What is Domain?
TL;DR
A domain is your website address (like google.com or leep.no) that people type in browsers to find your website.
Example
Domain anatomy:
https://www.example.com/about
- "https://" = Protocol (how to connect)
- "www." = Subdomain (optional)
- "example" = Domain name (your brand)
- ".com" = Top-level domain (TLD)
- "/about" = Page path
Domain examples:
| Domain | Type |
|---|---|
| google.com | Generic (.com) |
| leep.no | Country code (.no for Norway) |
| store.brand.com | Subdomain |
| bbc.co.uk | Second-level country code |
Popular TLDs:
- .com: Most common, global
- .no: Norway
- .org: Organizations
- .io: Tech startups
- .shop: E-commerce
Explanation
How Domains Work
Domains are human-readable names for IP addresses. Computers use numbers (93.184.216.34). Humans prefer names (example.com).
DNS (Domain Name System): The internet's phone book. Translates domain names to IP addresses.
When you type a domain:
- Browser asks DNS: "What's the IP for this domain?"
- DNS responds with IP address
- Browser connects to that IP
- Website loads
Registering a Domain
Domains are registered through registrars:
- Norway: Domeneshop, One.com, Domene.no
- International: Namecheap, GoDaddy, Cloudflare
.no domains: Require Norwegian organization number or personal ID.
Yearly fees: Typically 100-300 kr/year for common TLDs.
Why It Matters
For Business Owners
Your domain is your digital address. It's often the first thing customers see. Make it memorable, short, and professional.
Domain choice affects credibility. mybusiness.com feels more established than mybusiness.wixsite.com.
Secure matching domains early. If you have mybusiness.no, also get mybusiness.com to prevent competitors or squatters.
Keep domain ownership in your name. Don't let agencies or developers register domains for you. You should own it directly.
Domain Best Practices
- Keep it short and memorable
- Avoid hyphens and numbers
- Get both .no and .com if possible
- Set up auto-renewal (don't let it expire!)
- Use privacy protection to hide personal info
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