’s so important for establishing your online presence.

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is a human-readable address used to access websites on the internet. Every website has an IP address, a unique sequence of numbers that identifies the server hosting the website’s data. The numerical address serves as the website’s exact location on the internet, allowing computers to find and retrieve its content.

Instead of remembering these numerical IP addresses, users simply type in a domain name, like wpamelia.com to visit a website. This makes navigating the web more intuitive and user-friendly, serving as the foundation of how people interact with websites.

What does a domain name look like?

Domain names are composed of several parts, each serving a specific purpose. Here’s what the structure of a domain name looks like:

1. Top-level domain (TLD): The suffix at the end of a domain name, such as .com, .org, or .net. It often indicates the purpose of the website, e.g. .edu for education, .gov for government. Most of the American businesses register their website with .com. TLDs can also be country-coded and refer to specific geographical locations, such as .cn for China, .uk for the United Kingdom, .br for Brazil, etc.
2. Second-level domain (SLD): This is the main part of the domain name, located to the left of the TLD. For example in wpamelia.com, “wpamelia” is the second-level domain. It represents the unique identifier for the website.
3. Subdomains: This is an optional part of the domain that appears before the SLD. Subdomains help organize content or create separate sections of a website. For instance, in blog.example.com, “blog” is the subdomain.

What is a fully qualified domain name?

A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is a complete domain name that specifies the exact location of a resource within the hierarchy of the Domain Name System (DNS). It includes all necessary components to uniquely identify a website or service on the internet.

A FQDN consists of three parts:

1. The hostname –  www.
2. The domain name – wpamelia
3. And the top-level domain – .com

So, www.wpamelia.com is a fully qualified domain name. FQDN provides an absolute path to a specific location, leaving no ambiguity about its position in the DNS structure. It’s important for services like email configuration, website hosting, and network administration.

How Does a Domain Name Work?

When you enter a domain name in your browser, a complex yet seamless process takes place behind the scenes to connect you to the desired website. It all happens in a few seconds, and this is where the Domain Name System comes in.

#1 Domain Name System (DNS)

Think of DNS as the internet’s directory or phonebook. It maps human-readable domain names to numerical IP addresses that computers use to identify and communicate with each other.

DNS is a global database with all registered domain names on the internet. However, there is not a single DNS server or even a single physical location for DNS Servers. Actually, the DNS consists of a network of servers distributed globally. Without the DNS, you would have to remember long strings of numbers to visit a website.

#2 Typing in a domain name in the browser

When you type in a domain name into your browser’s address bar and hit Enter, your browser sends a request to a DNS resolver which acts as a middleman between your browser and larger DNS infrastructure. It is usually provided by your Internet Service Provider.

Firstly, it checks its local cache to see if it already has the IP address for the domain name. If it does, the resolver immediately provides the IP address to the browser, speeding up the process.

#3 DNS lookup and resolution

However, if you haven’t visited that website before, the resolver begins a series of queries to find the IP address.

• Querying the Root DNS Servers: These servers direct the resolver to the appropriate Top-Level Domain (TLD) servers (e.g., .com, .org).
• Querying the TLD Servers: The TLD servers guide the resolver to the authoritative DNS server for the specific domain name.
• Querying the Authoritative DNS Server: The authoritative server holds the exact IP address for the domain name and sends this information back to the resolver.

#4 Returning the IP address

Once the IP address is retrieved, your browser uses it to connect to the server where the website’s files and data are hosted. This is done through an internet protocol such as HTTP or HTTPS.

Then, the server responds to the browser’s request by sending the necessary files, such as HTML, CSS, images, scripts, etc. The browser then assembles these components and displays the webpage on your screen.

Why is this process important?

This system allows people to access websites efficiently without needing to understand or remember numerical IP addresses. The DNS infrastructure and supporting technologies ensure that this process happens almost instantaneously.

If you have this in mind, you can better understand the role of domain name, DNS management, and web hosting to ensure your clients have a smooth and secure online experience when they visit your website.

Domain Name vs URL – What’s the Difference?

While looking at your browser’s address bar, you may wonder if it’s all a domain name. While they’re often used interchangeably, they serve different purposes.

As we said, a domain name is a human-readable address used to identify a website on the internet. A URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a complete web address that specifies the exact location of a resource on the internet. A URL includes the domain name but also has other additional components like protocol (HTTP or HTTPS), subdirectories, and specific file paths.

Example of a URL:

https://wpamelia.com/wordpress-website-maintenance/

Key Components of a URL:

• Protocol: Specifies how data is transferred (https://)
• Domain name: The core identifier of the website (wpamelia.com)
• Path: Indicates a specific page or resource (wordpress-website-maintenance/)

So, the URL is a full web address, including the domain name and additional elements. It locates a specific resource within a website, and consists of protocol, domain name, path, query parameters, etc.

The domain name is a part of the URL but only represents the main address of a website. The URL provides a complete roadmap to a specific page or resource on the site.

How to Choose the Right Domain Name?

The first step in building a successful online presence is choosing the right domain. Your domain name is often the first impression people have of your brand, and it plays an important role in SEO, branding, and user experience. Here’s how to make the best choice:

• Opt for a domain name that is short, clear, and easy to remember. It’s best for a domain name to be the name of your brand, but keep it simple. Avoid lengthy names that users might mistype or forget.
• It was thought that keywords in domain names are preferable for better SEO, however, it doesn’t help you get on top search results if a keyword is in your domain name. For example, if you have a pet grooming business, instead of a domain like bestdoggroomingshop.com just choose your brand name as a domain. If your business name is Happy Fur, just opt for a domain name happyfur.com.
• Avoid hyphens and numbers, since they can confuse users. People might forget the hyphen in happy-fur.com or misinterpret the number in top10toys.com as “ten” instead of “10”.
• A clean and straightforward name like happyfur.com is preferable.

Domain name availability

Check the availability of a domain name you wish to have. Use registration platforms like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Bluehost to see if your desired domain name is available. If the domain name is already taken, these platforms can suggest alternatives or variations that might work for you.

Next, explore extensions. While .com is the most popular and widely recognized, consider other extensions if your preferred domain name is unavailable, such a .net or industry-specific options like .shop or .tech. Be cautious with less common extensions, as they may not have the same level of trust or recognition.

Lastly, act quickly. Good domain names can be snapped up quickly. Once you find a name that suits your needs, register it to secure your online identity.

Branding tips

Your domain name should align with your brand name to create consistency and make it easier for clients to find you. Avoid domain names that deviate too much from your brand, since this can confuse your audience.

Ensure your domain name is easy to spell and pronounce. This is especially important for word-of-mouth marketing, where potential clients might rely on hearing your domain name, instead of reading it. Try to avoid names that have multiple spellings or uncommon phrases that could lead to errors, such as “theatre” vs. “theater”.

It’s important to choose a name that stands out and avoids legal issues by ensuring it’s not too similar to an existing brand.

How to Register a Domain Name?

First off, you may wonder what a domain name register is. To put it simply, it’s a business that handles the reservation of domain names as well as the assignment of IP addresses for those names.

To register a domain name, select a name that reflects your brand, is easy to remember, and aligns with your goals. Decide on the Top-Level Domain (TDL) that best suits your needs, such as .com, .net, or industry-specific options like .tech or .shop.

Next, check the availability on registrar platforms like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Bluehost. If your preferred name is taken, explore variations or different TLDs.

Once you’ve selected an available domain, proceed with the purchase. You will need to provide some personal information during registration, including your name, email address, and billing details.

How much does a domain name cost?

How much a domain name costs depends on the TLD and the registrar you choose Most standard domain names cost between $5 and $20 a year. However, some domain names, especially short, popular, or highly competitive ones, are classified as premium and can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Domain registration is often billed annually, but renewal fees may vary, so check the registrar’s pricing policy to avoid surprises.

Why is domain privacy protection important?

When you register a domain, your personal information (name, address, phone number, email) is added to the public WHOIS database. This public visibility can expose you to spam emails, unsolicited marketing calls, and potential privacy threats.

That’s why it’s important to safeguard your information. Many domain registrars provide an optional domain privacy protection for a small annual fee. This service will replace your personal details in the WHOIS database with generic information provided by the registrar, ensuring your private information is safe while maintaining the functionality of your domain registration.

Closing Thoughts on Domain Names

Domain name is not just a web address, it’s your virtual identity and a vital component of branding, accessibility and credibility on the internet.

Choosing the right domain name, registering it properly, and protecting your privacy are key steps in putting up your website. A thoughtful approach to your domain name can set the foundation of your online success. So, let your creativity loose, and once you find the perfect one, register it quickly before someone else does it first!

Don’t forget to read:

• WordPress Website Maintenance Tasks
• WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: Which One to Choose?
• Is WordPress Free? Demystifying WordPress Pricing

Author Tijana Cuviza

Back to Previous

Share the article

Back to Previous

View Comments (0)

Explore features Explore Demo

Read Inspiring Customer Stories

Check out how our user set Amelia for his business

Read the full story