Domain Names
(Do you need one?)

The question often comes up — do you need a domain name?

A "domain name" is a name like "webstar.com" ... typing this into your browser location window will bring you to our website. Some companies allow the website to be found without the "www" — http://webstar.com rather than http://www.webstar.com.

This domain name can be used in lieu of a series of numbers (such as 123.124.88.66) which is the actual website address ... something I am sure you don't want to have to remember, much less ask potential customers to remember!

Is it necessary to get a domain name?
The answer is: it depends. If your website is personal, you can do as you will. But if it is professional or commercial, you need a domain name — for a lot of reasons.

A domain name helps people to find ... you.
It is imperative to give potential customers a name they can both understand and remember. Obviously, a memorable or descriptive domain name is much easier to advertise, give to your clients, or put on your business card.

Although you may have free web space through your Internet service provider or a free website hosting company, the location will be a sub-address of the hosting company. Which looks most professional:

1. http://yourcompany.com
   (domain name)
   
   
2. http://home.thehost.com/~yourcompany
   (ISP-based or free website account)
   
   

This is ridiculously long and complicated, and your customers will be trying to remember whether it's "http://members" or http://home" — you want them to spend their time surfing your site, not trying to remember where to find it.

And remember that you — or your assistants — will have to repeat this name over and over through the years. You could probably give them paid vacations for the time saved in not repeating this! (Just kidding.)

Moving your website — you can take it with you.
Another very important reason to have a domain name is that if you ever move your website (and things do happen), your domain name goes with you ... and so does your hard-won website traffic.

You — or someone — will likely have spent a good deal of time getting listed in search engines. Your website may even win awards!

But, if you ever decide to move your website, that http://home.serviceprovider.com/~yourcompany will change — because it's a sub-address under your Internet service provider.

And you'll lose your website traffic and have the grand pleasure of starting over with the search engines.

Domain Name Fees
Domain names cost $70.00 for two years; your host (the company where your website will reside) may charge a nominal setup fee.

We advise registering your domain name as soon as possible — millions of people are on the Web now, and domain names are going fast.

A word of warning — occasionally unscrupulous persons will offer to help you register your domain name. And then they'll register it in their own names (with your money, no less), holding your domain name hostage for whatever purposes. Make sure that you are the registered owner of your domain name; otherwise you could stand to lose the time and/or expense expended in driving traffic to your website.

What we can do for you.
A domain name is part of a successful Internet marketing campaign. As a part of our website design services, we can help you determine which domain name to register, and have it registered for you. We will also ensure that you or your company are the registered owner, and will provide you with written records from the domain registration company.