How
to register a domain name
Once you have decided to secure
your domain name the first thing you must
do is to select the best name. The section
on choosing a
name will help to explain the range
of options available.
The next stage is to check that the domain
name is available. We can do this for you
by telephone in a matter of minutes or you
can do it on-line using our search facility.
This is important since domain name registration
covers the globe and your first choice may
not be available.
The process
of registration can be carried out by telephone,
fax
or via our online
registration form. In every case you
must provide us with all the information
requested.
Generally domain
name registrations are completed inside
twenty-four hours.
In all cases
the customer will receive a confirmation
as soon as the registration is confirmed.
Choosing
a domain name
We
cannot stress too highly the importance
of securing your name now, even if you are
not yet connected to the Internet. If you
don't it may be registered by someone else
before you act.
If you wish
to have a presence on the Internet the single
most important point for finding you is
having a domain name that is easily remembered.
Choosing a domain name is an art, not a
science - therefore we can offer advice,
but not a strict formula that will work
every time. Why not try our Multiple
Search for Ideas.
There are several
issues to consider when choosing a name.
Firstly it is worth stating some of the
restrictions set by the naming authorities
and the technical limitations of the Internet.
. A domain name
can only consist of alphanumeric characters
(letters and numbers) and the punctuation
mark dash (-). However, it must begin and
end with either a letter or number.
. A domain name
is not case sensitive, so it doesn't matter
whether you type in upper or lower case
characters.
. The Internet
does not recognise gaps between letters
or words so they must be removed or replaced
by hyphens in both domain names and email
addresses.
. It is advisable
for practical and aesthetic reasons to limit
a name to less than twenty characters.
. Using a zero
is allowed but we would caution you that
it could be confused with the letter 'o'.
As a general
rule the shorter the name the easier it
is for your clients to remember. But what
is more important is choosing a name that
is relevant to you or your business. The
British Broadcasting Corporation uses examples
of successful abbreviated names for two
of its domains - BBC.co.uk and Beeb.com.
It is becoming
more likely that your domain name will be
the first contact prospective customers
and/or suppliers will have with your company
so it should reflect your business name
or products. If a domain name is chosen
wisely the result is an easy to remember
name that perfectly represents you.
Should your first
choice name already have been registered,
or if your trading name does not lend itself
to being a domain name, you may consider
a generic name. E.g. BoatBuilders.co.uk.
The next choice
is the suffix. In the vast majority of cases
domain names will end with either.co.uk.or
.com Both of these cover companies, individuals
and organisations. The difference between
the two is that .com domains are registered
in America and seen as International domains
and, co.uk domains are registered in Britain.The
.co.uk suffix is becoming the norm for UK
based individuals and companies.
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