Web Hosting Web, Part 3

Welcome back to our web hosting conversation.

Thank You.

So far we have established that basic web hosting can be purchased for about $5 per month. You can expect to receive sufficient bandwidth, disk space, and email addresses for most small businesses. A shopping cart program of some type, as well as several mySQL databases, should also be included for that price.

I feel like a web hosting expert. I'm ready to dominate the Internet with my web site.

BTW, do you have a domain name?

BTW?

It means "By the way". It's a common acronym used all over the Internet.

Why? Is the Internet running out of letters?

LOL. No. BTW is simply less typing. Fewer keystrokes.

K. Anyway, I do not have a domain name. Do I need a domain name for my web hosting?

Yes, you need a domain name. Your domain name identifies your web site to the rest of the world. Your customers find you that way.

Sweet. I will use the domain name "Cats". Everyone will be able to remember that.

Uh... well... that's probably already taken, and it needs a TLD at the end.

A TLD? Does that stand for Terrifically Long Dissertation?

TLD actually stands for "Top Level Domain", which is a suffix attached to all domain names.

My company sells supplies and services to cat dentists. I will use Cats.Dentist for my domain name.

Unfortunately you must pick a TLD from a predetermined list. "Dentist" is not yet on that list. You may choose from .com (commercial), .gov (government), .edu (educational institutions), .us (United States), and quite a few others.

Can I be Cats.com?

Probably not. Most of the common domain names that end in ".com" have been taken. You could purchase the domain name from the current owner, but it has been valued as high as 3 million US dollars.

Ouch. We would have to sell a lot of cat dental floss to pay for that. How much is a domain name that is not already taken?

A domain name that ends in ".com" costs about $12 a year to register. Once registered, the name belongs to you as long as you continue to make the payments.

Wow! That's cheap. I spend more than that on cat mouthwash.

Don't we all.

After much consideration, I have decided to be CatDentist.com.

Sorry, that domain name is already taken. Virtually all ".com" domain names have been registered. CatDentist.cc appears to be available.

What is the ".cc" domain? Is it "Cat Corporation?"

The ".cc" domain was originally assigned to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but was later licensed by the Clear Channel broadcasting corporation for marketing purposes. Clear Channel planned to create a domain registration empire, but the plan fizzled. Many ".cc" domain names are still available. Clear Channel moved their Internet presence to ".com".

Why would I want a ".com" domain name instead of a ".cc" domain name?

Most Internet users have a much easier time recalling domain names that end in ".com". Historically, ".com" domain names have been in the public consciousness longer than any other TLD.

Therefore I should contrive a domain name that ends in ".com" but may be otherwise somewhat convoluted. What about CatDentalSuppliesOnline.com ?

Your selection appears to be available. Go for it.

I want to go for it. How do I go for it? Can you help me go for it?

Your web hosting service can help you register the domain name.

Let me guess... we will discuss that in our next conversation.

Yup. Stay tuned!