Are you planning to build a website? The first thing you will need is a "domain name". An example of a domain name would be: google.com or yourcompany.com, your domain name is what identifies you from all the other millions of websites out there.

It begins with http://www and ends with .com, .net, .biz, or a bunch of other extensions. The .com’s are the most popular.

In order to buy a domain name, you will need to purchase the domain name from one of the many online registrars. My personal favourite is Godaddy.com. Some registrars only give you access to their customer service via live chat, I prefer to speak to a live person if ever I have a problem or question.

Most registrars offer the ability to search for a domain name using keywords or by your business name specifically. If your desired domain name is taken, the registrar will usually suggest a list of alternative domain names that are available based on your search criteria.

Many companies buy up domain names that they think may have some value depending on the uniqueness of the name. You can find information about the ownership information of a domain name by doing a whois lookup. If that domain name is very important to you, you can usually get your hands on it through a bidding process.

Domain names are getting more and more scarce. For example at this point all the 4 letter domain names are taken and if you want to get your hands on one you will have to pay a pretty penny.

Pick the best domain name?

When picking a domain name, one of the main factors you should consider is the keywords that people would search to find your type of business. For example, if you own a Graphic Design company in Toronto, a good domain name could be graphicdesigntoronto.com. Picking a domain name that includes a good keyword related to your business can be very helpful for creating online traffic for your business.

Once you have registered your domain name, keep in mind you will also need website hosting to make your site live on the net. In order for your website to be fully functional, you will need to associate your domain name with your website hosting. This is usually done by modifying the name servers of your domain name to the proper name servers of your hosting company.

Unless you plan to build the website yourself, you will also need to hire a Graphic Design company to build your site. Graphic Design Toronto comes in handy for affordable and quality web design work.