You might think knowing the difference between a web domain and a URL is insignificant. However, knowing fundamentals like this can help you to establish the perfect web address for your business, something which can provide outstanding online benefits.
And, whilst the terms are often used interchangeably, they are actually two different things. This is not to say that they aren’t closely related, they are, but they have two different functions that impact your website in two different ways.
With this in mind, let’s find out more about the two terms and how they impact your online success:
What is a domain name?
When you buy domain names you are establishing an address customers used to find your website. It’s the easily-readable part of your website’s IP address and is a unique numerical identifier that every Internet device receives to function.
Your name makes it easy for people to find your website. For example, you run an online shoe store called Top Trainers catering to the Australian sports market. You can use the name toptrainers com au and customers will have no trouble finding your website.
When you purchase this part of your IP address from a registrar you are essentially renting it out for a period of time. This can be anywhere from one year to 10 years and often comes with a range of hosting features that amplify your website’s speed, security and performance!
So, what is a URL?
Your website URL is the complete web address of a particular page found on your website.
They consist of several parts, including:
⦁ The protocol: This is the method your browser utilises to communicate with your host server. The most typical protocol is HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol).
⦁ Domain name: This tells your web browser which server to connect to pick up your site’s content.
⦁ Top-level domain: The most common examples of this are “.com” and “.net” and they exist to help understand certain website elements like owner and geographical location.
⦁ The path: This is the specific page found at the end of the URL and typically includes pages like “About Us” or “Contact”.
⦁ Query string: This is a set of value-assigned parameters that are placed at the end of the web address. They help pass information to the server such as user preferences or searches. For example, if you searched “URL” through a web host’s search bar then it would come up with a query string like “q=url”.
Why you need a high-quality web address
Web addresses may seem innocuous at first. However, they are actually an integral part of your online branding and an essential for making it easy to visit your website. After all, many customers’ first experiences will be through entering your web address and therefore they should have no trouble doing so.
Your homepage URL should be one that is short, succinct and stylish, making it easy for customers to remember the address should they be told through word of mouth. Furthermore, search engines like Google and Bing reward websites with high quality web addresses that are easily-relatable to the content found on their website.
Should you buy a premium web address or create a new one?
This really comes down to whether your dream web address is already taken. For example, you might run a coffee mug company called “Magic Mugs” only to find out that the www magicmugs com web address is already taken. You may be able to buy that web address from the owner in order to receive your dream web address.
Otherwise, you can create a new domain name with different elements to the original address. For example, you can add a country-code like .com.au to make it Australian-centric and focus on the local market. The choice is yours and both come with their own sets of advantages that actually make choosing your web address an exciting part of website publishing!
