written by
Joe Uddeme
How to Buy a Domain Name
How to Buy a Domain Name Owned by Someone Else
Negotiating a Domain Price
What is a Premium Domain Name & Why You Should Buy One
How to Choose a Domain Name
How to Value a Domain Name
Domain Names for Startups
How to Buy a .com Domain Name
Things to Watch Out for When Buying a Domain
Domain Name Investing
Buy & Selling Domains
Best Domains to Buy
When you buy a domain name, you purchase a piece of digital real estate. But what, exactly, are you getting for your money? NameExperts.com Director Joe Uddeme unravels the elements of a domain name – so you’ll have a clearer understanding of the architecture behind them.
A domain name is an address you type into your web browser whenever you want to visit a website. It is arguably one of the most important assets any business can own.
While ‘domain name’ is an all-encompassing term, a domain is actually made up of multiple parts. Understanding these elements can give you a clearer picture of the domain name investing world and ensure you’re well-informed before buying a domain name or asking a skilled domain broker to negotiate the purchase of one on your behalf.
Key Takeaways
Why not check out our article about why choosing a .com domain name still makes sense for most businesses?
A domain name is a human-readable address that directs you to a particular website available on the internet. It’s akin to the address for your official residence or workplace. When someone wants to visit you, they come to your address. Similarly, when someone wants to visit a website, they type in the domain address in their web browser.
Any domain name has four main components;
Take https://www.nameexperts.com/, for example.
There are three main types of domains, including:
A top-level domain (TLD) is the final section of a domain name. It is the last segment of text appearing after the dot symbol. For example, in Google.com, .COM is the top-level domain.
Ever since the world wide web’s inception, .COM has been the most common top-level domain. It was originally used to designate commercial businesses but has become the de-facto TLD for most websites.
Another popular TLD is .NET. It was initially meant for internet service providers and networks but is now available to anyone who wants it. Because NET signifies network and technology, this is an ideal option for technology companies.
Yet another well-known TLD is .ORG, which was originally used to designate not-for-profit organizations. Till today, most people associate this TLD with non-profit organizations and social causes rather than commercial businesses. The .ai TLD is another popular one today – especially for tech firms.
A generic top-level domain refers to domain name endings with three or more characters, the type that you’d most likely recognize. .COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO, and other common domain endings fall under this category.
Before 2011, there were barely two dozen domain extensions classified as generic. That year, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) expanded the number of generic domain extensions from 22 to over 1,200, opening up more opportunities for individuals and businesses to acquire domain names.
As the name implies, these are domain extensions associated with specific countries. ICANN assigns country domain endings to each formally recognized nation and sovereign state, and these nations collect a royalty on every sale of their assigned TLD. For example, Tuvalu, a small island nation, earns 1/12th of its annual income from its .TV domain extension.
Other popular examples of country domain endings include
A second-level domain is directly below a top-level domain in the domain hierarchy. It is the part of the domain name that comes right before the top-level domain. For example, in NameExperts.com, NameExperts is the second-level domain.
The second-level domain is usually a combination of words describing the business or service of the domain name owner – and it pays to match this to the name of your business whenever possible to strengthen your brand. In the above example, NameExperts describes the business of a professional domain name broker that helps customers to acquire valuable domains.
A second-level domain can include letters, numbers, and hyphens. Symbols are not allowed.
The third-level domain, or subdomain, is the part of the URL that comes before the second-level domain. The most common subdomain is www., which refers to the world wide web. Third-level domains are not mandatory, so you can have a fully functional domain name without the www part.
Some website owners create third-level domains to represent a different section of their website. Examples include:
A domain name is the most important property for anyone who conducts business online. Hence, it’s crucial to understand what they are and the different types of domain name extensions to use for a website.
The information above should help you figure out how to structure your domain, but if you need help, we’re experts at domain selection and helping you buy the perfect domain.
Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains. Contact the NameExperts team at: [email protected]
Updated for 2026 | Securing the perfect domain is crucial for setting your business apart –and that’s where domain name brokers come in. In this comprehensive review, domain industry expert Joe Uddeme highlights 10 of the best domain name brokerage services and explains their pros and cons.
When a business is stuck with a legacy name that no longer works, rebranding is often the only solution. But securing the domain name that goes with your new moniker is rarely easy – unless you have a premium domain name broker on your side. You may have heard of Second Nature, an air filtration subscription business based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Second Nature sells high-quality home air filters on a subscription basis, letting people access clean air conveniently. However, the company didn’t start with its current name. It was previously known as FilterEasy before rebranding in 2019. Rebranding from FilterEasy to Second Nature reflected the company’s decision to become an all-encompassing “home wellness” brand instead of limiting itself just to filters. It was a sound decision that made the company more attractive to customers and investors. FilterEasy was a referral from one of our trusted partners to help identify the owner and secure the SecondNature.com domain name. They were budget-conscious and looked for a way to buy the domain name without investing all the capital on day one. They were looking for a domain broker or consultant that could help assign value to the asset, and also protect the anonymity of the FilterEasy team. Second Nature is an ideal case study of how proper rebranding can boost a company’s fortunes. It’s something you can draw a lot of lessons from. Starting out – new insight about air filters FilterEasy began in 2012 as the brainchild of two students from the North Carolina State University (NCSU). Kevin Barry and Thad Tarkington sought to help people access residential air filters conveniently. Their idea was to sell home air filters on a recurring subscription basis so that customers could change them regularly. Often, homeowners buy air filters and forget to change them at the recommended time. An unchanged air filter usually clogs up, and debris passes through, causing adverse effects. Hence, subscriptions represented an excellent reminder for customers to change their filters. FilterEasy passed through a local startup accelerator program and launched out of beta in 2014. It began by offering air filters in over three dozen sizes. Barely a year after its launch, it had amassed 10,000+ subscribers and grossed $1 million in annual recurring revenue, representing major success.
To make their first dollar, most businesses have to settle on a name for their organization. Here’s how to choose a business name that will last you well into the future. Before you’ve hired the accountant, bought the office chair or spent 20 bucks on some gold-plated business cards, you need a name for your business. Get it right, and your business name will be an asset that will: Send out a clear message about your brand Be memorable – for all the right reasons Encourage customer loyalty Grow with you Get it wrong, and you’ll be stuck with a name that could cost thousands or even millions to fix. In this article, we’ll look at the elements of a great business name, the reasons why getting it right is worth so much effort, why buying a domain name for your new brand is essential – and more. There are even links to a few tools you can use that will help you get your business name deliberations off to a strong start. Why take my word for what makes a good business name? Because names have been my bread and butter for almost two decades. I help businesses buy premium domain names when they want to launch a new company or sub-brand. When you oversee domain name transactions that sometimes run into six and seven figures, you get to see first hand just how valuable a great name is. Key takeaways A great business name will be an asset for years to come Matching up your name, logo and brand identity requires serious attention Choose between catchy or quirky Make sure you can secure a domain name so your online customers can find you
Name Experts offers personalized domain brokerage services, assisting clients in buying or selling premium domain names with expert appraisal, negotiation, and complete transaction management while ensuring confidentiality.
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