The Domain Name: Your Unique Address on the Internet

The domain name on the internet is equivalent to an address in real life. It uniquely specifies where certain content can be found online and is therefore available only once. Good domain names are extremely popular, and finding free names is usually very challenging.

One of the most important criteria for the success of a website is its domain name. This is due to several reasons: a good, concise, meaningful, and easy-to-remember domain name provides the owner with a significant advantage online. It ensures better accessibility and discoverability, making it not only more user-friendly for website visitors but also relevant for search engine rankings.

Choosing the right domain name should therefore always be done with great care, considering various aspects. The rapidly increasing demand since the early 2000s prompted ICANN to introduce new domain extensions (New gTLDs) like .shop, .hotel, .berlin, or .club in October 2013 as alternatives to classic domain extensions. This development allows the top-level domain (TLD) of a domain name to reflect its purpose and content. Moreover, many names and terms that have been taken under classic TLDs for years are now available again under the new extensions.

Using the Hosttest Domain Check, you can find the perfect desired domain for your website.

What Technical Criteria Must a Domain Name Meet?

From a technical perspective, there are relatively few restrictions on the choice of a domain name. However, specific requirements may vary slightly depending on the TLD. The general rules are:

• A domain name must be between 2 and 63 characters long
• 93 specific special characters are allowed
• A hyphen "-" cannot be at the start or end of the domain name
• Spaces and special characters like !, %, or $ are not allowed
• Certain combinations like de.de are technically reserved
• Domain names are not case-sensitive

The above rules explicitly apply to the registration of a .de domain. Depending on the desired TLD, the responsible institutions may establish additional or extended rules. For example, .at domains require a minimum of three letters. International domains using scripts like Chinese Hanzi or Japanese Kanji may allow significantly more than 93 characters under certain new TLDs. Naturally, each domain name can only be registered once. Free domains can easily be found through a domain check.

What Criteria Should a Domain Name Meet?

For a private domain, the name is entirely up to personal preference, where factors like uniqueness, recognizability, or ranking criteria are less important. However, for commercial projects or public appearances like a personal blog, certain factors must be considered. Key attributes to consider during the planning phase include:

• Length: A short domain name is easy to remember and catchy
• Uniqueness: The domain name should hint at its content
• Availability: Ideally, multiple TLDs with the same name should be available
• Cost: Prices for different TLDs vary significantly
• Attractiveness: Short, catchy names increase recognition
• Keywords: Including keywords in the domain name can improve search rankings

Additionally, domain names must comply with certain legal regulations to avoid costly legal warnings. Trademarked names of large companies are subject to trademark law, while personal names are protected under personality rights. They can only be used with a legitimate interest or the explicit consent of the rights holder.

What Should Be Considered When Choosing a TLD?

To maximize reach, it makes sense to use multiple TLDs simultaneously. This approach requires little additional effort, as all TLDs can point to the same website. A domain check can quickly identify suitable names and TLDs as well as approximate total costs. By selecting several affordable TLDs in combination with memorable terms, you can achieve comprehensive online presence at reasonable costs. These costs are primarily defined by the chosen TLDs. Since TLDs are managed by various institutions, each sets its own fees for domain registration. Fees range from a few euros per year to several thousand, so the choice of one or more TLDs should be considered early in the strategic and financial planning process.

Costs are also affected by whether only the domain name or additional services like web hosting are needed. Webmasters who manage multiple websites and already have web hosting can purchase individual domains at particularly low costs. These domains can be redirected to existing web hosting and managed from there. Beginners who don’t yet have web hosting can save money by ordering the new domain and web space together from the same provider.