Domain names: What they are, and why you need (at least) one

Domain names like our own myhost.nz are an important part of your online identity. When you own a domain name you can use it as:

• The web address that people type into the URL bar to go to your websites.
• Multiple email addresses, like info@example.com and sales@example.com.
• Other online identifiers, like your Bluesky handle.

If you're getting up to speed with creating a new online presence, this article is for you. You might also want to open up a few new tabs for these other helpful starters:

• A quickstart guide to websites, hosting, domains, and almost everything else
• Web Hosting 101: The most common questions answered
• Web Hosting shopping guide
• and from our Knowledegebase, the Glossary of domain-related terms.

Why you need a domain name

If you want a solid presence online, doing business using your own domain name instead of something like example.wordpress.com is a must. Here’s why:

1. Brand recall. For customers, seeing that you have a domain name shows that you mean business. It’s a small, integral investment in your brand. It’s how people will find you and know you online. The best domain to register is one that exactly matches your brand name. But if that’s already taken, you can use relevant keyword extensions relevant to your brand.
2. SEO optimisation. A domain name that is identical or close to your brand name will help push your site up search results for your name. And the more clicks you gain, the bigger the boost to your overall SEO ranking.
3. Google marketing tools. To use tools like Search Console you need to control your website's domain.
4. Building trust. Having your own business domain name establishes credibility. It’s common for new customers to search for a company’s website as a “legitimacy check”, and domains offer a stamp of authenticity. An unprofessional, or absent, online presence can look suspicious and even drive away nearly-converted clients. Your online address could be more important to you than your physical store address, especially if you sell directly online.
5. Professional email addresses. An email domain follows the @ sign. It’s a good look for your email address to match your website, and to include your brand name (e.g. info@myhost.nz). It’s another mark of legitimacy, too. You can set up multiple email boxes under the same domain with email hosting or, with some providers like us, with a Web Hosting package that also includes email.

Choosing between .com, .co.nz, .nz, etc

These suffixes at the end of addresses are called top-level domains (TLDs) or domain extensions. Thinking of which TLDs to combine your domain name with is important. While it doesn’t affect SEO ranking, they influence geographical searches. Popular options include:

• .com - this is a generic TLD intended to target an international audience. .com is the most common TLD, which can make it a good choice but it also means that a lot of .com addresses are already taken. It’s also a different story when you aim for a local customer base.
• .co.nz and .nz - these are country code-level TLDs for sites in New Zealand. These TLDs signal Google to localise its search, so it’s best when targeting kiwis. The only difference between these two is that, for some people, .co.nz gives off a more formal, business-like impression while .nz is seen as more modern. There are also other .nz options, like .org.nz for non-profits or .net.nz, which was originally for use by technical operators.
• .com.au and .net.au - these are particularly useful for trading in Australia, but there are auDA eligibility criteria that require a genuine “Australian presence”.

Some TLDs cost more than others. This is usually because of the different ways regulation works. The most expensive options are entirely unregulated. We reckon it's sometimes possible to have a go at predicting domain price rises based on TLDs.

These are only some of the TLDs that you can register through MyHost.

Can you “buy” a domain name?

While you pay for domain names, it’s much more like renting than buying. Only authorised registrars, like us, can offer leases on domains. And your domain stays yours as long as you pay your rent. You have the right to renew your lease before it expires - most providers will let you set up auto renewal - and you can pay in advance for several years at once.

Timely renewal can be a good way to lock in current prices for a domain that you'll use for years to come.

Registering your domain name

Here are things to consider when registering your domain name.

1. Choose your domain carefully, because changing your domain name later can be hard and expensive.
2. Compare providers, not just price. Generally, cheaper domain providers offer less sophisticated tools and less support. So going for low-cost might be costly in the long run when you find yourself wasting hours fixing issues, or unable to update your own DNS records.
3. Look out for pricing tricks. Some providers charge a low price to register a new domain but then sting you with higher renewal charges. Check for traps before you commit to a provider. (You might want to watch out for premium domains as well.)
4. Multiple TLDs. It can be a good strategy to have multiple domain names that match but are designated with different TLDS (e.g. example.com, example.nz, and example.co.nz), and then redirect them all to open to your main site. This prevents scammers from impersonating you and damaging your brand. It can also stop genuine competitors from creating confusion. On a more practical note, having both .com and a .co.nz or .nz is beneficial if you later decide to go global from local.
5. Choosing one provider for domain and hosting. We recommend that you get your domain name and hosting from a single company. That gives you one login, one control panel to manage everything, and one support team to work with. It often makes it easier to connect your domain to your site, as well. Also make sure that your chosen provider is trustworthy enough to notify you when your domain is about to expire and give you ample time to renew.
6. Your budget needs to go beyond domain registry. Whether your domain name costs you $30 or $90, the overall cost of launching your website will still go up from there. You also have to arrange web hosting, for example, before you can launch a website.

A bit of nerdery: How domains connect to your website

Behind the scenes, website addresses are actually identified through a string of numbers called internet protocol (IP) addresses. These are easy for machines to read, but useless for humans. The domain name system layers easy-to-remember domain names on top. A system of domain name servers translates between the URLs that we all know and use, and the IP addresses that direct internet traffic to the right servers.

This is why it's important to get DNS records right when you set up your Web Hosting. One very easy way to make sure that your domain and web hosting are properly connected is to order both through the same provider. Then they are under one account and login, with the same support team available to help out.

MyHost domain and hosting

If you’re looking for affordable domains and hosting plans topped with ultra-reliable and honest customer support, you have to consider MyHost.

With a Web Hosting or Email Hosting plan form us as well, we take care of connecting your domain to your website and mailboxes. You also get all our other promises, like a 99.9% uptime guarantee, automatic daily backup, and great service.

Or if you're not ready to go, we're here to help you get started. Contact us with any questions about domains or getting set up online and we'll gladly help out.