Domain Names: Domain Names Explained

Imagine a telephone directory. You look up your name to find your phone number. You call the phone number and you find ... you! The Domain Name System works in a similar way. When someone types in a domain name, computers (DNS Servers) translate that name into an internet address number (the IP address). Your browser then uses that internet address to find the correct website for that domain name. A lot more happens behind the scenes but you get the general idea.

Domain names (yourdomain.domaintype) are broken up into two sections. The second-level domain name (SLD) which is the 'yourdomain' part to the left of the dot, and the top-level domain name (TLD) which is the 'domaintype' part to the right of the dot. While the SLD can be pretty much anything you choose, the TLD must belong to a certain set of values which describes the type of entity or organisation the domain belongs to, and sometimes also describes the country the entity does buisness in (.com, .org, .name, .jp (japan), .co.nz (new zealand)).

Find your perfect domain today >> Domain Name Registration << .

Domain Name Search

If you need help finding the right domain name for you, we can help. Also choosing the best domain name for your brand can be tricky. It can be a very tedious job trying to search for a domain name that has not been taken. Flying Cow Design has technology that can automatically build hundreds of target domain names based on words that you supply, search the domain names and then report back which ones have been taken and which ones have copywrite records against them.

So what do you do with your new domain name?

Park it
If you are not ready to create a website for it, or use it for your new email address (ie. yourname@yourdomain.com). Then park it. This is usually provided free from whomever your registered it with.

Use it for email
Having your new domain name means that you can now accept email at it. It will be personalized, unique and more professional than a Yahoo, Hotmail, or other temporary account. Get a web mail or email package or buy a web hosting package which usually includes email for your new domain.

Create a new website for it
Build it yourself or use a professional web design service. Tell the world what you have to offer or what is important to you. Need a web design quote?

Buy another Domain Name
Why? Well you might want to stop traffic going to other sites if your domain name was misspelled. We have done this. If you type in www.flyingcowsdesign.com ('cows' not 'cow'), that will take you straight to www.flyingcowdesign.com ('cow' not 'cows'). It also might be a good idea to get yourdomainsucks.com if you have yourdomain.com too.

Sell It!
Domain names can make great investments. Build a single 'For Sale' page and point your domain at that. Other websites have been created just for brokering domain names. Who knows what you may get?

If you set up a new website yourself, make sure you check out our section on email harvesting protection to stop spammers from getting all of the new email addresses from your website. If you don't want your new email address spammed from other sources, have a look at ways to prevent email spam.

Start your search today. Go to Domain Name Registration to reserve your domain!