Domain Name Registration & Hosting
If you are setting up a website for the first time, you will need a domain name (i.e. www.yourcompanyname.com or .ie etc.). inTandem can help set up your domain name and offer advise on the most appropriate option for your business ororganisation.
.com, .ie or something else altogether?
One of the choices you will be faced with is the type of top-level domain to use for your website. The top-level domain refers to the few letters after the final dot, such as .com, .ie etc. The easiest and cheapest option is to go with a .com domain name as there are virtually no restrictions as to the content of such a name, as long as it has not yet been registered by someone else. A .com domain name costs less than €8 per annum and can be set up within just a couple of minutes. Read more about domain name prices.
A .ie domain name on the other hand is slightly more expensive at around €25 per annum and there are certain restrictions associated with it. Registration is restricted to specific categories of entity:
- Personal names
- Corporate names
- Registered trade mark names
- Registered business names
- State agency names
- Publication names
- Educational institution names
- Politician's names
- Unincorporate associations names
- Personal trading names
A separate 'discretionary names' category is also available but should only be used in cases where the domain name application does not fall within any of the other pre-defined categories. Applications within this category have to be supported by specific documentation as outlined by Ireland's Domain Registry. More detailed information about requirements for all of the other categories can also be obtained from this website.
The question of top-level domain should however not be based simply on cost. If your website is targeted at a global audience or customer-base, then a .com name might be best for you. The same goes of course also for all domain names that simply don't fit any of the .ie criteria. However, if the Irishness of your business is of relevance to your audience, then it may be advisable to invest in a .ie name. Many businesses also decide to purchase several top-level domain versions of the same domain name to protect their online identity and simply redirect their customer to a single site. We can discuss all of your options in more detail and make the best decision for your business.
Are you using a generic email address such as @hotmail.com, @yahoo.co.uk, @gmail.com etc. as your business email address? Would it not be far more professional to have email addresses that actually truely represent your business? If you register your domain name, then you will be automatically able to set up email addresses using this domain name, e.g. info@xyzcompany.ie, making for a more professional appearance in the marketplace.
Hosting
Once a website has been written, it needs to be placed onto a server that is permanently connected to the Internet and has the capacity to cope with the visitor numbers that you are hoping to achieve for your site. Web hosting simply means that you purchase space on a large server that is owned and managed by a specialist hosting company. This is usually the most cost-effective method of getting your site on the Internet for any small to medium-sized organisation and can be purchased through inTandem from €29.95 per annum for a basic package covering a single domain name. inTandem can advise you on the best solution for your organisation and set up all of your hosting requirements for you. There is no charge for this service if inTandem has been hired to develop your website.