Domain Name.

A domain name is the unique address used to access a website on the internet. It is your website name, the part people type into their browser bar to find you. In simple terms, it is an easy-to-remember address used to access websites instead of the long string of numbers that computers actually use to locate servers. Every website on the internet lives on a server that has a numerical IP address, something like 198.51.100.42. Domain names exist because people cannot be expected to memorise numbers for every website they visit. A domain name translates a memorable word-based address into that number automatically, routing the visitor to the correct server. A domain name has two parts. The name itself, for example "elvisonunwa," and the extension that follows it, such as .com, .ng, .co.uk, or .org. Together they form the full domain: elvisonunwa.com. The extension often signals the type or origin of the website, though .com has become the default for most businesses globally regardless of location. Domain names are registered, not purchased permanently. You pay a yearly fee to a domain registrar to maintain the right to use that name. In Nigeria, registrars like WhoGoHost offer domain names from as low as 500 naira per year for .com.ng addresses. International extensions like .com typically cost more. A domain name is not the same as web hosting. The domain is your address. Hosting is the land the website is built on. You need both. A domain without hosting is an address with no building. Hosting without a domain is a building no one can find.

Your domain name is part of your brand. It is what people remember, what they type when they want to find you, and what appears on your business card, your email address, and your marketing materials. A professional domain builds immediate credibility. An email address at gmail.com or yahoo.com tells a potential client you are still treating your business casually. An email at yourbusiness.com tells them you are serious.