What Is a Blog Domain Name?

For a first-timer, starting a blog can be challenging. In this field, you’ll encounter numerous technical terms that can make you feel a little overwhelmed. One of which is a blog domain name. If you’re having difficulties understanding what a blog domain name is and how it works, read on. In this article, we’ll show you the answers to those questions.

So What Is a Domain Name? 

A domain name is your blog address. It’s what the users type into their URL bar and enables browsers to direct them to the desired website. Essentially, a domain consists of the website name and its extension. For example, wheon.com consists of “wheon” as the website name and “.com” as its extension. 

How To Register a Domain Name? 

Before deciding to go with a domain name, make sure it’s free to claim. Oftentimes, the good names are already taken. When that happens, you won’t be able to register your desired name. 

For that, you may want to check this tool here. A domain checker allows you to find out if your chosen domain name is available. To use it, you just need to type in your selected name, press enter, and wait for the results. Suppose it’s already registered. In that case, the tool will give you recommendations.

Once you’ve got the perfect domain name for your blog, you can register it. First, you need to find a reliable domain registrar – a service that handles domain registrations. Make sure the registrar’s credibility by checking if i

Next, follow the steps provided by your chosen registrar. In general, the process includes checking out and paying for the new domain name. When done, verify your ownership by providing the required contact information.

How Does a Blog Domain Name Work? 

The internet is a network of computers. Each of the computers is identified with a string of numbers called an IP address. 

However, it won’t be convenient if users need to remember the random string of numbers to get to a website. Thus, the domain name system is created to help us recall the site address more easily.

Here’s how a blog domain name works in the grand scheme:

1. Users type in your blog domain name onto their web browsers.
2. Then the web browser sends the request to the Domain Name System (DNS). 
3. Domain name servers look for the domain’s name servers and forwards the request to them.
4. DNS processes the request and forwards it to the assigned web server.
5. The web server collects the requested page information.
6. The data is sent back to the browser to be displayed.

Types of Domain Names

Two of the most-used domain extensions are .com and .net, which belong to the generic TLD category. However, there are dozens of others to consider. There are 1,503 valid domain extensions to date, and they fall into four categories. 

• Top-Level Domain (TLD). This is the generic domain extension. In this category, the most popular TLD is .com, as it’s used by 52.5% of all websites worldwide. The other examples include .org, .net, and .biz.

• Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD). As the name suggests, this extension is country-specific. It uses the country code, like .in for India and .my for Malaysia, to follow the blog name. 

• Sponsored Top-Level Domain (sTLD). This domain type has a sponsor that represents a specific organization or community. For example, the .coop extension is sponsored by DotCooperation LLC. 

• New Top-Level Domain (nTLD). Any extensions launched starting January 2014 belong to this category. Some of the popular nTLD examples include .store for eCommerce sites, .app for web apps, and .tech for any tech-related sites. Also, you can take advantage of the .blog extension for your new blog.

How To Choose a Domain Name For Your Blog? 

Choosing a domain can be an exhausting task. With 366.3 million domain registrations happening in 2020, all the good ones must be or will be unavailable soon. In this section, we’ll share how to choose a good domain name for your blog. Follow the tips below:

• Make sure it’s representative. Suppose you write about travel and lifestyle. In that case, you’ll want it to reflect on your domain, so users will get the blog idea right away. For that, choose a keyword and do a word-play with it. 

• Keep it short and sweet. A 6-15 word-long domain name is the standard. The longer your domain is, the harder it is to recollect.

• Avoid numbers and special characters. The domains containing those elements can result in spelling confusion. For example, suppose your blog domain name is 1001nights.blog. In that case, users will question how it’s spelt when you tell them verbally. As special characters, often get overlooked.

• Stick with .com if possible. Besides being the most-used TLD, the extension speaks for professionality. 

• Use a domain name generator. If you are stuck, utilize a domain name generator. By typing in your niche keywords, the tool will give you options of available domain names. 

Why Should You Have a Domain Name? 

It’s possible to have a blog without purchasing a domain. However, it’s not the best option if you want to make money blogging. 

This practice is usually provided by free hosting services – they provide a subdomain you can link your site to. The biggest drawback of this hosting solution is that you won’t have full control of your domain name. In some cases, the hosting company will get more benefits than you by putting their ads on your blog while not allowing you to do so.

That said, you should buy a domain name for your blog. Here’s a list of benefits from having your own domain name to convince you:

• You get a clean URL. Free hosting services register your blog name as its subdomain. Thus, if your blog name is “reescape”, your URL will be reescape.freehostingservice.com. Should you buy it, it can be reescape.com.

• You’re free to choose a provider. Suppose you aren’t happy with how your current providers treat you. In that case, you can migrate your website to another web host without changing a bit of your domain name. This is a facility that can’t be guaranteed by free hosting services. 

• Monetizing is possible. Unlike the free hosting service’s environment, paid hosting solutions to offer more customization that allows you to integrate third-party tools into your blog. Thus, monetization is one of the biggest perks of buying a domain.

Conclusion

There you have it! Throughout this article, you’ve learned what a blog domain name is. You’ve also figured out that purchasing a domain brings numerous benefits for your blog growth. Thus, claim your desired domain name now before somebody else does.