The parts of a domain
- Top-level domain (TLD): the ending, such as .com, .org, .se or .info. Country endings such as .se are called ccTLDs.
- Second-level domain: the name you choose, such as “example”.
- Subdomain: an optional prefix, such as www or blog, that creates a separate section like blog.example.com.
How domains work
You register a domain through a registrar, usually for a yearly fee. The Domain Name System (DNS) then translates the name into the IP address of your hosting server, so browsers can find the site. The domain stays yours as long as you keep renewing it.
Choosing a domain
- Short, easy to spell and easy to say out loud
- Your brand name rather than a string of keywords
- A .com, or your country’s ending (such as .se) for a local business
- No hyphens or numbers that people will get wrong
Domains and SEO
Keywords in a domain name bring little ranking benefit today; a memorable brand matters more. Consistency does matter: use one version of your domain (with or without www, always HTTPS) and redirect the others to it. Avoid changing domains unless you have to, because a move needs careful 301 redirects to keep your rankings. Buying expired domains to reuse their reputation for unrelated content breaks Google’s spam policies.