What a domain name actually is

Your domain name is your address on the internet — it’s what people type into a browser to find you. For example, jezweb.com is a domain name.

Why domain names exist

Every website sits on a server that has a numerical address called an IP address. IP addresses look something like 203.45.12.8 — useful for computers, impossible for humans to remember. A domain name is a readable label that points to that address so people can find your site without knowing the numbers.

What a domain name looks like

A typical domain name has two or three parts:

• The name itself — usually your business or brand name, e.g. jezweb
• The extension — the part after the dot, e.g. .com, .com.au, .au

The extension often signals the type of site or its location. .com.au and .net.au are Australian business domains. .org is for non-profits and organisations. .com is global.

Tips for choosing a domain name

• Keep it short and easy to spell. If people have to guess the spelling, they’ll end up somewhere else.
• Avoid hyphens and numbers. They’re easy to get wrong when telling someone verbally.
• Use your business name rather than a keyword phrase — your brand is what people will search for over time.
• Grab a few extensions if you can. Owning both yourbusiness.com.au and yourbusiness.au prevents confusion and protects your brand.

Domain names and hosting are separate things

Registering a domain name does not automatically give you a website. A domain is just the address — you still need hosting (a server) for your site to exist, and you need to point your domain at that server. Jezweb can handle both.

If you’d like help registering a domain or pointing it to your site, email help@jezweb.net or call 1300 024 766.