Starting a New Business Series – Part 2
Hello fellow entrepreneurs!
So you’re getting ready to launch your business, or maybe you’ve been up and running for a while. How exciting! There’s lots to do before you get started or jump to the next level. One of the things to think about is your own domain name, which is what I’m going to discuss this week. For those unfamiliar, a domain name is the name that points to your website, or the part the follows the @ sign in your email. For example:
https://www.mycustomdomain.com
name@mycustomdomain.com
Your domain name is quite important since a lot of different technologies (and your customers) depend on it. Why should you own your own, instead of just using an existing one from a service provider like Google, Microsoft, Apple or even your internet provider? Conveying a professional image is a big one. Another more practical reason is that your domain name can move with you across services, so you’re not stuck with the same provider. Kind of like how your phone number follows you to your new house when you move.
What kinds of things should you consider when choosing your domain name? Here are a few things to think about:
- Keep it short! It needs to fit on business cards, letterhead, brochures, etc. Remember, your customers (and you) are going to be typing this into their web browser frequently. The first time typing a long name might be fine, but will quickly become annoying.
- Make it memorable! When you tell somebody your website address in the elevator, it should be easy to remember.
What kinds of domains are there?
There are actually over 1500 types of top level domains (TLD’s), each with their own purpose. A few examples are:
- .com
- .ca
- .net
- .org
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_top-level_domains
Which one best suites your business is worth considering. For example, if you live in Canada and your business is Canadian, you may want a .ca domain, or you may stick to the more well known .com to keep things simple. However, you don’t have to settle on just one. You can own as many domains as you like!
Where can you get one?
There are many domain providers on the internet. The technical term for a company that sells domains is a “registrar”. I always encourage clients to try to keep their services together at the same company if possible. It’s easier to manage all your services in one location, than having to login to half a dozen different sites to do it. One great place to purchase domains is Amazon Route53. This is Amazon Web Services (AWS) one of the biggest cloud providers in the world, not the Amazon store. They have some of the best prices around. You might expect to spend around $10 per year to purchase your own domain on Route53. AWS provides hundreds of services, and can be your one stop shop for all things internet and business related. You can host a website and email for your whole organization on AWS, among other things.
Once you’ve purchased your domain, there will be some technical details to deal with. You may need help from somebody who knows what they’re doing to get everything wired up to your website, email and other services. Fortunately, there are lots of IT professionals out there who can help you, myself included!
Check out the resources page on my website for links to some of the things I’ve talked about, and while you’re there, don’t forget to sign up to receive this blog directly to your inbox. I’ve created a free handy checklist for you that condenses some of the main ideas from this post, to help you collect your thoughts into a form you can give your IT person!
https://www.bergendynamics.com/resources/
Hopefully I’ve helped unfold some of the mystery behind domains. I could write volumes about it, and really did try to keep this short!
If all this sounds complicated and is giving you a headache, not to worry! There are many bright people out there, who’s job it is to help you with these things, while you focus on building your business. Find one, form a good relationship with one, and enjoy the freedom to concentrate on the things you’re good at. Remember, as a business owner you’ll need to wear a lot of hats. It’s important to decide where you’ll focus your time and energy the most. In other words, pick your battles carefully! Keep your head up, stay focused, and most of all, have fun on this journey!
Until next time,
Ernst Bergen
B.Sc. Mech. Eng.