Q. What is a ‘domain name’?

A. A domain name is the address that someone types into their browser in order to find a site. They almost always begin with ‘www’. www.onlinebizbuilder.com and www.bbc.co.uk are examples of domain names.

Q. What do the different domain name endings such as ‘.co.uk’ and ‘.com’ mean? Are they important?

A. The endings indicate where the site is located, or what type of site it is. Typically, .co.uk means a UK company; .com used to mean a US commercial organisation, but is now generally taken to mean a any organisation that is global, or wants to be seen globally (it is also the best domain name ending to secure); .org and .org.uk tend to mean charitable organisations.

Q. Can I have a domain name for my OnlineBizBuilder site?

A. Yes, you can buy any domain name that is available, or transfer an existing domain name that you already own.

When you set up your site you will be able to check the availability of domain names and purchase them if you want.

Q. How much does a domain name cost?

A. .com, .net, .org, .info and .biz domain names cost £19 + vat per year, and can be paid for in advance for any period between 1 and 10 years; .uk domains are cheaper and cost £19 + vat for two years, though you can only pay for these in two year blocks, e.g. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 years.

Q. Can I own a domain name permanently?

A. No, the domain name registrars do not allow this. You can purchase a domain for up to 10 years in advance, but no more.

Q. What do I get to prove that I have bought my domain name?

A. You’ll receive an email from the domain name registrar confirming that you have bought the domain name and stating the start period of ownership and its duration. With .uk domain names you also receive a physical certificate (through the post) from Nominet, the UK domain name registrar. This often takes several months to arrive, however.

Q. How will I know when my domain name needs renewing?

A. You will receive an email from the organisation through which you registered it, usually a month or two in advance. In the case of OnlineBizBuilder, we are resellers of domain names for Tucows Inc, a Canadian company, and your notice of renewal will come from them.

Don’t worry, though: your domain name will not lapse unless you allow it to, so there is no chance of a speculator sneaking in (this practice is very rare in any case now).

Q. How do I transfer a domain name that I already use to an OnlineBizBuilder server, so that I can use it with my OnlineBizBuilder site?

A. Call us on 0845 22 55 907 and we will run you through the process.

It’s easy to set up, though it may take a few hours for the world’s domain name servers to be updated.

There is sometimes a charge for transferring a domain name to our servers, and we will inform you if this is the case. You still remain the legal owner.

Q. Can I have an OnlineBizBuilder site without a domain name?

A. No, you must either purchase a domain name through OnlineBizBuilder or arrange to have one transferred, before your site can go live.