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DOMAIN NAMES

A Domain Name is a unique 'web address name' that you register, this Domain Name can then be used to direct people to your website.

Like postal addresses, Domain Names need to be unique so that people (computers) using the web can find you. If there wasn't a unique name for every website on the web, it simply would not work.

A Domain Name has three parts:
www - Meaning 'World Wide Web', standard for all Domain Names.
mydomainname - Which is the part you choose to register and which, when combined with it's extension, must be unique.
com, co.uk - The Domain Name Extension, which can be a geographical reference or a site definition type.
Each part is separated by a dot or full-stop (period). Examples:
•www.google.com
•www.google.co.uk
•www.oxfam.org
•www.oxfam.org.uk
•www.ucl.ac.uk
A Domain Name Extension forms part of the name's uniqueness. 'www.mydomainname.com' is unique from 'www.mydomainname.org'. They are two separate Domain Names.

Registering A Domain Name

The easiest way to register a domain is via the web. There are thousands of companies offering to register a domain name on your behalf. It is worth shopping around as pricing does vary. There are also options to purchase your domain name at the same time as your hosting package, which is often cheaper.

Putting the search term 'domain names' in a search engine will return many results of companies offering to register Domain Names on your behalf. Have a good hunt around the Web to find the best deal. Make sure you read the small print. Also, read some of the specialist Internet magazines, these often have recommendations and reviews, that may point you in the right direction.

The official organization that oversees the Domain Name register records will vary from country to country. You may get a certificate as proof of ownership sent to you after registering.

Most companies that offer registration via the web will first run a search to make sure the domain name you wish to register is not already taken.

You don't need a website to register a Domain Name. Because each Domain Name has to be unique, some people prefer to register their name straight away to avoid the risk that someone else might register it before them.

Domain Name Rules?

Domain Names are not case sensitive but convention suggests that names should be all lowercase. No white space is allowed, some people use a hyphen to separate words. The 'all one word' is the most common approach though - www.mydomainname.org

Good Domain Names?

Most people will just use their organization's name as their domain name, and that's fine. But some things should be considered when choosing, especially if you have the freedom to choose anything you wish.

A website address (domain name) is obviously better if it's easily remembered. That's why the 'hyphen' is sometimes troublesome. Also, if possible, you want the spelling to be obvious (real words) or at least easily guessed at (company and made-up words).

Avoid ambiguity in spelling variations and meaning too. A prime example is our very own commercial web development domain name (a long story): WILSOL. When spoken this could be www.wilsol.com.

Lastly, some people report that the words in your domain name can influence Search Engines. Their advice would be that if you are a Hotel you should include that word as part of your domain: www.theritzhotel.com

In Google, domain name words do get 'highlighted' if they match a 'search phrase'. Search phase entered: "professional web design Trenton NJ"

Common Domain Name Extensions:
.com - Strictly speaking this is short for 'commercial', and was originally used to define U.S. based commercial websites. Many people today though, register a .com domain name as a kind of 'world' based site. It doesn't seem to have any geographical significance these days. Not usually used by charities or non-profit organizations
.org - Short for Organization. The most common extension used by charities. It can be used in conjunction with a country reference - .org.uk. Generally used to signify a noncommercial website.
.net - Short for Internet. used by both commercial and noncommercial websites. No geographical reference.
.ac, ac.uk - This denotes a Academic or Education Institution, usually combined with geographical reference.
.gov, .gov.uk - Short for Government Department, State Institution, usually combined with geographical reference.
.ru, .it, .fr, .de - Geographical references. Usually the first two letters of the associated country, (Russia, Italy, France, Germany).

New domain name extensions are always being added, .info and .tv are recent additions.


Web Site Design...
Needs analysis
To start, a brief discovery phase identifies the website's marketing goals, technical requirements, branding strategy and measurements of success. Careful attention is paid to market competitors, customer feedback (when available), and input from client team members.

WILSOL design then works with the client to identify a delivery date and implementation timeline, after which an extranet site for the project is established to make project deliverables available to the client.		 Architecture
Existing and proposed content, functional/navigational elements, and inter-site promotions are all factored into the site's information architecture. Ideally, the sitemap maintains a balance between breadth and depth, requiring as few clicks as possible to any given piece of content, while not overwhelming the user with too many choices at once.

Content that may be featured on the site's home page is identified, as is lead-generating "premium content" and any related forms. 		Design
Once an information architecture has been finalized, the site's page layout, look and feel, and branding are designed through a series of Photoshop screen mockups. Typically, three or four mockups are produced for a given design, including the site's home page and two or three prominent content pages.

Feedback is solicited from the client, after which one or more rounds of iteration are made to the design. Depending on the project's scope and timetable, multiple design directions may be produced.		 Production
With a final design in hand, cascading style sheets are written to define text formatting, screen layout, and navigation elements. Content pages are authored in HTML/PHP, and images are optimized for efficient download times.

Throughout production, SEO best practices are followed to ensure the site's code is optimized for search engines. WILSOL design will work with the client to identify opportunities within the site where search keywords can be applied and optimized.
QA & launch
The website is tested and debugged on the latest general-release version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari, along with any additional browsers and versions identified by the client during the needs analysis phase.

Once all revisions, additions, and testing are completed, the site is uploaded to the client's production server for public deployment. WILSOL design will then work with the client to ensure a clean site launch, identifying and correcting any issues that may arise.
Options such as an interactive database & much more...
Needs analysis
Discussions are held with the client's project managers to identify the goals, technical requirements, and measurements of success for the application's user interface. A usage model is mapped out, existing user feedback (when available) is reviewed, and navigation alternatives are considered.

WILSOL design then works with the client to identify a delivery date and implementation timeline, after which an extranet site for the project is established, though which project deliverables available to the client. 		Specification
The application's features and functionality are mapped to an information architecture, defining the navigation pathways throughout the user interface. Ideally, the architecture strikes a balance between breadth and depth, minimizing clicks to commonly-used features, without bombarding the user with too many options at once.

Where possible, redundant means of accessing commonly used features are built into the information archicture, accounting for differences in usage patterns among users.		 Design
Once an information architecture is finalized, the application's screen layout, look and feel, and navigation are designed through a series of Photoshop screen mockups. Typically, 3-4 mockups are initially produced, focusing on unique screen types or high-value functionality.

Feedback is solicited from the project team, after which one or more rounds of iteration are made to the design. Depending on the project's scope and timetable, additional screens may be mocked up prior to prototyping.		 Prototyping
With a final design in hand, a clickable model of the application's user interface is prototyped. CSS is written to define text formatting, screen layout, and navigation elements such as menus and dialogs. Key screens are authored in HTML/PHP, while custom icons are designed for inclusion in the user interface. If desired, end-user testing is conducted to validate navigation and usability.

Depending on the scope of the web application, all or some of its features and functionality may be prototyped, at the discretion of the client.
Integration
The application prototype is tested and debugged on the latest general-release version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari, along with any additional browser versions identified by the client during the needs analysis phase.

As application modules and discreet UI components are finalized, prototype code is delivered to the client's production engineers for integration. WILSOL design will then work with the client to ensure the UI is grafted onto the application framework, identifying and correcting any issues that may arise.





























































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