| A domain name is really an alias for an internet IP | | | | a free domain name when you purchase services |
| address. Every website has an IP address that tells a | | | | with them. Be sure to make sure that the domain |
| web browser where to access the content from. An | | | | name you want is available first if you have someone |
| example of an IP address might be 22.255.155.14. It is | | | | else register it for you. This will save time rather than |
| much easier to type in domain names in your | | | | the hosting company emailing or calling you to let you |
| browser, rather than a bunch of numbers. A domain | | | | know that the domain is already taken. You can find |
| name is much easier for your customers to | | | | out if a domain name is already taken by going to a |
| remember than numbers as well. | | | | domain name registrar and doing a whois on the |
| If you want to purchase a domain name, you can | | | | domain. |
| purchase them through a domain name registrar. This | | | | If you choose to purchase a domain name through a |
| is a company that is registered through ICANN which | | | | registrar, you are going to need to update your |
| has the ability to allow you to purchase domain | | | | account to tell the registrar which IP address to point |
| names. You might already know this, but only one | | | | your domain name to. Your website hosting company |
| person can own a certain domain name. You can | | | | will be able to provide this information to you. If your |
| purchase as many domain names as you want, but | | | | hosting company registers the domain for you, they |
| they must all be unique. You can of course purchase | | | | will do this step. |
| a domain that is similar to another domain with a | | | | If you are going to purchase multiple domain names, |
| different extension. The most common extension of | | | | the best suggestion would be to register them all |
| course is .com but those are getting harder to find | | | | with the same domain name registrar. Doing this |
| by the day. | | | | makes it easy to access all your domains at the |
| You can also purchase a domain name through a web | | | | same place. You might even be able to save money |
| hosting provider when you are purchasing a hosting | | | | when you renew your domains if you are renewing |
| package for your site. This might save you time and | | | | multiple domains at the same time. |
| even money. Some web hosting providers offer you | | | | |