Nov 24

What is a domain name? A domain name is a unique name, kind of like an e-mail address is unique, which is registered in a database called WHOIS through an organization called Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI). The domain name corresponds to a unique set of numbers called an IP (Internet Protocol) address. The reason we use domain names instead of IP addresses is that they are closer to our language. It would be difficult to market a site like this: “Go to 64.233.167.99 or 216.109.112.135 to search the internet!” A much easier way to do this is to say “Go to www.Google.com or www.yahoo.com to search the internet!” (Both Google and Yahoo are trade marked by Google, Inc., and Yahoo, Inc., respectively).

A domain name points to a computer called a “name server”. The name server knows that your domain name corresponds to your web hosting server’s IP address and it routes the person who typed in your domain name to your web hosting server – to your web site. That is how people anywhere in the world can see your web site by typing your domain name.

In 1992, the National Science Foundation granted an exclusive contract to NSI to be the sole registrar of top level domain names. NSI also had a cooperative agreement with United States Department of Commerce (”DoC”). With no competition, consumers were at the mercy of NSI.

In 1998, NSI and the DoC amended their cooperative agreement to allow for competing registrars. NSI was forced to provide domain name registration to the competing registrars at wholesale prices, rather than the standard $34.99 annual fee. NSI still charges $34.99 per year.

In late 1998, the DoC assigned the responsibility of overseeing the transition to a competitive market for domain names and accreditation of new registrars to a new organization called the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

In 1999, ICANN began taking applications from companies who wanted to become registrars – and then capitalism took over: companies had to compete for business. Prices came down and service improved, however some are better than others. For a more detailed history of this transition, visit www.icann.org/registrars/accreditation-history.htm.

Even with the positive effects of competition in the domain name marketplace, the process of internet domain name registration remains a mystery for many.

There are a lot of companies that want to charge you hundreds of dollars to do the simple task of domain name registration for you. There are some registration companies who will charge you $35 just to register a domain. And there are web site consultants who charge over $100 to do the work for you. But you can do it yourself in about 15 minutes and it can cost as little as $1.99 for a year. If you do some research, learn a little and work smart, you can save yourself some money – and some headaches.

Nicholas LaPolla
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/the-history-of-domain-names-186982.html

Posted in domain names | 2 Comments »
Nov 3

There are currently over 70 million registered Internet domain names across the globe according to Web Host Industry Review.

Jim Croce’s famous song “I got A Name” may one day need to be changed to “I got a Cheap Domain Name” if current Internet growth rates remain the same. Today there are over 70 million registered Internet domain names across the globe.

While more and more businesses are taking advantage of the innovation and power offered by the Internet by registering domain names, an equal number of individual users are registering domain names as well. In fact, with the Internet becoming such an ubiquitous part of everyday life and commerce, one can imagine a day when every individual and every corporation will have domain names and hosting just as they do a social security number or corporate tax ID.
Cheap domain name registration is on the rise as a result of the growing online community and more affordable domain names and hosting, and online services marketed and offered by companies such as the World’s Largest Registrar – GoDaddy.com. According to the most recent Verisign reports, 8.5 million new domains registered were registered in the 3rd quarter of 2005, a 33% increase from 3rd quarter 2004 and a 94% increase from 3rd quarter 2003. Internet use worldwide reached the landmark number of 1 billion users in the 3rd quarter of 2005.
While some may have the perception that all the good cheap domain names are gone, the reality is that what we are seeing today is only the frost on the tip of the iceberg. It’s still very much a buyer’s market as far as online real estate goes. Years from now, those who have purchased and registered cheap domain names today – whether for business or personal use—will look back at this time period as a golden opportunity to acquire the cheapest domain names of their choice and put their e-stake in the ground.
Part of the growth in cheap domain names is being fueled by small businesses such as an independent local grocer or dry cleaner that, by effectively establishing a presence on the Internet today, are building a foundation for their future while expanding their business reach and competing as never before. Companies like iPower.com, who provide the full spectrum of cheap domain names and hosting services, enable small businesses to establish a powerful site quickly and more affordably than ever.
ICANN, now performing the functions of previously U.S. government contracted entities, is responsible for Internet Protocol (IP) address space allocation, protocol identifier assignment, generic (gTLD) and country code (ccTLD) Top-Level Domain name system management, and root server system management functions.
Recently, the World’s Largest Registrar – GoDaddy.com announced that it, too, had been named a Gold Certified member of the Microsoft Partner Program. Go Daddy provides a range of Microsoft-based hosting solutions, including three different shared hosting plans and several options for dedicated and virtual servers.

Shana Shane
http://www.articlesbase.com/domain-names-articles/registering-domain-names-and-hosting-53757.html

Posted in domain names | 3 Comments »
Oct 10

The following article presents the very latest information on Domain Names. If you have a particular interest in Domain Names, then this informative article is required reading.

See how much you can learn about Domain Names when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Everyone should have Amy Schrier’s problem.

For six months, she resisted selling the domain name Blue.com for $200,000. Using a formula she devised to fetch the highest market value for cheap domain names, Schrier eventually convinced a private party that Blue.com was worth $500,000. Since the name was sold in March, its site now includes links to sexual material and airfare ads.

“The market will really explode when people realize they are sitting on premium real estate,” says Schrier, 37, an entrepreneur in New York who bought Blue.com for $65,000 in 2002.

Dan Taylor, 54, an industrial designer in Toronto, stumbled onto his domain riches. In the 1990s, he bought Realtone.com with the intent of developing online content for skin care products. As Taylor’s luck would have it, that was before ringtones became available on cell phones. When Universal Entertainment in Germany came calling for the domain name last year, Taylor sold it for an undisclosed amount.

So now you know a little bit about Domain Names. Even if you don’t know everything, you’ve done something worthwhile: you’ve expanded your knowledge.

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Domain Names? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Domain Names.

The information about Domain Names presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Domain Names or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

Schrier and Taylor are among an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 individuals who make a living buying and selling cheap domain names, though about half prefer to remain anonymous to avoid competition, says Ron Jackson, editor and publisher of Domain Name Journal.

‘A long-term investment’ Most domainers buy and own names. They “park” on sites, where they develop content in the form of Web links and ads, to generate income and increase the value of their virtual real estate.

“It’s a long-term investment, like owning a home,” says Lawrence Fischer, vice president of business development at SmartName.com, a company that owns and manages thousands of cheap domain names, including Stockquotes.com. “But if a major brokerage firm came along with a big offer, I would be willing to listen.”

Plenty have been willing to pay. Sales of 5,851 cheap domain names generated $29 million in 2005, compared with the sale of 3,813 names for $15 million in 2004, market researcher Zetetic says.

Venture-capital firms, too, are betting on cheap domain names.

Like a lottery ticket
“It’s like buying a lottery ticket, but the odds are better,” says Ken Carey, 50, a longtime autoworker in Grand Rapids, Mich., and part-time inventor who owns 200 cheap domain name. “All you gotta do is hit the right niche, and you’re well on your way to being a millionaire.”

When a technology is about to take off, if you buy a domain name that pertains to it, the more generic the name, the better its value.

Sometimes, the payoff is huge.
Sometimes, it lands the owner in legal hot water.

A surge in online ads and Web viewing have made cheap domain names a serious business proposition. Online ad revenue is expected to reach $13.6 billion in the U.S. this year, up 14 percent from last year, according to Jupiter Media. Overall, 153 million people in the U.S. use the Web, up 2.5 percent from a year ago, Nielsen//NetRatings says.

“Those who understand domains and what they represent, can and have done very well,” says Schwartz, 52, who sold Men.com for $1.3 million in late 2003, a huge profit from the $15,000 he paid for it in 1997. He bought Property.com for $750,000 last year.

And Schrier, who sold Blue.com for more than twice what she was originally offered, may soon offer advice. She intends to market her formula for getting the most value out of cheap domain names.

There’s no doubt that the topic of Domain Names can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Domain Names, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

Shana Shane
http://www.articlesbase.com/domain-names-articles/domain-names-become-premium-web-real-estate-53702.html

Posted in domain names | No Comments »
Sep 29

There’s a saying in the Real Estate business – they say that the 3 most important things are location, location and location. Well, in regards to a new internet business, it’s domain name, domain name and domain name. Yes, a domain name is that important.

In the early days of the internet, domain names were fairly easy. There were so many good names still available, but as more and more businesses migrated to the internet, the best names were taken. As the time passed, finding a good domain name to register has become increasingly difficult.

Why is a domain name so important? For one thing, a domain name can help you get the traffic to your website. If you don’t get traffic, you might as well not even have a website. There’s no doubt about it, if you want to make money, you need traffic.

A domain name can help you to get traffic in a couple of ways. First of all, if your domain name is catchy and easy to remember, that will help people to find your website and to return for future visits. It’s also a good idea if your domain name gives some indication of the type of business you have. For example, if you want to have a website that helps people consolidate their student loans, it would be a good idea to have a domain name that contained some or all of those words. You might do good with “studentloans.com” or “studentloanconsolidation.com” or something similar. You can even use hyphens in the domain name, like “student-loan-consolidation.com”, etc.

The point here is that your domain name should be descriptive of your business. After all, if you were looking for a new dentist, would you be likely to visit “BigBubbaMotorcycles.com” or “GreatDentists.com”? If Big Bubba is a dentist, he’s probably not going to get many new dental patients thru his website.

Let’s talk about the domain names with hyphens before we move on. Contrary to what many people think, having hyphens in your domain name does not hurt your search engine listings. Most of the search engines treat the hyphens as a space, so the hyphens make it a little easier for them to separate out the individual words.

About the only downside of using hyphens is that when people type in your URL, they may forget to put in the hyphens and go to a competitors website instead. Personally, I don’t think this is too much of a problem, since most people find websites thru search engines, so they’ll be clicking directly on a link to your website instead of typing it in by hand.

Again, it’s really important to embed keywords about your business into your domain name for good search engine ranking. Although some domains, like ebay.com or google.com do get a lot of traffic, it’s not because of any keyword in the domain name. What is an ‘ebay’ anyhow?

You’ll find that most of the high traffic websites with short, unrelated domain names get their huge amount of traffic thru paid promotional campaigns. They use radio & TV ads, high volume email advertising and other such methods that might be too expensive for a small business just getting started.

A good way to find your domain name is to develop a list of keywords that are strongly associated with your business. Write down as many keywords as you can think of, as long as they’re on your subject. Once you have your list, you can use one of the several free online tools to help select just the right domain name for your new website.

The domain name registrar at www.godaddy.com has a search feature where you can check the availability of domain names and the results will even show you other closely related domain names that are available. Another handy suggestion tool is at www.domainfellow.com Either one of these online tools will help you to find a good domain name that’s still available to register.

Here’s a good tip for you when trying to find a domain name that has your keywords in it – If you can’t find a domain name that has your keyword and is still available, you should consider using sub-domain names instead.

What’s a sub-domain name? A sub-domain name is a prefix to a normal domain name. Let’s say that you’re in the retail computer business and you want to sell computers at your website. That’s a fairly competitive business, so you’ll probably have a hard time coming up with a good domain name that’s not already taken.

An alternative would be to choose some sort of generic term for a domain name and then use a sub-domain for your computer business. For example, let’s say that you register the domain name “lowestprice.com” That’s pretty generic, wouldn’t you agree? Now that you have that domain name registered, you can create all the sub-domains you want, limited only by your imagination and the size of your web hosting account.

Remembering that you’re in the computer business, you could now have your website at the sub-domain “computers.lowestprice.com” Using this same approach, you could go into just about any other business and have sub-domains like “insurance.lowestprice.com” and so on. See how it works?

Another good thing about sub-domains is that they don’t require registration. You only pay to register the main domain name. By using sub-domain names, you can easily embed your keywords and it won’t cost you any more money. And the search engines treat each sub-domain as a totally separate entity, so your search engine ranking for one sub-domain won’t be dependent upon you having a high ranking for your main domain name.

Once you find your new domain name, you’ll need to register it. I recommend godaddy.com for registering. Their prices are reasonable and their service is great. However, there are many, many companies that provide domain name registration services, so pick whichever one you like.

Carson Danfield
http://www.articlesbase.com/domain-names-articles/domain-names-are-really-important-132147.html

Posted in domain names | 2 Comments »