Domain Autonomy
What is a Domain Name
Imagine the internet as a bustling city. Every building has a unique address to help visitors find it. Websites function in the same way, with domain names acting as their addresses. These names guide users to the specific online location they seek. Some addresses are owned by private individuals, like a domain for a person (attiewessels.co.za). And many domains are owned by small businesses (patrolplumbing.com). Just as large office buildings house multiple businesses sharing the same physical address, online directories like Yellow Pages or social media platforms like Facebook share their address with all their users (web.facebook.com/web.riaanwessels). While some digital buildings, such as online stores or corporate websites, are owned outright, others, like social media profiles, are owned by the platform itself. Understanding this online ecosystem is crucial for businesses seeking digital sovereignty.
Address of a Building = Domain Name (lepop.co.za)
Explanation: Every building in a city has a unique address that helps people find it. This address is like a domain name on the internet. It’s a specific word or phrase that leads people to your online location. NB: Domain names are registered through an email address, which essentially acts as the owner of the domain. A “link” can potentially tell you where the domain comes from and what the website is about. It’s similar to coordinates on a map. Most countries have their own domain structure e.g Australia is .com.au, Canada is .ca, New Zealand is .co.nz, Finland is .fi, Russia is .ru, Japan is .jp and Greece is .gr. You get the idea.
Example: Just like you wouldn’t say “The tall building with the blue windows,” you wouldn’t say “The website with the red logo.” You’d use the specific address (domain name) – Choosing a great domain name is the real start of your business journey. The actual starting point of your business isn’t registering a (Pty) Ltd name at CIPC. You’re most likely to be a sole proprietor when you start off anyways. If you wait for the day you register a business name at some point in the the future at CIPC, you might lose your preferred domain. The domain name comes before a (Pty) Ltd registration because it’s a brand name. Very few big brand names belong to a corporation with the same name.
Title Deed = Owning The Website Address aka “Domain Ownership” (Registrar)
Explanation: All domains, even for giant companies like Facebook.com, need to be renewed annually. This ensures continued ownership and online presence. An independent organization called ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) keeps track of all domain names to prevent duplicate website addresses. When you buy a domain it won’t be duplicated anywhere on earth. Which is pretty cool, huh? 😎. Each domain name is unique. There are no two domain names with the same address. In fact, there are businesses who buy and sell special domain names to the highest bidder. Cars.com holds the record for the most expensive domain name ever sold. It was acquired by Gannett in 2014 for a staggering $872 million.
Example: Look closely at a domain address to know if it’s actually owned by a small business or by a big corporation. Here is a Wix “Website”: www.lindfield.wixsite.com/museum. Notice it says “wixsite” in that domain address? That means its not a sovereign online address. It belongs to Wix (it’s a web page attached to their domain address). And this business cannot transfer that website to any other hosting company either. When you buy your own domain name, you will have to use an email address (e.g. your personal gmail address). This is how you own your domain name. Your email address is the ‘registar’ of the domain. A domain name could become the most important asset your business owns. If you are not aware of this, most corporations won’t inform you. They will simply sell you a bogus ‘domain’ and ‘website’.
How to Buy a Domain Name aka Website Address
Explanation: Domain names can be purchased from domain registrars like Xneelo.co.za (highly recommended by #thewebsiteguy). Think of these registrars as the city’s Title Deed Office, where you register ownership of your residential property. Remember, registering a domain name links it to an email address, so choose one you’ll have long-term access to. Searching “buy a domain name” on Google will lead you to overseas companies. This is generally not recommended. It’s best to buy from a local company for easier communication and better support. Xneelo is a great choice, having provided exceptional service for over ten years in my experience.
Example: When choosing a domain name, it’s best to incorporate both your business name and the service you provide (merakiconstruction.co.za). Avoid cryptic acronyms like www.aata.co.za, as they hinder brand recognition. While shorter domains are tempting, a clear and descriptive name is more valuable (hakunamatatadrivingschool.co.za). Remember, a domain name is just an address; it doesn’t include a website or email. Be cautious of “free” hosting offers, as they often come with hidden costs or limitations. And they often cram thousands of websites onto the same server, which can impact your online reputation. Choose a reliable hosting provider to ensure optimal service. You can check whether your desired doman is available here: xneelo.co.za/domain-name-registration.
The Building aka Property Structure = The Website (Web Pages with Text, Images etc)
Explanation: Once you arrive at an address in the real world, you find the building itself. In online terms, this building is the website. It’s a collection of digital pages containing text, pictures, etc. Think of it as the shop, restaurant, or office you visit after finding the address. The domain helps a browser like Google to find the building (i.e. the website) which is hosted on a server. There is a difference between a website and a web page. A web page is one of many pages on a website. If you don’t own the domain, you don’t have a website. If you can’t transfer the website from one hosting company to a different one, you don’t have a website. Don’t fall for so called “easy to build websites”. There is no such thing. It’s a sales tactic and millions of people have fallen for it. Your absolute best bet is a WordPress website. It is hands down your best opportunity to “own” your website.
Example: Facebook.com is the domain name, and Facebook itself is the website with all its features, posts, and profiles. Instagram is a website. LinkedIn is a website. You don’t own any profile you have created on any social media website. You only own a website if you bought the domain name. Your website is by far the most credible real estate you will ever own online. Not having a website for your small business is madness. I also did not understand how domains or websites work back in 2014 and I got taken for a ride a few times until I figured it out for myself. I will never forget how annoyed I was wasting time and money. When I started my own web design business in 2015, I was motivated to offer a no bull shit service. That has not changed. I don’t try to “sell” websites. I don’t build something you think you might need. I will always have a chat with you first. Your expectations need to be met by reality. I stake my online reputation on giving you the truth. And I will keep doing this till I die.
It is critical that all business owners, no matter how small, understand the basics of the world wide web, of domains, of websites and hosting on servers. By understanding domains and websites, offline businesses can make informed decisions. They can avoid getting locked into ‘website builders’ and ensure they have true ownership of their online presence. This is crucial, because even a small business that makes most of its money offline can benefit from a strong online presence. On a different note, if you need to market your small business on a tight budget, read this article here.
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