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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Free Domain Names

Without a domain name, a person does not have a suitable way to find a website. The only problem is domain names cost money. Granted, if a person is operating one or two sites, the cost of a domain name, (which ranges from $1.00 to $35), probably isn't too steep. However, what if one is an avid marketer, making profit from hundreds of sites? Even the minimum in domain name fees can add up. This is why Internet marketing gurus might want to consider signing up for free domain names. Three types of free domain name exist: third level domain names, first level domain names with lesser used extensions and first level domain names with traditional extensions.

The first type of free domain name is known as a third level domain name. This is a domain name that is commonly distributed by free web hosting companies or affiliate programs. Yet, there is a downside to this type of domain name. This downside involves the first level domain name, (usually the company's name), having to be a part of the third level domain name. For example, consider a website created with Geocities.

If a webmaster chooses 'web hosting' as their third level domain name, the following would be the syntax: Geocities.com/webhosting. Such a domain name is not very convenient for potential visitors, so webmasters may want to consider redirecting these types of URLs to other versions of free domain names.

The second type of free domain name is a first level domain name that contains an extension that is not as popular in the Internet world. Examples are the types of free domain names offered by Dot.tk or Free Domain.co. The extensions offered from these companies are .tk and .co.nr, respectively. These are far from a .com or a .net, but they are not as cumbersome to use as a third level domain name. The main key is going to be making sure the initial domain name is short and easy to remember, so potential visitors won't be as offset by the unusual extension.

Finally, there are free domain names with extensions that are more commonly used such as .com or .org. To find these a person has to do some sleuthing. Sometimes individuals will offer them for free, since they were about to expire anyway. A person can try to find these situations through message boards dedicated to webmasters. Other times companies will offer these types of free domain names because they are getting free ad space. What happens is every time the free domain name is used, a pop-up ad will show up on the person's website. This is how the free domain name company gets their revenue.

In conclusion, free domain names can be an excellent alternative for someone needing domains for several websites. The best ones are those in which a person can get a first level domain, though a third level domain name is better than nothing. To sign up for a free domain name, one can search for free domain name companies on the Internet.

Domain Names 101

Without a domain name, websites are specified by an IP address. What is an IP address? It is an identifier that is used by computers or humans to determine the location of a server or website. However, for humans, an IP address, (which is expressed in a numerical format), can be difficult to remember. This is why domain names were invented. With a domain name, a human can locate a website through more user-friendly words or phrases. And although numbers can be a part of a domain name, they usually do not make up all of it, like what is seen with an IP address.

In terms of format, domain names have several parts. The first part is known as the URL, (which stands for Uniform Resource Locator). The URL tells the browser what the domain name is going to point to. This will usually be 'http', which means the browser can expect to locate a hypertext document. In layman's terms this means webpage. In the rare cases the URL is not 'http' it may be 'ftp', which means file transfer protocol. A webmaster would opt to use ftp if they would like visitors to download files from their server.

The second part of the domain name will be "www," which stands for "World Wide Web." This phrase lets computers and humans know the site the domain name is pointing to is indeed from the Internet. It is followed by the actual domain name, which can be a combination of letters, numbers or phrases. A good domain name will be short, memorable and most importantly, search-engine friendly. In fact, good webmasters tend to concentrate more on a domain name's effectiveness with SEO, (or Search Engine Optimization), than they do its creativity. To do this they make sure to choose a domain name that has a widely searched keyword.

The final portion of the domain name has what is known as an extension. This lets a person know a little bit more about a website's origins. For example, take .com, the most common domain name extension. It stands for 'commercial', and was originally intended for organizations in that vein. However, now the extension is used by virtually anyone looking to create a website. And this is for good reason, since most web surfers will think about the .com before they would think about .org, .biz or .net. Yet, don't think the other extensions can't become memorable either. Consider Wikipedia.org which is a wildly popular website despite its .org extension.

Domain name extensions can also specify things on a geographical level. An example are country-based extensions such as .fr, (which stands for France), or .jp, (which stands for Japan). They can also be state-based, such as .ca, (which stands for California). Both can serve as excellent tools for localized Internet marketing.

To get a domain name, a person can either: 1) get one from their web hosting company, provided they offer that service or 2) get one from a separate domain name company. Price-wise things will vary with both options, though typically the cost will range from $6.50 to $35.

Domain Name Tasting

A good domain name not only makes people more likely to visit a website, but it can also increase search engine rankings. This is because search engine bots index websites based on keywords found both in its content and domain name. Yet, how does a webmaster know if their domain name is going to be profitable? Usually most don't until they put it into practice. Hence, there is the practice of domain name tasting.

What is domain name tasting? Domain name tasting is the process of registering a domain name and seeing how much traffic it brings to a website during whatever grace period the domain name registrar offers, (which is normally five days). If the domain name brings in a lot of visitors, the webmaster will keep it. Otherwise, they will cancel their registration and get a refund.

Does this sound interesting to you? Well, before you decide to do domain name tasting for your site, first consider the ethics of the practice. Domain name companies lose millions of dollars every year due to domain name tasting. While some may not feel sympathy for them, if domain name tasting continues without any legal restrictions, DNS enterprises may strike back by making their prices higher. Such a consequence would also hurt customers who intended on buying the domain name outright.

Another ethical dilemma involved with domain name tasting is the issue of good domain names not being eligible for more serious customers. Some may feel that in a system of free capitalistic enterprise, domain name testers have every right to access however many domain names they can. Yet, if they aren't really going to buy them, why shouldn't these domain names be available to individuals who may need them more? Many would argue it is better to sell a domain name to a company that is serious about using it as their brand than selling it to a person thinking they can use it to get quick traffic.

It is also important to keep in mind that a good domain name is not a sole indicator of whether or not a site is going to be successful. Domain name tasters are fooling themselves if they think their practice of domain tasting is what has brought about their success with website traffic. Granted, an expired domain name might have a little bit of traffic associated with it, but to get one that is of value, a person would have to pay hundreds maybe even thousands of dollars. Many domain name tasters wouldn't have the funds for such a domain name, so they may instead deal with cheaper ones. And most of these cheaper ones probably do not have their own traffic stream.

Indeed, the type of website that gets a lot of traffic is one that has: a decent domain name, keyword-enriched content and lots of inbound links. Even if one doesn't see anything ethically wrong with domain name tasting, doing it may not accurately reflect whether or not a domain name is valid. In fact, if a person does domain name tasting and their website did not have the other elements that make for proper traffic-building, they could potentially be throwing away a domain name that could be a gold mine in the future.

Domain Name Servers: The Basics

Technically, domain names aren't necessary to access a website. This is because with or without them, all websites can be accessed by their corresponding IP address. What is an IP address? It is a 32-bit numerical identifier that indicates what machine a website is on. The only problem is that for a human these numbers, (which come in a series of 4 octets), can be extremely hard to remember. This is why domain names were created. With a domain name a person can access a website through a word or phrase, which offers much more convenience than decimated octets.

In order for domain names to work, they must use domain name servers, (also known as DNS). These are special computers that store data pertaining to domain names and the IP addresses they point to. It does this through a process known as reverse mapping. What happens is after a domain name is entered, the domain name server will look up its corresponding IP address in a directory service. It will also correspond with other domain name services to see if they have 'knowledge' of the IP address. This process is known as a distributed database, since no 'official' entity is responsible for updating information on other domain name servers.

How can a computer be turned into a domain name server? It has to run DNS software. The most common DNS software is BIND, (which stands for Berkeley Internet Name Domain). This, (along with other types of DNS software), works in a hierarchal fashion. The beginning of the hierarchy contains the character ''. It is called the system's root. Underneath the root there are the domain extension such as .com, .org, .net or .biz.

A domain name server must also have client computers to help conduct its operation. These client computers are called nameservers and resolvers. Nameservers are responsible for locating a domain name's IP address. The resolvers, on the other hand, stores a list of all other nameservers on the Internet. This list is used to help contact these nameservers should a domain name's IP address not be stored in the initial domain name server.

Should a web hosting company bother in investing in a domain name server? It depends on how large their operation is. Smaller-scale web hosting companies probably won't get much from such an investment. However, if a company wants to attain the type of status that sites like Godaddy.com have attained, it may want to consider spending the money. Companies can get domain name servers from enterprises that sell regular servers.

In conclusion, the domain name server can be considered the heart of domain name functioning. Without them there would be no way a domain name would be associated with an IP address, which is what is really responsible for identifying computers on a network. This does not mean it's essential for a web hosting company to invest in one, especially since there are so many cheap domain name services they could use instead. Yet, if they do get a domain name server, they would have the ability to sell web hosting as well as domain names to their customers.

Domain Name Redirect Services

It's no secret that a short, memorable domain name is what is needed to help visitors to a website. It also helps if the domain name contains keywords that are likely to rank high in search engines. So, what does a webmaster do if they are promoting an affiliate program or a website created from a free web hosting service such as Geocities? The most affordable answer lies in taking advantage of a domain name redirect service.

What is a domain name redirect service? It is one in which a long, cumbersome URL is 'masked' by a more memorable domain name. Instead of having to type in the longer URL, the website visitor would type in the new domain name. This domain name would then redirect to the original URL. The visitor would then see the original URL in their browser. However, most won't pay that much attention.

Domain name redirect services can be free or paid. An example of a free service is Tiny URL. In order to use this service, all a person has to do is enter in whatever URL they need to have shortened. Tiny URL would then return a domain name that is much more convenient for website visitors. This URL would have 'tiny url' as part of the domain name followed by a number. An example is the following: tinyurl.com/3. Granted, it's not perfect, but it is a lot better than what one would typically get with an affiliate program or a free web hosting service.

If a person wants a more customized domain name, they will need to use pay for a redirect service. One of the best is Namestick. The process for using Namestick is similar to Tiny URL except webmasters must first choose the domain name they want to use for their redirect. They can choose any domain name they wish, just like if they were getting it through their web host or a domain name company. Namestick even provides suggestions if a person's desired domain name is taken. Once that is done, a person will have to enter in their URL they want redirected. After about 72 hours, the new domain name will be ready for use.

Can a person get away with not using a domain name redirect service? It depends on how they do their marketing. For instance, if a person does a lot of offline marketing, a short, meaningful domain name is essential. However, if a person uses a lot of hyperlinks, a domain name redirect service may not be as important. What are hyperlinks? They are simply words or phrases that are linked to a particular URL. When the visitor clicks on them, they are taken to the website that is hyperlinked within. Hyperlinks can easily be created in HTML editors or by use of the anchor tag.

In conclusion, a person's life can be made easier if they decide to hide their long URL with a more normal-looking domain name available through a domain name redirect service. This is if they aren't marketing through hyperlinks, which do not require an official domain name.

Domain Name Hacks

Traditional domain names consist of a word or phrase that describes a website followed by an extension. Extensions can be .com, .net or country-based such as .fr or .jp. So, if this is the case, how can domain names like blo.gs or del.icio.us exist? It's because a domain name doesn't have to follow a traditional format. When it is created in the manner demonstrated above, it is called a domain name hack. With a domain name hack, a domain name spells out a 'word' by using a combination of periods and less popular country-based or state-based extensions.

Now, if you think a domain name hack is a simply a trick created by spammers and/or webmasters with no life, think again. Yahoo obtained the rights to both blo.gs and del.icio.us, despite their unusual-looking format. There are also popular organizations that are actually known by domain name hacks. Examples include who.is, (a site that lets a webmaster know the specifics behind a domain name and their associated website), and whocalled.us, (a site that allows consumers to list the numbers of telemarketers). Even other countries use domain name hacks in their own languages. Consider Germany's popular Schokola.de, (which means chocolate in English).

So, does this mean webmasters should consider using domain name hacks? The answer is it depends. It is important to remember that while domain name hacks are witty, many of them can be inconvenient for web surfers. Some may even wonder if the site is legitimate, since the most common extensions are .com, .net, .org and .biz. However, since there are domain name hacks that still receive a healthy amount of traffic, it is possible that website visitors might overlook how a domain name hack is titled if the site it is pointing to proves to be worthwhile. There is also the option of having a second more normal-looking domain name point to a domain name hack. This gives website visitors two ways of being able to access one's website.

How can a person think of a good domain name hack? First, they need to get a list of all the extensions that are possible with a domain name. They then need to find a domain name company that sells that sells the extension they are looking for. Then they will need to think of any word or phrase that includes the letters used in the extension. But they will need to make sure these letters are at the end of the word, since extensions conclude a domain name. An exception could be made if a person considers using third-level domains. In this situation the letters of the extension could be used in the middle of the domain name hack.

If a webmaster finds they are having trouble thinking of a word or phrase that contains their selected extension, they could use a keyword analyzer to help them. Overture and Google offer keyword analyzers for free, though webmasters might find more use from paid keyword analyzers. This is because paid keyword analyzers offer more information about a keyword than free ones.

Domain Name Generators

The process of registering a domain name can be quite annoying. Why? It's because many times the domain name a webmaster hopes to register has already been taken. So, they have to ponder again what their domain name should be. But what do they do if that domain name has been taken as well? The best solution involves getting it right the first time with a domain name generator. This is a program or service that suggests domain names that are not likely to have been used by other webmasters. They can work in three ways including: giving random listings, giving listings based on input or using human suggestions.

The first type of domain name generator gives random domain name suggestions. Examples of sites that offer these types of domain name generators include Makewords.com and Domain-Generator.net. The only thing a visitor has to do to see a suggested domain name is click a button or, (in the case of Makewords.com), just visit the site. Depending on the complexity of the domain name generator, visitors will be able to see if the domain name has previously been registered and/or how valuable they would be if they decided to buy them.

The second type of domain name generator offers suggestions based on user input. 123Finder.com is an example. What happens is a user enters a keyword that describes the purpose of their website. The domain name generator will then return domain names that contain this keyword. A variant of this service could require a user to enter in more than one keyword. From this input the domain name generator would return a domain name that contains a mixture of these keywords.

The final type of domain name generator offers suggestions from human creativity. An example of such a service is Pickydomains.com. With this service, (along with others like it), customers have to pay a fee. Part of the fee goes to the person responsible for coming up with the domain name. After the fee is sent, customers must provide information related to their website.

Employees will use this info to choose a domain name. When the process is complete, the customer will receive a list of several domain names, each of which came from a human mind rather than a computer program, (which is used by the other types of domain name generators featured in this article).

Are there any downsides to using a domain name generator? Well, human-based domain name generators usually require a fee, while automated ones might not seem as creative. Other than that domain name generators are an excellent way for webmasters to determine what their domain name should be. Even if they don't use the suggested domain name in its entirety, they can still use these types of services to generate ideas.

From there they can use their own mind to come up with an appropriate domain name. So, at the very least, domain name generators can serve as a tool for domain name brainstorming. They definitely should not be overlooked by any webmaster.