That will change as your business grows and you add more talent to your staff. As your team expands you’ll find yourself asking things like:

• Who’s working on what?
• Has anyone even started those projects you’ve been asking about for the past three weeks?
• How much has your team completed on certain tasks?

It’s tough to know the answers to these sorts of questions without tracking down your individual employees and getting a status update from each of them, right?

Wrong.

Nowadays, cloud-based tools make it possible for everyone to be on the same page. Using these productivity tools your team can align on common goals, know what other team members are working on, and hit deadlines more efficiently — no matter where in the world they’re located.

How to Increase Productivity.

One of the most frustrating things about working remotely is wasted time. And a big time waster across remote teams is duplication of effort — when two or more people are working on the same thing (unbeknownst to one another) because of poor planning, communication, and tracking. When that happens people get discouraged because all parties involved realize they could have been using their time more wisely.

Sharing your documents and files with one another prevents this issue from happening. With cloud-based documents and tools, files automatically sync so that one person can see what another is working on. What’s even better is that multiple people can work on these files at the same time if need be. Shared documents are a great and quick way to knock things off your to-do list.

Cloud-based productivity tools don’t stop there, though. They also offer things like video calls. Video calls help your team stay together as if they were meeting in the same room. The face-to-face interaction removes the chance of confusing tone in an email, so your team knows the importance of hitting a deadline without feeling over-managed. Set up a weekly video meeting with your team, and individuals, so everyone can stay on the same page with your business.

Make the Most of Your Time with Cloud-Based Tools.

What cloud-based productivity tools do we recommend?

At Domain.com, we’re big fans of both Google’s G Suite and Microsoft 365. You may be more familiar with one or another, but both offer intuitive, helpful solutions for working from home or remotely.

Do you identify with any of the following statements?

• I need to improve my productivity.
• I need to access files at the office, at home, and in-between.
• I sometimes do work on my laptop, but also my smartphone or tablet.
• I need an email address that my customers’ recognize.
• I need big workplace solutions at small prices.
• I need to maintain the security of my work documents while at home or elsewhere.
• I need to know what my team is working on and when.

If so, G Suite and Microsoft 365 are here to help. Let’s take a look at what they offer. 

Google’s G Suite

G Suite is perfect for those looking to increase their business credibility, build their brand, communicate effectively with employees and customers, and improve productivity.

G Suite Communication Tools

Gmail, Calendar, Hangouts, and Meet are tools designed and built to help you maintain open and effective lines of communication. These resources offer instant messaging, email (that matches your domain name for a professional look), and video chat capabilities.

G Suite Collaboration Tools

Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, and Sites are tools created to allow for work and collaboration from anywhere. They let you work harmoniously with your team from across the room or across the globe.

G Suite Storage Tools

Having hard copies of your documents can be nice, but it certainly isn’t convenient. G Suite offers Google Drive and Cloud so you can store, edit, and securely maintain your important information. Access and share your files instantly, from anywhere, without worrying about merging documents or attaching and downloading files.

G Suite Management Tools

You want your team to have access to the materials they need while working remotely, but how do you make sure your important business documents don’t get into the wrong hands? G Suite offers Admin, Vault, and Mobile tools to help you easily and securely control your data, devices, and users.

You can learn more about G Suite and our offerings here.

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft 365 is a great solution for those who are building their digital identity and establishing their business online.

With Microsoft 365, you’ll receive familiar and trusted business tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and so much more. Its tools allow you to analyze your business data, protect your business information, and enable social networking and real-time communication with your teams.  

Domain.com offers various Microsoft 365 plans so you can begin with your domain name and a matching email address, and grow into the solutions you need. If you’re already an established business, we’ve got the perfect Microsoft 365 plan for you, too.  We’ll dive into what each one covers right now.

Email Essentials

This plan offers business-class email and calendar services. It includes 15 GB of Exchange Online storage and offers the familiarity of Outlook you know and trust.

You’ll receive an email address to match your domain name with this plan, and that gives you credibility and instant recognition in your customers’ inboxes. 

And don’t forget to keep the team on track and working together with the shared marketing calendar that you’ll receive in the Email Essentials plan.

Business Plus

This plan consists of the core cloud services you’ll need to run your business, including business-class email, online meeting tools, and cloud storage to edit, collaborate, and share your files. You’ll never have to worry about uploading and attaching documents again!

Our Microsoft 365 Business Plus plan provides you with 50 GB of Exchange Online storage, Microsoft Office Online (with familiar tools like Word, PowerPoint, and Excel), 1 TB of business cloud storage with OneDrive, and online meetings, IM, and video chat capabilities with Microsoft Teams.

If you’ve got a remote team, consider starting with this plan, Business Essentials, or the following plan, Business Pro. 

Business Pro

Microsoft 365 Business Pro gives you the freedom to take your office anywhere you go. Working from home, the cafe, or while traveling? Microsoft 365 has your back. 

With this plan, you’ll receive Microsoft Office for desktop, Microsoft 365 apps for mobile and tablets, and automatic syncing across all your devices. 

Put some time back in your day by automating tasks like booking appointments and meetings with Business Pro!

Learn more about Microsoft 365 and get started here.

Work Together Like You’re All Local.

The internet has changed the meaning of a typical workday. Your team members can work anywhere they want, but it’s up to you to make sure they’re not working on whatever they want. Centralized productivity tools address that issue, and make them feel like they’re working in the same room. With close collaboration and the sharing of ideas, your business gets better work from the team.

When your team is spread far and wide across the country, or the world, the tools you use are the thread that holds your business together.

Once team members can work towards the same goal, see what the rest of the team is working on, and efficiently hit all their deadlines, your business stays on the right track. Even without being in the same room, your team can come together to complete the essential tasks that grow your business.

If you’re like most people, you’re no stranger to online shopping. Each year the number of online shoppers climbs higher and higher, and we don’t see that trend declining any time soon. According to Statista, “Retail e-commerce sales worldwide are forecast to more than double between 2018 and 2023, surpassing 6.5 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023.”

Those statistics make starting an e-commerce website pretty appealing, don’t they? And if you need any extra motivation, think about how nice it’ll be to be your own boss, make your own hours, and be able to work from anywhere in the world.

Starting an e-commerce website

How do you start planning for your online business and creating your e-commerce site?

Before we discuss the elements every e-commerce site should have, let’s talk about getting your other ducks in a row. In order to build the best e-commerce website you can, you’ll need to consider:

• Your ideal customer.
• Your products or services.
• Your differentiator, or what sets you apart from the competition and makes people choose you over them.
• Sourcing your products.
• Inventory.
• Shipping.
• What you’ll name your business and online store (hint: it should match your domain name for consistent branding.)

Once you’ve spent some time on those items, you can get down to business creating a website to sell your goods and services so you don’t miss your piece of the e-commerce sales pie.

First impressions matter

Have you ever landed on a website to browse and do some shopping only to scan it and think, “This doesn’t look legitimate,” and then exited the site? What gave you the impression that the website wasn’t genuine or could be a scam?

Typos and bad grammar, no product descriptions or photos, a lack of contact information, an unsecure website connection, and cluttered design are all reasons we’ve heard for people leaving a website without making a purchase.

Elements every e-commerce website needs

When someone lands on your website, they shouldn’t be driven away by any of the reasons we mentioned above. You want to inspire trust in your site visitors and help them through your marketing funnel so they’ll become customers.

What elements does your e-commerce website need to inspire confidence in your site visitors?

• Security
  • The threat of having your personal and financial information exposed or hacked is real. With SSL, a secure connection is established between your site visitor and your website. That means any information passed from their end to yours (like billing details) is encrypted and kept safe from prying eyes.
• Cluttered design
  • Websites are visual things and humans are visual creatures. You can try creating your own website with code, or make life a little easier on yourself by using a website builder.
  • Domain.com’s WebsiteBuilder offers specific themes already optimized for e-commerce and you can drag and drop elements within these themes to customize your site.
• Product photos and product information
  • Again, humans are visual creatures. You need clear photos that accurately represent your products. You also need a clear description of what you’re selling. If not, you risk people not purchasing or purchasing, being disappointed, and leaving bad reviews for your new online store.
  • Here are some tips on how to photograph the products for your e-commerce store.
• Typos and bad grammar
  • If your online site is full of typos and errant punctuation, you run the risk of someone thinking it’s a fake site that’s set up to phish for your personal or financial information.  
  • There are many free online tools, like Grammarly, that can help you perfect the spelling and grammar for the writing and copy on your e-commerce website.
• Contact Information
  • We know you’re doing your best. Even so, mistakes can happen. On the off chance that there’s an error in an order, your customers will want to know how to contact you. Make sure that information is apparent and available from the moment you launch your site.

From a consumer perspective, your e-commerce site needs these things. Without them, you’re doing yourself and your online business a disservice.

Are you ready to start building your online store?

Check out Domain.com’s Website Builder today!

With WebsiteBuilder, you don’t just get highly-customizable templates. With our business plan you’ll receive dedicated e-commerce features in your builder like:

• E-commerce shopping cart
  • Sell your products across web and mobile devices.
• Inventory management
  • Track your inventory and stock.
• Payment processing
  • Choose from Stripe or PayPal.
• Coupon codes
  • You’ll have the ability to offer coupon codes to your visitors and customers to drive more sales.

So what are you waiting for? Get your domain name and start your online store today!

Each has its benefits and drawbacks, and that’s what we’ll discuss in this post. So stick around and let’s explore your options for website creation together.

Website Creation: DIY or outsource?

That’s a great question and we’re glad you’re asking it. It shows you understand how valuable your website is and that you want to create it the best way possible, and rightfully so. Your website is the hub of your digital presence, it’s where customers go to find you, interact with you, and hopefully, convert. (That means they take whatever action you’d like for them to take on your site, like making a purchase or signing up for the email list on your blog)

If your website is slow, clunky, or hard to navigate then your website visitors won’t be making any purchases or signing up for any lists; instead, they’ll bounce. If you have a high bounce rate, search engines will take note, and your website won’t show up as high in search results moving forward. So it pays to create a good site with your visitors’ preferences and needs in mind and to maintain your website. If you don’t, your site can get buried in the depths of the Internet.

Let’s consider the following points to help determine whether you should DIY or outsource the creation of your website.

What’s the goal of your website?

Have you stopped to consider your website goals? Now is definitely the time. If you don’t consider your goals, how can you create a plan for success?

If you’re a blogger your goal might be to increase the number of visitors to your site and the number of subscribers to your email newsletter. Why? Because those two things can help influence your bottom line by attracting advertisers or companies who’d like to work with you.

If you aren’t sure what your goals are, or how to achieve them, you may want to consider outsourcing your website to someone with experience building similar sites so they can guide you.

Or do you have clear-cut goals and understand how the layout and build of a website can influence them? If so, it sounds like you’re ready to DIY your own site.

Have you created a website before?

Creating websites isn’t as difficult as it was 5, 10, or 15 years ago. You don’t need a 4-year degree and a thorough understanding of JavaScript or any other programming language.

If you’ve created a website before then we have faith that you can do it again! And if you haven’t, we have faith in you, too!

Nowadays, there exists these handy tools called website builders. Website builders, like ours, turn website creation into a quick and painless process. Once you have your domain name and hosting, you can choose a theme for your site. The themes are varied and highly customizable, so you don’t have to worry about your site looking exactly like every other Dick and Jane’s site. You can customize themes by dragging and dropping different elements (like call-to-action buttons or about pages) exactly where you want them. What you see as you build your site is what you’ll get for a finished product.

Are you nervous about creating a website? Don’t be. You can practice by using our free website builder that allows you to create a 6-page site (it’s free with every domain name purchase.)

If after some practice you decide that you’re a website-building rockstar then good for you! As your business grows you may find that you need a larger site, so you can always upgrade your builder and hosting package and continue rocking those site creation skills.

What if you decide that website creation isn’t for you? That’s ok, we can help with our full-service offerings. We understand you may not have the time to devote to a website, so we provide a service that encompasses the following.

Professional Website Services

• Custom 5-page website including content creation for up to 3 pages.
• Drag & drop site builder so you can make changes to the site if you’d like.
• Professional branding because you deserve to look like the pro you are.
• Full website functionality including blog setup, photo gallery, and contact form.

And if that’s not enough, we’ll even help with your marketing.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Managed Local Lift — working with online listing publishers like Yahoo! to make sure local customers are finding you.
• Content marketing. We’ll write articles and create content to support your organic search rank on major search engines.
• Monthly consultations with an expert because we’re here to help you succeed.

Do you understand the time investment and maintenance a website requires?

As much as we wish websites were set-it-and-forget-it, they’re not. (Although it’d be great, wouldn’t it — having one less thing to worry about?)

Alas, we can’t change the way websites and the Internet work for you, but we do our best to make it easier by providing all the options you’ll need to secure and maintain not just your site, but your domain name, too.

There are some bad people and automated programs online and you need to guard your website against them. You can run manual scans and attack the threats one-by-one, but the fact is, there are a lot more automated bots and programs than there are of you. If you’re new to building websites, you might not realize how essential domain privacy and site security are.

Domain.com offers SiteLock Security products, domain privacy + protection, and more so that you can keep your site free from danger without needing expert advice. But if you’d rather not take any chances and have someone else worry about it, then outsourcing your website is a good option. A 3rd party can help you to build your site, maintain it as needed, and advise you as to the best security options and plans for your site.

If I choose to outsource or purchase a DIFM (do-it-for-me) website package, am I stuck with it forever?

It’s a valid question, and we don’t blame you for wondering.

No, you won’t be.

If you need help getting started with your website, don’t have the time to devote to a website right now, or would prefer someone else maintain your site, then outsourcing is the best solution for you right now. But that doesn’t mean things won’t change.

Maybe you’ll hire some new people soon and have more time available to focus on your website and marketing; in that case, you can take ownership over your site again. You can switch plans with us at Domain.com for a self-managed site or make sure to ask any 3^rd parties about future arrangements prior to outsourcing your site.

There are many ways to build a website

With so many options at your disposal, you really don’t have an excuse for not having a site in this day and age.

Your website is the heart of your digital presence and your domain name is what leads people there. So don’t delay, get started today! 

Congratulations!

It’s a big step, and we’re excited for you.

Create a website: From planning to execution

Is this the first website you’ve created? Or has it been a while since you’ve made one? Either way, we’ll help you understand exactly what to do. Follow along as we discuss how to plan and build your website.

Planning Your Site

Not all websites are created equal. Depending on your needs and goals your website may consist of only a few pages, or it could be a large e-commerce website.

Before investing too much time in your design, or jumping straight into website creation, ask yourself the following questions to help plan your site.

• What is my business all about?
  • This is question #1 for good reason. Your website exists to support your business needs. Your website will be a means to an end, it will be a means to support and further your business goals.
  • If your site will be a blog, or to support a passion project, you should still clearly define what your goals and needs are to support your vision. Then consider how your site will support those.
• What will success look like?
  • For bloggers looking to monetize their site, they might consider site visitors a key performance indicator, or KPI, of their site. The more visitors they receive, the greater the likelihood of getting better partners and adverts on your site.
  • For e-commerce sites, you’ll want to think more along the lines of conversions (when a site visitor becomes a customer, or takes the action you want them to take on your site.)
  • You need to have a clear idea of what success will look like for you and the KPIs you’ll use to measure it so that you can design your website properly. If you’re trying to drive on-site purchases, but have no call-to-action buttons on site for people to “Buy Now” or “Checkout Here” then you’re doing yourself a disservice. Identifying what your success will look like helps you build the website to get there.

• Who’s my target audience?
  • Websites need visitors to thrive. But if you attract all the wrong people to your site, and they don’t end up interacting with your site or purchasing anything, then what does it matter?
  • Your target audience consists of the people in your ideal market. They’re the ones who your service or goods are designed to help and benefit. Cater your website to these folks, and you’ll reap the rewards.
• Do I have the right domain name?
  • Your domain name is the address that leads people to your website. It should be easy to understand, easy to spell, and hopefully, memorable. Think of it this way: If someone were to hear your domain name without ever seeing it, could they spell it and get to your site?
  • If you don’t have the perfect domain name yet, you can find one here.

Now that you’ve asked yourself these questions, you should have a better idea of what type of site you’ll need to create.

Creating a quick, beautiful website

Ready to design and create your site?

You can quickly and easily create a website to suit your needs using something called a Website Builder.

What is a website builder?

A website builder is a lot like it sounds — it’s a tool to help you create a website easily. Website builders usually come with drag-and-drop functionality, offer pre-made templates, and leave less room for error when creating a site.

You don’t need to have a 4-year degree or advanced understanding of code to use a website builder, but that doesn’t mean they’re strictly the purview of website novices. Many advanced web designers use website builders, too.

Domain.com’s Website Builder and Full Service Design

We offer a website builder to help you get up and running in no time at all. You can put together a quick, simple site in under an hour, or create a larger e-commerce site to sell your goods.

No time to create a site? That’s no problem. If you would rather have some one-on-one dedicated assistance in creating a site we have options for you, too. We offer a full service design and marketing plan to help you get up and running, and you’ll receive a dedicated account manager who’ll reach out every month to make sure all is well and review your marketing campaigns.

What are you waiting for – create your site today!

Creating a website has never been easier or simpler. Take some time to plan your site — identify your target audience and set your goals. Once you know what purpose your site will serve it’s easier to design it.

Need a hand or have any questions? Let us know!

Google is making a major change on June 1st, one that they started to talk about back in 2016 and are finally bringing live next month. The idea makes a lot of sense but it could also leave some website owners in a tricky situation if they haven’t already taken a mobile-first approach themselves.

Here’s the skinny:

That means that when a new website is registered it will be crawled by Google’s smartphone Googlebot, and its mobile-friendly content will be used to index its pages, as well as to understand the site’s structured data and to show snippets from the site in Google’s search results, when relevant.

(Source – Techcrunch)

As many of you know, when you visit my blog on a mobile phone, it looks completely different. I have a nice handy plugin for WordPress that does this for me. The ads go away, all distractions disappear, and instead the focus is on what is should be on mobile – content.

Still, there are a ton of website and blogs out there that don’t have a great mobile experience and they are likely going to start to notice less traffic coming from search starting in June. Not only is Google using the mobile version of a site to get content for indexing, for years now it has been ranking sites higher that are mobile friendly:

As we noted earlier this year, today’s the day we begin globally rolling out our mobile-friendly update. We’re boosting the ranking of mobile-friendly pages on mobile search results. Now searchers can more easily find high-quality and relevant results where text is readable without tapping or zooming, tap targets are spaced appropriately, and the page avoids unplayable content or horizontal scrolling.

(Source – Google Webmaster Central Blog)

The good news is, it has never been easier to make your site mobile-friendly, especially if you use a platform like WordPress. Here’s a handy article that compares seven different WordPress plugins to make your blog look great on mobile.

Don’t use WordPress? Don’t worry. Here’s a solid article to help you understand how to make your site mobile friendly, and if you’re not a developer, don’t worry there either, there are more web developers than ever now and places like Upwork can help you connect with one for a fraction of what you would have paid only a few years ago.

It’s important to remember that while you might still be someone that surfs the web (do people still say that?) on your Desktop with your huge monitor, most people around the world are looking at your site on a tiny Smartphone screen…and that trend is here to stay.

Interested in a WordPress hosting package? See what Domain.com has to offer!

• .tech
• .space
• .actor
• .yoga

New TLDs provide novel territory for individuals and businesses who want to distinguish themselves among other websites. Some of these domain extensions have incredible utility by offering companies a more niche website or a creative take on their original TLDs.

What Are the Original TLDs

The old TLDs are the original domain extensions that are still commonly in use today. Each has a specific purpose and a certain domain space to which it is connected. A few of the most well-known examples are:

• .com – Often used for commercial businesses and individuals who are marketing themselves.
• .net – Short for “Network,” these are commonly associated with internet providers, emails, and umbrella sites that are connected to various smaller sites.
• .org – Nonprofits and charities will often use the .org domain extension. Other organizations like sports teams, community groups, and religions will often use .org.
• .edu – “Education.” Most schools, universities, and other learning centers will use this TLD.
• .gov – This is a restricted TLD used by the U.S. government. Any government site must have a .gov domain extension.

For a long time, these sorts of top-level domains were considered sufficient for covering all the subsections of the internet. But, of course, as the internet expanded, so increased the necessity for new TLDs.

It all starts with a great domain. Get yours at Domain.com.

ICANN and its Role in New TLDs

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (or ICANN) is a non-profit that helps maintain the Domain Name System (or DNS). ICANN is the organization responsible for the decision to expand the internet domain space, by allowing new TLDS to operate.

Back in 2012, ICANN decided to allow businesses to apply for new top-level domains to promote growth. Some of the earliest applied TLDs included:

• .art
• .app
• .love
• .shop
• .baby

Since then, more than a thousand new TLDs have entered the public domain. Now the question is, which one should you choose?

6 Considerations For Choosing a New TLD

While these new TLDs are unconventional compared to the standard .com or .net, they have many benefits. Maybe you’re looking to stand out creatively from the other websites in your competitive space. Or maybe every domain idea you’ve had has already been taken. However you want to use them, new TLDs have incredible potential to boost your web presence.

• Modernized TLDs

Every so often some new technological advancement will come along that shifts the way something is done. In this case, what’s changed is the possibility of a new and innovative web address. Businesses have always evolved and by using these new TLDs, companies can stay ahead of the curve.

New TLDs — A Fresh Take

Therefore, it’s important to have perspective. Sure, right now certain traditionalists consider anything but the core group of gTLDs to be less desirable (.com, .net, .org, etc.). But as these new TLDs become more commonplace, this view is changing and having an up-to-date domain will save time. Companies who lag might later change their opinion too late and find out their desired domain has already been taken.

Of course, use this perspective with caution. How a business is perceived is always essential. Be sure to understand your audience and take them into account when registering a domain.

• Knowing Your Audience

Not all businesses are created equal. Different demographics will be attracted to different facets of a company. Marketing strategies toward senior citizens, for example, will be much different than marketing toward millennials.

Understanding your audience can help push you toward the right TLD. As a yoga center, one option is to register a .com domain extension. However, it would also be appropriate to register a .yoga TLD. This would generate authority within the yoga space. Some other new TLDs that fit a niche market are:

• .coffee
• .tennis
• .pizza
• .toys
• .photography

Each of these domain extensions hits their target market with a certain exactness.

• Specificity

Knowing what sort of business you run or what kind of service you are providing can help narrow down the TLD you want. The perfect domain extension indicates precisely what to expect when users stumble upon your website. Not only this, using a more specific domain extension can reduce the length of the website URL.

Some new TLDs that can help specify your web address are:

• .tech – With the increasing number of tech start-ups out there, having a .tech TLD can set your website apart from the pack.
• .design – Spice up an artist portfolio page with a .design URL. Or use this new TLD for any number of design professions like interior decorator, web designer, graphic designer, and more.
• .luxury – Fashion brands, high-end accessories, car companies, furniture, these are all services that can succeed under the .luxury domain extension.
• .restaurant – This TLD can separate your restaurant from all the other .com eateries. It allows the name of your restaurant to exist as the domain name and leave the “description” for the domain extension.

These are just a few of the numerous TLDs available on Domain.com. Each has its own space where it provides value. It’s all a matter of finding the right one and getting creative.

• Increased Creativity

With the sheer number of available TLDs nowadays, it’s possible to use them to upgrade your web address and boost it to the next level. Some examples of new creative web addresses include:

• [Your Name].cool
• [Clothing Brand].fashion
• [Cooking Site].recipes
• [Anything].pizza

As you can see, these are just a few examples of possible combinations. With over a thousand of these new TLDs, it’s hard to imagine not finding the perfect domain that is both creative and descriptive.

• Brand Protection

For those companies who already have their generic TLD domain name, it can be beneficial to scoop up similar TLDs that are available on the market. If a coffee business owns its brand name with the .com domain extension, they might also wish to purchase the .coffee domain extension as well.

The Necessity of Brand Protection

Unfortunately, with each new TLD, it becomes harder to protect a brand from those trying to benefit off of it.

• Brandjacking – Individuals will purchase relevant domains based around a popular website and use its popularity to drive traffic away from the intended website. An example of this would be trying to register starbucks.coffee before Starbucks does in order to exploit them or drive traffic to an opposing site. (In this case, Starbucks is a trademarked entity, so this would not be possible. It is more of a problem for smaller companies.)
• Typosquatting – Another form of brand protection that becomes harder to manage is typosquatting. This is when individuals will purchase web domains based on common misspellings of certain words. If enough traffic is driven away from the main site, companies are often forced to buy out that individual for the rights to the web address.

More companies are having to purchase additional domains despite already owning their business website.

• Availability

With each additional TLD available, the domain space grows and more companies can purchase a short, memorable and descriptive web address. This is incredibly useful as almost half of all domains are registered under the .com domain extension while the next few TLDs don’t quite scratch 5% usage.

With Availability Comes Variable Pricing

Because there are so many TLDs available now, there are multiple organizations who monitor different domain extensions. This means that there is no one standard price for registering a domain name. Which is great for those domains that happen to be cheap. Others, however, can be quite expensive depending on how in-demand they are.

New TLDs vs Old gTLDs

So far, the focus has been on new TLDs, but how do they compare with the old, standard gTLDs?

• Benefits of gTLDs – Traditional TLDs are tried and true. There’s a reason .com still reigns supreme in terms of how many sites are registered each year. Having a domain extension .com, ensures a certain quality and reliability. Everybody knows and understands what’s involved when accessing a .com site.
• Downside of gTLDs – That being said, it is much harder to generate a desired web address with a gTLD. It’s then equally difficult for your website to stand out among other websites.
• Benefits of new TLDs – New TLDs are creative and fun. With new TLDs, it’s possible to express more than with the older gTLDs. The level of specificity achieved is more significant than what can be provided by standard gTLDs like .com and .net, and there are a lot more domains available.
• Downside of new TLDs – Because of how many new TLDs are being created, the demand for particular domain extensions can be significantly high. This pushes the prices up in an unpredictable way. Those who happen upon a popular TLD might end up paying considerably more than a traditional gTLD (whose prices stay relatively even throughout time).

It all starts with a great domain. Get yours at Domain.com.

Registering New TLDs

With each new TLD, there is a procedure they go through before they’re available to the general public. Domain.com does offer their members to be a part of the early access group and pre-registration groups which is great for businesses and individuals seeking out highly-contested domain names.

Here are a few different methods of registering for new TLDs:

• General Availability (GA)– This is the list of new TLDs and gTLDs that are currently available to the general public. Of course, these can be purchased if no other entity has secured the domain already. You can search by domain name on Domain.com to see if the desired name is available.
• Early Access – The Early Access Period (EAP) is usually during the first week that a new TLD is available. As the week progresses, domains with this extension decrease in cost. This allows individuals and businesses to spend more in order to purchase a domain earlier. The time length generally doesn’t exceed a week.
• Pre-Registration / Priority Pre-Registration – There is another way to gain a new TLD earlier than general availability. This is by pre-registering (or paying a premium with priority). This gives users the best chance to acquire hotly-contested web addresses.

Trademarks and the Sunrise Period

The earliest possible time to register a domain under a new TLD is known as the sunrise period. This is a period of 30 days where an entity with a registered trademark can register early for a new TLD (trademarks must be registered with the Trademark Clearinghouse—an international trademark database).

By trademarking part of a business and incorporating it into the web domain, companies can further protect themselves against brandjacking.

Other Types of TLDs Available

There are some other types of top-level domains available that cover a different angle of web addresses. These include:

1. ccTLDs – These are known as “country-code top-level domains.” They signify websites that are associated with a specific country. Common examples include:
   • .us – United States
   • .uk – United Kingdom
   • .eu – Europe
2. gTLDs – These are generic top-level domains. There are over twenty of these common gTLDs (.com, .net, etc.).
3. sTLDs – Or “sponsored top-level domains.” Private organizations manage these, and in general, are not available to the public (.edu, .gov, etc.).

Conclusion

New TLDs are a fun, creative way for businesses to express their identity with the perfect website address. By sprinkling in some spice with a new domain extension, companies can upgrade their website and stand out among the countless number of sites around today.

With how many new TLDs are available, the options are starting to seem unlimited. If you’re looking to use the perfect new TLD for your web address, know that Domain.com has over 300 new TLDs from which to choose!

Sources:

LinkedIn. (2017, Jan.). Brandjacking: What It Is and How to Avoid It. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/brandjacking-what-how-avoid-wink-faulkner/
Domain Name Stat. Domain name registration’s statistics. https://domainnamestat.com/

ICANN. (2011, June). ICANN Approves Historic Change to Internet’s Domain Name System | Board Votes to Launch New Generic Top-Level Domains. https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2011-06-20-en

Before diving into these questions, it’s helpful to quickly explain how the internet, and web addresses, are organized.

The DNS, Domain Name System

According to a survey done in January of 2018, 1,805,260,010 websites currently exist on the internet. That’s 1.8 billion individual web addresses that exist online, with more added every day.

Organizing all of those web addresses seems a grueling task, but thanks to the Domain Name System (DNS), developed in 1983, the process has been simplified.

Think of the DNS as the internet’s phonebook. Each web address — like Domain.com — is represented as an IP address, a long string of numbers that functions as the home address of a website (much like your home address corresponds to your house or apartment.)

The DNS helps translate IP addresses into domain names. Domain names are easier ways to remember web addresses — they’re shorter and more practical for humans than a long string of numbers is.

Components of a Domain Name

Domain names are comprised of multiple parts, but only two of them are essential components. They exist on either side of a web address’ “dot.”

To demonstrate how a web address is broken down, we’ll use Domain.com as an example. Domain.com has two components, a second-level domain (SLD) and a top-level domain (TLD).

• Second-Level Domain (SLD): The second-level domain is the text that exists to the left of the dot in Domain.com specifically the word “domain.” All web addresses possess a second-level domain, which is used to distinguish one website from others.

• Top Level Domain (TLD): A website’s top-level domain, or TLD, further distinguishes websites from one another, and also helps identify the content of the website. In Domain.com the TLD is the string of letters that fall to the right of the dot, specifically, “.com.”

There are over one thousand unique TLDs, but the most popular and recognizable of them are known as generic top-level domains, or gTLDs.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

What is a gTLD?

There’s a certain irony about the word “generic” in the phrase “generic top-level domain,” or gTLD. Generic means something unexceptional, banal, common — and yet, websites that use a generic top-level domain are respected, sought-after, and valuable to the companies and individuals who use them.

Understanding the history of gTLDs can help explain why that is.

History of gTLDs

The first wave of gTLDs were released in the 80s, shortly after the internet was invented. They were developed to help the first generation of internet users organize websites.

Despite being 30+ years old, the original seven gTLDs are among the most popular top-level domains on the internet. The original seven are:

• .com
• .edu
• .gov
• .int
• .mil
• .net
• .org

It’s likely that you’ve seen or recognize most, if not all, of these gTLDs.

Because of how recognizable these gTLDS are, domain names that include them are often considered more valuable than domain names using some of the more obscure TLDs developed in the past several years.

gTLDs vs ccTLDs

Top-level domains can be divided into multiple categories. Two of those are gTLDs, like the seven listed above, and ccTLDs, which stands for “country code top-level domains.”  Just like gTLDs, ccTLDs are represented by a string of letters that come immediately after the dot in a web address.

Unlike gTLDs, ccTLDs designate a country, autonomous territory, or sovereign state. If a web address includes a ccTLD, it’s safe to assume that the website refers to a specific geographic location.

A report was released in 2018 that listed the 10 most popular ccTLDs in the world. Here they are, in order of relevance.

• .cn – China
• .tk – Tokelau
• .de – Germany
• .uk – United Kingdom
• .ru – Russia
• .nl – Netherlands
• .br – Brazil
• .eu – European Union
• .fr – France
• .au – Australia

Compared to gTLDs, ccTLDs help websites target internet users in their geographic region. Many ccTLD domain name owners believe that using a specialized ccTLD gives them a competitive advantage. Some ccTLDs, like .ca or .us, have geographic restrictions on who can register and use them.

The Top Four gTLDs

Over 1,000 TLDs are available on the internet and many of them hint at a website’s function (.coffee, .travel, etc.), but the most common TLDs were designed to be open-ended.

Four of the top gTLDs in registration volume include:

• .com
• .net
• .org
• .co

Each of these TLDs offers domain name owners unique advantages. We’ll dive a little deeper into their origins, and how they can be used most effectively.

.com

.com has remained popular ever since the first wave of gTLDs was released, and as a result, is the most recognized top-level domain.

• The “com” in .com stands for “commercial”
• .com is the most widely used gTLD of all time
• .com is the most recognized gTLD of all time

Originally intended for use by for-profit, commercial businesses, .com became the go-to extension for the majority of websites.

If someone has the chance to register a domain name with a .com gTLD, they should seriously consider taking advantage of the opportunity. Here’s why:

• Familiarity: Almost every internet user has typed “.com” at some point in time (if not on a daily basis) and that’s led to an implicit authority possessed by all .com websites. People tend to trust .com websites as they see them all the time and are most familiar with them.

• SEO Favorability: SEO experts agree that many search engines are biased towards .com websites as .coms are widely used and frequently searched. So websites with a .com domain name have a higher chance of appearing towards the top of search results.  

.net

There’s no debating the dominance of the .com gTLD, but there’s also no debating the strength of the gTLDs trailing right behind it in registration volume.

• The “net” in .net stands for “network”
• .net has been a gTLD since the 80s
• .net is one of the most popular gTLDs available

The word “network” suggests that the .net gTLD was originally intended for tech-based companies and industries. It’s frequently used for websites that advertise, promote, and sell web-based services.

Since fewer .net domain names have been registered than .com domain names, companies or individuals have a higher chance of securing the .net domain name that best fits their brand.  

.org

.org is another gTLD that’s available for anyone to register. However, its original purpose was to indicate websites belonging to non-profits, NGOs, and other organizations. Like .net and .com, .org is one of the oldest and most credible gTLDs available.

• The “org” in .org stands for “organization”
• .org websites often focus on community building

.org websites are normally seen as trustworthy. Some of the most famous .orgs, like Wikipedia, have done a lot to bolster the credibility of this classic gTLD. .org is often associated with websites that impart reliable information, but it’s also commonly used to register websites that serve as an online home for communities of people with similar interests.

.org is a powerful choice for SEO. While it may not have the same amount of pull as .com does with search engines, it still performs well as it falls in the second tier of preferred gTLDs (along with .net.)

Although .org was originally intended for nonprofits, a lack of regulation has essentially eliminated that restriction, making it possible to secure your ideal domain name with a .org gTLD. There are millions of registered .org domain names, but not as many as .com, so you may have a better chance getting the domain name you want with this gTLD.

.co

Of all gTLDs, .co might have the most interesting backstory. Most of the gTLDs we’ve discussed have been around almost as long as the internet has, but .co came much later as it was introduced at the same time as other ccTLDs.

• The “co” in .co officially stands for Colombia but it’s changed to stand for “commercial” or “company”
• .co is a trendy option for many companies and startups who want to separate themselves from older, more traditional .coms.

.co is the only TLD on this list that was originally created to be used exclusively as a country code. There are several reasons that this extension gained popularity in the last decade.

The first reason is distinction. Startups and companies are always looking for ways to distinguish themselves from their competition. One of the best ways to do this is by distancing your company from previous generations, those same generations that all obsessed over the .com gTLD.

.co is seen as a forward-thinking, fashionable TLD. While .com clearly indicates “.commercial,” .co can suggest “company,” “corporation,” as well as “commercial.”

By opting for a .co TLD, you have a higher chance of securing your ideal domain name. Businesses have swept up .com domain names for decades, but .co is still relatively new and hasn’t been abundantly registered.  

How to Register a Domain Name and gTLD

The best way to register a domain name and gTLD is through an ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) accredited online registrar, like us, Domain.com.

We offer a domain search tool that allows you or your business to search for your desired domain name. If no exact match is available, we’ll show you a list of domain names that are available and associated with the keyword or phrase you searched.

How Much Does it Cost to Register?

Because certain gTLDs and ccTLDs are more popular than others, prices between them tend to vary. Some TLDs cost $9.99 and others cost $2.99 to register for a year. You can find the perfect domain name for your business here and register it for a period of 1 to 5 years.

Recapping gTLDs

Many popular gTLDs have been around since the 80s. These gTLDs include .com, .net, and .org, among others. When you register a domain using one of these TLDs, your website gains an implicit authority based on the familiarity most internet users have with those gTLDs.

Registering a gTLD is simple, and can be done at low costs through domain name registrars like us, Domain.com. Choosing a domain name and finding a reliable web hosting company has never been easier.

Sources:

Guilon, J. (2019, April 8). March 2019: Which New gTLDs Are Becoming Mainstream? http://www.circleid.com/posts/20190408_march_2019_which_new_gtlds_are_becoming_mainstream/

Top-Level Domains (gTLDs). (n.d.).https://archive.icann.org/en/tlds/

Usage of Top-Level Domains for Websites 2018. (2018, June 20). https://www.statista.com/statistics/265677/number-of-internet-top-level-domains-worldwide

If you’re a bit confused, worry not. In this guide we’re going to:

• Break down the differences between web hosting vs. website builder
• Explain the benefits of each
• Show you how to get started

What is Web Hosting?

When you rent a home, you’re paying for a piece of real estate to live in. Usually you fill this home with your own furniture and memorabilia, making it feel like your own.

Web hosting follows the same principle, except you’re paying for a home in what is called a “server,” where the data, content, and the information of your website will live. In order for you to claim this piece of real estate on the internet, you must pay to have it hosted. The bigger the piece you want, or the bigger your website, the more you’re going to have to pay.

But, at the most fundamental level, web hosting offers  a plot for people to build websites on. When it comes to the debate of “web hosting vs website builder,” a website builder would be useless if not for hosting services — how can you build if you don’t have land, or a server, to build on?

What is a Website Builder?

If you’ve ever wondered, “What is a website builder?” you can think of it this way: it’s a tool that allows beginners and experts alike to build a website, without needing to know code. The pre-coded platforms work by providing a large variety of website templates and themes to choose from, which can then be customized and tailored to your needs. These tools are built to be user-friendly and often come with tutorials and technical support seeing as they’re designed to complement the DIY (do it yourself) method.

Since website builders exist on servers that users can access anywhere they have internet, they are in a certain sense also hosting your website. The sites are hosted on these servers regardless of whether or not a website is finished or launched. By returning to the real estate metaphor, think of website builder hosting like owning some acreage and slowly building atop the land. Once the home is complete and you’re done building, it’ll still be “hosted” on that land.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

Types of Web Hosting

Web hosting is an umbrella term and it refers to the act of renting space on a server; there are more specific types that fall beneath it. To understand the differences between web hosting and a website builder, it’s important that we break it down. Some common types of web hosting are:

• Shared Hosting
• Dedicated Hosting
• Website Builder Hosting

Shared Hosting

Shared hosting is like an apartment complex; multiple small businesses rent apartments and share the resources. It’s the most affordable and popular type of hosting available, and usually it’s the first type of hosting used by different companies and individuals as they launch their website. This type of hosting is perfect for people who have relatively small websites and have less custom or elaborate needs. There are often storage limitations and can be limited to one or a few websites that you own.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting is more expensive, and rightfully so as it’s a personalized type of hosting. On a dedicated host, a company or individual has a server all to themselves. They don’t share any resources, nor do they allow for any third party to rent or squat on their space. This allows for a full customization of the server, a higher bandwidth for traffic, and better security. If you have a bigger business or a website that experiences high volumes of traffic, take a close look at dedicated hosting.

Website Builder Hosting

You can use a website builder with any of the hosting types discussed above. However, keep in mind that all Website Builders are in a sense hosts. Think of it this way: no matter if you’re a big business or a small business, you want a quick and easy way of creating a beautiful, functional website. That’s what Website Builder is for. But, if you are a  business or organization that needs to accommodate high customer traffic and secure their information, you’d want to invest in a more advanced hosting option (like a Dedicated Server.) If you’re an individual or small business whose website doesn’t get a lot of traffic (yet) then you can use Website Builder to create your site and keep it “hosted” there as you build and grow. Check out Domain.com’s WebsiteBuilder — an easy to use tool that helps you create your website in no time.

If you’re using Website Builder Hosting as your primary hosting then it’s a good idea to also look at options that provide more security and room for growth of your website.

A Comparison of Website Hosting and Website Builder

When comparing web hosting and a website builder, semantics play a major role in defining the two. Here are some points to use to compare these products:

• Web hosting allows an individual or company to rent a space on a server, which will host all the data and information of their given website. This space can take many different forms and is often chosen based specifically on the needs and budgetary requirements of an individual or enterprise
• A website builder cannot host more than one website or act as a server for anything other than the website you’re building with it. It’s not designed as a hosting platform, it’s both a storage locker and construction ground for your website. Remember, “website builder hosting” is a bit misleading, what’s being hosted is the Website Builder software, not the website being created by the Website Builder.
• Web hosting is rented space or digital real estate, it’s not a service that allows you to build a website. If you purchased hosting and want to build your website with it, you’re putting the cart before the horse. Think of it this way: you need a website in order to host it. Some hosting packages will offer tools to build a website, but that’s an added feature and not a standard feature of web hosting.
• A website builder allows the user to actually create the website they’re going to host on a server. Website builders provide pre-coded and templatized “sections of websites” that you get to put together and customize to create your own website. Domain.com’s Website Builder offers drag and drop functionality, making it a breeze to use.

At its core, the main difference is that web hosting is a piece of land, while a website builder is what allows the construction to happen atop that land.

A Website Builder Explained

As we mentioned, a website builder is a software platform used to build a website. Engineered for both experts and beginners alike, they are usually offered alongside a hosting platform to create an all-inclusive package. There are two types of website builders:

• An online website builder – the website builder is hosted on the same server as the website and can be accessed anywhere there’s internet. This means that the user will never have to download or install software and can access their “build” — at any stage — so long as they have a healthy internet connection. These are more common than the following type.
• An offline website builder – typically thought to be geared more towards users with technical knowhow, an offline website builder is exactly as it sounds; a platform that works offline. This means the user will have to download the software and save the files locally, then upload them onto a server once they want to launch the website

If you choose to use a website builder hosting package that doesn’t mean that you’re bound to that specific hosting plan once your website has been built.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

What Should I Expect (And Want) from a Website Builder?

A quality website builder provides all the tools you need to build, maintain, and expand upon a website. A few common things to expect are:

Variety of Templates

The allure of using a website builder is that it’s pre-coded. This means that someone with zero knowledge of coding can utilize the user interface to create their own website. This is done by way of templates. Each website builder will have their own catalogue of templates which are  pre-coded, designed, and color coordinated. Once selected, these templates can be customized to fit a brand or personality.

Functionality

A good Website Builder will have an image editor, “drag and drop” functionality, and customizable templates. The functionality of a website builder should be easy to use and versatile.

Mobile Formatting

It’s no secret that people are just as likely to visit your website on their mobile device as they are on their computer. Today, mobile formatting is not only important for websites, it’s an imperative. If the website builder that you’re considering doesn’t format for mobile, run away. You can’t risk losing customers because a website doesn’t load properly on their mobile device.

User-Friendly Interface & Technical Support

Website builders are designed to be user-friendly, allowing even the most computer illiterate of us to easily create a site. To that end, every website builder should be backed by a reputable and diligent technical customer support team. If anything in the website happens to break, or if certain pieces aren’t fitting together, then a good provider would offer customer support to troubleshoot the problem.

Analytics Tools & SEO

Analytics and SEO (search engine optimization) are now utilized by every successful website, so you should expect your website builder to offer some form of both. This can mean offering a flawless integration of Google Analytics, or even some ground level keyword generation for SEO. These types of tools will allow a user to understand how well they’ve positioned themselves on the internet, what they’re doing wrong, and where to improve.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to spelling out the differences between web hosting and a website builder, it’s best to separate them entirely. Some key takeaways:

• Web hosting hosts both websites and website builders but by its definition is incapable of building a website.
• A website builder does not host a website so that consumers can access on the internet. Rather, it hosts the tools and pieces needed to create that website, allowing the user to build.
• Both web hosting and website builders work best in packages, where a website builder is utilized to create a website, then the website is hosted through the same bundle

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

I Understand Now, How Do I Get Started?

Now that you understand there is no choosing one or the other, rather it’s about working to integrate both web hosting and a website builder, how do you get started?

First, you need a domain name. Your domain name is going to be the name of your website, which should hopefully align with your brand or company. From there, you can choose what type of hosting and website builder package you want.

If you’re still confused about all the options or have any questions regarding domains, hosting services, and website builders, then feel free to reach out to the experts at Domain.com and they’ll provide the answers you’re looking for. You don’t need to be an expert coder to create a fantastic website, you just need a solid website builder and a decent web hosting plan.

Make no mistake, good design is more than aesthetics; it can impact your search engine optimization, google rankings, site visitor’s behavior, and brand perception. So, if you want your online business to thrive, it starts with the foundation of your web design. We’ll discuss the key elements of web design below so that you can draw in more customers by enhancing the appearance, functionality, and overall experience of your website.

What is Web Design?

Website design used to mean creating websites for desktop browsers. In recent years, however, the importance of mobile and tablet browsers has moved to the forefront. Today, more people browse the internet daily on their phone than on a desktop, with 63% of all web traffic coming from mobile.

There are a variety of aspects of web design, including:

• Web graphic design
• Interface design
• User experience design
• Authoring
• Search Engine Optimization

With that in mind, web design typically functions as a stand-in to describe the client side, or front-end design of the website. The front-end of your website is the part that your customers see, navigate, and interact with on their browser.

The purpose of a well-thought-out design is to hook your customers’ attention, sell a product or service, and give a real sense of what your company is. Good design gathers ideas then assembles and displays them in a pleasing aesthetic — it utilizes various concepts and guiding principles based on human behavior and online consumer habits.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

5 Elements of Web Design

If you’re planning on building a website for your company or revamping your old one, it’s crucial that you take the time to understand the ins-and-outs of web design. Creating the perfect schema for your business website requires experimentation and trial and error. Finding the perfect mix of elements can be a frustrating and challenging process, but it will pay off in the long run as your customers and prospects spend more time on your site. It takes effort and patience to get it just right, but when you do, you’ll have a website you can be proud of.

What are the main visual elements to focus on when designing your website? The top 5 are:

Layout

People make up their minds or form opinions in the blink of an eye, within 100 milliseconds. First impressions matter, especially for websites. In 2012, Google confirmed this with a study that found aesthetic design impacted users’ views towards the site in less than 50 milliseconds of exposure.

A great visual design is hugely important, and it all begins with your layout. In short, a layout is the way text, ads, graphics, and media are organized and placed on a page. A good layout will make locating vital information as easy as possible. This includes:

• The company logo
• The main navigation bar
• The search box
• Main image
• Content
• The bottom of the website

A good layout includes the following elements:

• Has plenty of whitespace – White space refers to the empty space on a page that separates the various parts including copy, margins, and the sidebar. Whitespace prevents clutter and helps direct the customer’s eye to the important features or messages.
• Intuitive – You do not need to reinvent the wheel. Internet users have been conditioned to expect certain fundamental aspects on any website. For example, the search bar is typically in the top right and the page navigation is top and center.  
• Draws the eye – Similar to how framing in art, photography, or cinema can subconsciously direct the viewer’s eyes to the point of emphasis, solid web design naturally guides the user’s eyes to the essentials.
• Grid-based designs – Recently, this type of web design has become increasingly popular. It involves intersecting vertical and horizontal lines that act as parameters for placing various elements. Grids keep the visual design simple, ordered, and organized. McDonald’s, for example, uses a grid-based design.

Color

Color is another facet that subconsciously triggers something in people, evoking emotions or feelings, whether or not they are aware of the fact. Modern day web design relies heavily on color schemes and thoughtful color usage to create a memorable and robust palette.

Finding the right balance can be tricky. You don’t want to overdo it with colors since that can be visually overwhelming and create a distraction. Did you know that the vast majority of modern websites will only use two to three colors? For example, Bose’s website uses an off-black primary color with grey highlights. This keeps things simple and allows them to emphasize the colors of their headphones.

If you go to Facebook or Amazon, you’ll see that they purposefully stick to a primary background color and an accent color. Color can catch a visitor’s eye but can also overwhelm if there’s too much or the colors aren’t coordinated. If you’re in this stage of picking your colors, experiment with different combinations, tints, and shades to find the color scheme that best evokes your brand’s personality.

Graphics

Many people forget the power of images in order to convey information or sell a brand. Just consider the logos for Coca Cola, Nike, or Apple. Their images sell their brand or service better than any commercial ever could. Approximately 65% of Americans are visual learners, so do not discount the importance of using images to help you succinctly express your message. The nuclear hazard symbol paints a picture far more eloquently than written warnings ever could.

Graphics encompass:

• Photos
• Infographics
• Charts
• Logos
• Clipart
• Icons
• Page art

All of these components can improve web design and help give your site personality and character. As with color, graphics should be used tastefully to complement rather than detract from the main focus of your site. Consider using a blend of text and graphics as it’s the best way to keep your website looking fresh while simultaneously sending a clear message.

Fonts

Typography is an ingenious way of communicating your message, style, and personality. You’ll want to find a typeset that matches your profession. A doctor or lawyer, for example, may want a timeless serif font, while a startup may be best served by selecting something more playful or out-of-the-box. The vast majority of web browsers are only capable of reading specific fonts, so make sure to choose web-safe fonts for your website.

Some of the most popular fonts include:

• Sans-serif
  • Arial
  • Calibri
  • Geneva
  • Helvetica Trebuchet MS
  • Century Gothic

• Serif
  • Cambria
  • Garamond
  • Georgia
  • Times New Roman
  • Book Antiqua

• Monospaced
  • Courier New
  • Lucida Sans Typewriter
  • Monaco
  • Consolas
  • Andale Mono

• Fantasy and Script
  • Papyrus
  • Copperplate
  • Brush Script MT
  • Apple Chancery
  • Chiller

Your goal is to find fonts that are complementary your overall design but remain easy to read. You want your target audience spending time browsing your site, not wasting time translating hieroglyphics.

Content

Once you’ve laid the foundations of your web design, it’s time to fill your site with content. Content involves written pages on the website as well as blog posts and other media. Content should focus on several things, including:

• Search Engine Optimization
• Incorporating relevant keywords
• Selling the service or product
• Conveying the brand’s experience and authority
• Illustrating that the brand is trustworthy

You don’t have a lot of time to reel in customers, so content should be quick and to the point. Your content should be informative, point out a problem or a need, offer a solution, and provide a call to action.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

The Two Forms of Web Design

When creating your website, you’ll likely have to decide between using a responsive or adaptive web design. In recent years, these two methods of web design have become staples.

• Responsive Design (RWD) – Websites are designed to adapt and change the size of the page in accordance with the various resolutions, screen sizes, and content. Content moves dynamically on the screen. The benefits include:
  • Very user-friendly. Allows for flexibility with different screen resolutions and devices.
  • Good for SEO since it’s all one page rather than 3 distinct pages.
  • Lower maintenance costs since the operation program is universal
  • And no redirection required between mobile and desktop.  

• Adaptive design (AWD) – Pages are created uniquely for each device. So there will be a desktop page, mobile page, and tablet page. Each space will correspond to the device’s screen resolution and pages will look different based on size and screen resolution. The website detects the screen size and selects the proper layout for the screen. There are six different screen widths commonly found:  
  • 320
  • 480
  • 760
  • 960
  • 1200
  • 1600

The benefits include:

• Costs less because it is simpler to program and implement.
• Coding is less complicated and more time-efficient.
• Better compatibility with more intricate sites.
• Easier and more accurate in regards to testing.

Adaptive is ideal for retrofitting an older site in order to improve its mobile or tablet friendliness. Responsive, on the other hand, is most commonly used on new sites since they are easier to maintain and give a more fluid navigational feel.

Improving User-Friendliness

In addition to the key components of web design that give the page personality, any good website takes its users into consideration. Designing a user-friendly web page can help you avoid needlessly turning away prospective customers. All too often companies choose to prioritize Google SERPs over their content. Don’t fall into the trap of emphasizing SEO or rankings over the user experience. Instead, optimize your website for the user and build a loyal customer base of recurring visitors to boost your rankings. Elements to consider include:

• Multimedia – Consider using video, audio, or music to improve the design, or sell your story. However, remember that many users don’t appreciate videos that autoplay with the volume on. Your goal is to bolster your message and not annoy your target audience, so be sparing with multimedia.
• Navigation – The architecture of the web pages and menus should be created with users in mind. It functions as a map of all the places the user can go. Design should be focused on making navigation intuitive and effortless; you do not want to overcomplicate movement or hide aspects. Confusing your new users will turn them away from your website.
• Mobile – Although desktop once reigned supreme, mobile and tablet are the way of the future. Your webpage should be compatible and perform at high levels with all the devices, OS, and browsers.
• Interactive – To create a thriving site and loyal user base, you want to build a community for users to react and interact. Consider adding comment boxes and the ability to share things on social media. Create an Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook account to help bolster your company’s online presence and clout.
• The Home Page – Don’t be scared of creating a longer homepage that draws the user in and forces them to scroll down. Making them interact with the site improves conversion and click-through rates. The home page could include:
  • Value proposition
  • Summary of the goods or services
  • An introductory video
  • Product Features
  • Testimonials
  • Success Stories
  • Resources
  • About Us

Getting Started

If you need to create a website design, Domain.com has one of the best Website Builders that integrates all the elements you need to make your own website. This includes:

• Mobile responsive web options with a variety of fantastic themes and templates
• Prebuilt sections and customizable designs
• Drag and drop webpage design
• No coding, no installations, no plugins
• Customizable fonts, colors, and design elements
• SEO tools

Getting started is quick and easy. You don’t need to have the skills of a web design specialist, all you need is a solid website builder to get started. Reach out today and one of the Domain.com experts can help with web design or domain registration needs. If you’re looking to revamp your entire site, ask us about our full service web design services.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

In our thorough guide we’ll answer:

• What exactly is a website builder?
• Why do people use them?
• What characteristics are found in a good website builder?
• How do I get started?

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

What Is a Website Builder?

A website builder is as it sounds; an apparatus that allows you to craft your very own site. This platform or software is typically engineered to have a user-friendly interface, with plenty of drag and drop functionality and preset styles and website templates to choose from. They allow you to build a website from scratch by using prebuilt structures.

In this way, with a bit of invested time and some pointed tutorials, you can start creating your layout, style, and then integrating your brand’s elements and content. The code runs on the backend, but the frontend is a platform of digestible, easy-to-learn features which allow you to build your home on the internet landscape.

This can be done in two ways:

Online Website Builder

An online website builder is a platform that you access through your web browser. Instead of downloading the builder’s software, it’s hosted on the cloud, which you can access anywhere there’s internet.  

Offline Website Builder

An offline website builder requires the user to download software and host the files locally on their computer. It’s a general rule of thumb that offline website builders take a bit more technical knowhow and experience, seeing as the files will have to be uploaded onto a web hosting platform once the buildout is finished.

Why Do People Use Website Builders?

To put it in perspective, many renowned web developers use website builders, like WordPress, to put together websites. These tools are not reserved simply for novice users within the web development space. Of course, if the website is going to need extensive coding with complex functionality and advanced security, then a standard website builder might not be the recommended option.

But website builders are the perfect option for most small businesses and fresh enterprises. Here are some of the main reasons people use website builders:

• Creates a website in a snap
• Less room for error
• They don’t require technical knowhow
• Affordability
• Low Maintenance
• 24/7 Technical Support (offered by companies like Domain.com)

A Snap of the Fingers

In many circumstances, a small business needs scant more than a functional, good-looking website that is easy to navigate. Any web developer will tell you that a website builder can do this in the blink of an eye. They’re right. A website builder can create a good-looking, viable and functional site in a matter of hours.

Less Room for Error

Being that the website builder is pre-coded, there’s less room for error. The pieces you build, layer, and add together will work because they were designed to complement one another. You’re not creating new “pieces of a website” hoping they integrate perfectly, you’re integrating pieces that have been tested countless times before.

Caters to Low Technical Skill Sets

You don’t need to be a graphic design guru, web dev pro, or even understand HTML to use a website builder. One facet of website builders is their template catalogue. These templates come integrated with color theory, crisp designs, and functional processes. They do the work so that you don’t have to.

Affordability

It should be no surprise that it’s far cheaper to utilize a savvy website builder instead of hiring a web developer to do the work on your behalf. Truth be told, most of the web developers you hire will be using some sort of templatized platform—especially if your website does not require custom coding. Hint: most don’t.

Little Maintenance

Since website templates are pre-coded in website builders, there’s little need for upkeep and maintenance. Of course, the website should be continuously updated with fresh content for your audience to engage with, but this is another “plug-n-play” process of a good website builder.

DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Support

Many small business owners or brand creators want to go the DIY method when it comes to their website. They want to learn how the process works and maintain full creative control, and that’s understandable. For many online website builders, companies like Domain.com offer technical support along with the builder. This means if you run into any issues, you can call them for free.

Now that you have a general understanding of why people utilize website builders, when you start your hunt, what features and characteristics should you be looking for?

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

What Makes for A Good Website Builder?

What makes for a good website builder is often subjective due to the needs and experience of the user. What one web developer may qualify as “good” can differ from the opinion of another. Yet, there are some ubiquitous characteristics shared by website builders which most everyone agrees are measurements of their quality.

You’ll find the most important features below:  

User Friendliness

The entire point of utilizing a website builder is for its ease of use. This is part of the “drag and drop” experience, as little else is required in reshaping your website other than dragging and dropping the pre-coded elements where you want them to be. These are also known as WYSIWYG web builders, which stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” Domain.com offers one of the best website builders that:

• Complements beginners and pros – The novice can learn how to navigate the platform quickly, and the pro can utilize its wide offering of features and functionalities.
• Allows the user to drag and drop nearly every element – This includes text, video, pictures, your logo, and more.
• Removes the necessity of plugins – You won’t need to download or install any 3rd party software. This further eases the process seeing as the entire platform is hosted by Domain.com.

Templates & Customization

A common fear with website builders is that the site is going to end up looking cheap. Another fear is that websites created using the same website builder might look too similar. Let’s put those worries to rest. Website builders allow you to customize a large wealth of templates so your website will look and feel unique to your business or brand. Features should include:

• A fully customizable design stack – This includes fonts, colors, layering, and graphic design.
• A fully customizable template catalogue – You don’t want to have static, stale templates — ones that seem to have been developed without the help of a professional graphic designer. This can indeed create a cheap looking website. Instead, you want a large selection of templates to choose from. Each one should be customizable (to an extent).
• Customizable images – You’re going to want to utilize a website builder that comes with an image editor. It should be obvious that the images on your website need to be purposefully selected, immersive, and engaging to the eye. Having a one-stop-shop image editor is the perfect way to simplify the process.
• Mobile responsive customization – It’s more likely that your audience will view your website via their smartphone than their computer, meaning it’s imperative to format a website for mobile. It is critical that the website builder you choose caters to mobile formats.  

Analytics and SEO Tools

One of the most important facets of a company’s growth is keeping track of their performance on the web. Today, with analytical tools, users can track every interaction a potential customer has with their website.

Additionally, SEO (search engine optimization) tools assist with visibility on search engines, meaning a company has a higher likelihood of “popping up” on a given search. You may be reading this and thinking, “SEO? Analytics? This stuff is jargon to me.”

Which brings us to our next point: a great website builder will integrate these elements as well as work to explain them to the user. In which case, a website builder should integrate:

• Analytic Tools – The most common you’ll see is Google Analytics, being that Google is the search engine every company wants to rank on.
• SEO Tools – A basic keyword generator and the integration of metadata with the possibility for further expansion.

Extras

Additionally, if you plan on shifting your business into an ecommerce platform or if it’s one from the start, then be sure that the website builder you choose includes tools to support your transactions. This includes but is not limited to:

• A shopping cart – You’ll want your website to support the shopping cart feature, as that’s the easiest way to purchase a given product.
• Inventory management – You’ll want your backend to have a one-stop-shop to track your inventory and stock.
• Payments – From Stripe, PayPal, to credit cards, you’re going to want your website to support online payments.

While the ecommerce features mentioned above are standard, the integration of them is not. The key is to find a website builder that seamlessly integrates each feature, seeing as they will be the pillars of your ecommerce platform.

How Do I Get Started?

Before building your professional website, there are a few steps that must first be completed. For instance, for your website to exist on the internet you’re going to need a domain name, which will also be the name of your website. And before you purchase this domain, you’re going to need to choose a hosting platform and website builder.

We’ll explain below.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

Starting with the Domain Name

If you go to Domain.com, there’s a search bar in the center of the page. Just enter the name of your business or the domain you want and Domain.com will assess its availability and then provide pricing. Once you’ve found an available name, you’ll need to enter:

• Both the domain name and the extension
• Your first and last name
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• Your physical address
• Billing information
• Administrative contact information

Choose A Host

Once you’ve obtained your domain, you’re going to have to choose a hosting plan based on your specific needs.

Create, Create, Create

Once you’ve settled on a domain name and chosen your host provider, now it’s time to utilize the website builder and start creating the website itself. Explore the large library of templates and then customize them. Try to evaluate exactly how you want to position your brand and what you’re trying to showcase, then find the perfect base template that complements your vision.

Customize and Integrate Images

Once you’ve laid a solid foundation for your website, it’s time to customize. Create a standout website by integrating stellar images that are brand-specific and original. Steer clear of anything “stock” or “filler-focused” and try to, if you can, place original content anywhere possible. This will further showcase your brand and add to the uniqueness of your platform.

Add in Analytics

Once your website is finished, adding an analytics tool is a fantastic way to measure its success on the internet. The data generated by these tools will allow you to understand how well you’ve positioned your brand, where to make changes, and where you’re succeeding. In today’s digital climate, it’s nearly impossible to compete with other brands without some sort of analytics tool.

Build Your Own Website!

A website builder is a tool that allows both novices and pros alike to create a professionally designed website. With pre-coded templates, user-friendliness, image editors, analytical tools, SEO tools, and more, it’s never been easier for someone with zero technical knowhow to build their own block of real estate on the internet.

At Domain.com you can buy your domain, set up your web hosting service, and utilize their powerful website builder all in the same place. Better yet, they’re available to answer any questions you may have and guide your through the building process. Reach out today to get started on building your online presence!

Sources:

Domain.com Services

www.domain.com

WebSavvy Marketing. What is a Website Builder? June, 2017.

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