Domain FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Domain Names

The following questions and answers relate to purchasing one of our domains names and other general topics about domain name ownership and selection. Hopefully we’ve been able to cover your needs here, but if not then get in touch and we’ll answer your questions directly.

Why Should I Buy a .uk Domain Name?

There is one quality that a country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) such as .uk has over all other domain extensions which is its geographical location. So when it comes to attracting the all important click-throughs visitors can do it with the confidence that they are most likely engaging a UK owned, or focused, business. UK consumers have learnt to trust .uk domains and in this respect it provides a better address than .com, or any other. For businesses that are UK focused we strongly recommend the use of the .uk, over the .com., and although .com still offers a stronger corporate presence, it’s quite likely that a .uk domain will see better CTR (Click Through Rates) and conversions.

Who should buy these keyword rich domains?

Different domains play different roles and the suitability of any one name is dependent upon what you want to achieve with it. Generic multi-word domains don’t tend to make good brands as they can’t be trade marked for their literal meaning, however they do tend to make for high performing ecommerce focused websites. A single word generic domain will make a great brand, with a nice short and memorable address, but may struggle to drive traffic from search engines and will likely need a large advertising budget to become visible. Anybody who publishes a website can benefit from keyword domain names, and increasingly publishers are opening multiple sites, alongside their corporate site, using very targeted domain names to reach a particular niche.

Can anyone register a UK domain name?

Domain names ending in .uk are available to be registered by anyone, but there are rules as to how they can be used and the avoidance of abusive registrations, such as infringing on the rights of existing trade mark holders. Registrants of .uk domains can be individuals or companies and be located essentially anywhere in the world. For registrants of .uk domains then registrants must have a valid UK address for service, which cannot be a P.O. Box.

Are the prices for your domains per year?

No, when you buy a domain from us the price you pay is for full ownership of the domain name. Once we have received your payment the domain will be transferred across to your chosen individual or company name. From then on the only fees that you will be responsible for are the annual renewal fees, which for UK domains amount to a few pounds per year. These fees are not payable to us, but to the domain registrar you choose to manage your domain(s), who will also set the price. We can suggest suitable domain registrars if required.

Is it okay to use a hyphenated domain name?

Hyphenated domains have the same advantages as their non-hyphenated equivalents, but verbally they are hard to describe as so many people are confused by the hyphen, so they tend not to make good brands. There are always exceptions to this though, and in these cases it’s prudent to have ownership of both versions. As far as performance in the search results are concerned there’s no evidence of discrimination and therefore for the more popular keywords hyphenated domains can perform very well and often get used to support search engine optimisation and PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising campaigns. They will nearly always be a cheaper option too.

How do you calculate the value of a domain name?

The process of domain valuation is a very subjective one, even when all of the more obvious metrics have been considered, there is still plenty of scope for variation, not least of which is the owner’s willingness to sell. No two domains are equal, but by looking at certain factors it is possible to get close to a market value for a buyer to consider their likely returns. Some of the more obvious factors to consider with domain valuation are the keyword popularity, the competition level, is it memorable, the number of words and characters, spelling or pronunciation issues, existing trademarks, average order size and many others.