Domain Names Basics.
Domain names are necessary tools for a professional looking website. You know you need a domain name for your company and you need a professional one. There are free domain names available(called sub domains) but they are usually so big and with the provider's name incorporated that they lend you business an amateur feel. People will feel like they are entering into an amateur's homepage. For this reason alone, domain names are always a good investment for your business. In this article I will explain some basic aspect of domain names.>br />
What exactly is a domain name?
Just like the name says, it is the name of your domain-your web space. In the World Wide Web, domain names are equivalent to your business's name and address in the offline world. Domain names are sentences or words, which indicate your visitors where exactly you are located on the internet. When you buy a domain name, you are reserving that alias for you. Afterwards, you can move to every host you want and you will still have the same domain name. MORE BELOW . . .
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Domain Registration Pricing Table
| TLDs | New Reg | Renew Domain | Transfer Domain |
| .com | USD 9.99 | USD 9.99 | USD 9.99 |
| .net | USD 9.99 | USD 9.99 | USD 9.99 |
| .org | USD 9.99 | USD 9.99 | USD 9.99 |
| .biz | USD 10.00 | USD 8.99 | USD 8.99 |
| .info | USD 3.59 | USD 8.99 | USD 8.99 |
| .us | USD 10.00 | USD 8.99 | USD 8.99 |
Who controls the domain names system? ICANN does. ICANN stands for Internet Assigned Numbers Authority and it is a non-profit organization responsible for running the domain names system and making it work. ICANN makes sure all the domain names rules are followed -like the assignment of specific country terminations and the approval of top domain names. It also keeps track of all domain names registrations and regulates the providers of these services.
Does a reputable seller need to be approved by ICANN? Not exactly. Some organizations are associated with registrars that have the legal authorization to sell domain names on their own. There are many good, honest and reputable domain names providers that are not associated with ICANN. Nevertheless, make sure your domain names provider keeps an active database so you don't end up paying for a domain that is already in use by someone else.
Are the domain names you buy yours forever? Actually no. When you buy domain names you are actually leasing the names. There is no way you can own a domain name forever.
Domain names registration work on an annual or bi-annual basis. You can always renovate the name but if you let it expire and, in the meanwhile, someone grabs your domain name, you will lose it. No company can ensure that you will own your domain names forever. Bear in mind that, if the domain names you bought are giving your business a good push, it is better if you choose to renew your registry automatically. Almost every domain names seller offers you the option to update the registry automatically. You don't want to lose your business's address because you forgot to renovate it.