What is domain name registration? In order to have a website, you need a domain name. Your domain name is the internet equivalent to a house address. A domain name is unique- once you choose your domain name, no one else in the world can take it until you let it expire. However, there are several variations (called "extensions") of the same name that are possible, and unless you register them all, someone could conceivably have a domain name very similar to yours.

Please be advised that naming your website and naming your company are two different entities. Your domain name does not have to be your compan y name, and vice versa, unless you want it to be. So, for example, if your company name is ACME WIDGETS and your market is your own town of Friendsville, BC, but someone in the world already has www.acmewidgets.com, you could conceivably call yourself www.friendsvillewidgets.com, giving yourself a nice short name which also indicates what you sell and where you are selling it.

With regards to legal restrictions on certain domain names, Internet Law is a complicated world which is constantly changing and developing with the continuous expansion of the World Wide Web. We suggest that you contact your legal representative for current legal information on domain names if you are concerned in any way before choosing a name.

There are literally dozens of domain name extensions used throughout the world and Affordable Web Design Ltd. is able to register the most popular extensions for our clients through our partner Registrar.

• The .com extension is the most common throughout the world. It was the very first extension available at the beginning of internet usage and is still the most popular one today.

• The .ca is the second most popular extension in Canada and is restricted to Canadian based individuals and businesses. In this same manner, the .us is also restricted to U.S. citizens and businesses, and both are normally the second choice of individuals and businesses where their first choice is already taken.

• A third popular choice is .net, again usually when the .com and the .ca/.us have been taken.
  • the .net extension was originally established for networks, but in today's world, many people choose this extension when the other more popular extensions have already been registered.

Other extensions that are also available through Affordable Web Design Ltd are .mobi, .info, .biz and .tel. Please contact us if you are interested in any of the extensions mentioned above.

As part of our mandate to make things as easy as possible for our clients by offering a ONE-STOP SHOP, Affordable Web Design Ltd. offers domain name registration as well as yearly domain hosting. This cost is renewable on a yearly basis and unless we receive cancellation notice from the client at least two weeks prior to the expiration date, we will automatically renew your hosting for you so that there is no interruption in service.

For our clients who are unsure of the domain name search procedure, we can help you research the best name for your company if you prefer.