PART I: DOMAIN NAMES (CONTINUED)

After choosing a domain name, you can purchase it either separately or as part of a package with your hosting service. Some hosting services, such as Blue Host*, offer a free domain name with the purchase of their hosting service.

3. How Do You Purchase a Domain Name?

Domain names are purchased by domain name registrars that are authorized by ICANN for such purposes. “ICANN” is an acronym that stands for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

“The mission of The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (“ICANN”) is to coordinate, at the overall level, the global Internet’s systems of unique identifiers, and in particular to ensure the stable and secure operation of the Internet’s unique identifier systems.” (BYLAWS FOR INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS, Article 1, Section 1, January 25, 2011) according to their website at http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm#I .

To learn more about ICANN, visit http://www.icann.org.

To purchase a domain name directly from a domain registrar, you can use the below registrars:

• GoDaddy*
• Network Solutions *
• Melbourne IT
• eNom
  

Other registrars may be found at http://www.icann.org/en/registrars/accredited-list.html

You can also purchase a domain name from companies that work with a registrar such as:

• Blue Host* (Uses a sister company, Fast Domains)
• InMotion Hosting * (Uses Melbourne IT )
• Host Gator* (Uses eNom but hopes to be a registrar by the end of April 2011)
• Host Monster* (Uses a sister company, Fast Domains)

If your desired domain name is in use, you may try to work with the owner, hope you get lucky and it drops off quietly when it expires or try one of the following companies to purchase it:

• GoDaddy*
• Network Solutions*

These companies or the owner of the domain name may use a domain name appraiser similar to what appraisers do in real estate for homes. The appraisers evaluate and put the numbers of what they think the “property” is worth.

The domain appraiser estimates the value of a domain name based on certain criteria such as:

• Easy to remember
• Good for branding
• Contains good key words for a company
• Short, preferably 16 characters or less
• Purity of the name, no hyphens, deliberate misspellings

If there is a functioning website associated with the domain name, the appraiser may look at the following:

• Website age
• Website traffic/followers
• Existing website revenues (advertisers, sponsors, affiliate members or partners)
• Website quality
• Other related developments (related social media, etc.,)

Please note that some of the above links are marked with an asterisk. These are affiliate links and those companies may remunerate Little Mountain Web Design as part of a partner or affiliate referral relationship.

Please return later or read on for the continuation of this series to include information on Part II, Web Design, from our website blog.

All rights reserved. This article and all articles, images, content, etc., are copyright Little Mountain Web Design.