Domains (or Domain Names) are our websites’ addresses on the Internet and they usually end with extensions like .com, .net, or one of several others. They usually look like these:
http://www.webkomik.com (or simply webkomik.com)
They let us find out where a website is without the hassle of using longer and more complicated default addresses that look like this:
http://117.265.100.xxx/~yourAccountNameHere
How much do they cost?
Most (.com/.net/.org) domains will cost roughly $10-$15 per year (that’s Php450-Php675 in Philippine currency).
I haven’t come across an extension for comics websites yet but other extensions, like the Philippines’ .ph domains, can easily cost triple that amount and require you to subscribe to more than one year at a time.
While going for a .ph does seem like the patriotic thing to do, you’ll be fine with a regular .com or .net domain.
Why should I invest in a Domain?
Having your own domain is essential for anyone looking to display a professional online presence, be it a webcomic, business, or blogging website.
While each owner may have different reasons, having your own domain comes with several common benefits.
It makes you look credible, it’s easier to share, and it places the focus on your comic instead of whom your host happens to be.
Additionally, it keeps bad people from buying it earlier only to sell it to you at a higher price, or keeping it from you so that you’ll go with a less ideal option.
Bottomline? Visitors will almost always prefer a website called “yourcomic.com” over “yourcomic.somewebhost.com“.
(Domain name trivia: Facebook paid $8.5 million USD for fb.com)
How should I pick which name to use?
When purchasing domains (especially those that have already been registered and are owned by other people), know that the shorter the domain, the higher its value would be.
The factors we take into consideration here are whether it:
- is easy to remember (i.e. oglaf.com // NSFW)
- is easy to pronounce (i.e. octopuspie.com)
- is quick to type (i.e. xkcd.com)
A cool example of a cleverly chosen domain would be the one belonging to Karl Kerschl for their webcomic, “The Abominable Charles Christopher”. The address is:
You can come up with all sorts of interesting domain choices now, what with the arrival of more extensions such as the “.us”.
You can visit Namecheap.com to check out the new list of available domain extensions today.
TL;DR:
Domains act as your address on the Web and they’re a great investment for anyone who wants to be taken seriously online. When choosing a domain, try to keep it short, easy to say, spell, and type!
If you’re still stumped, get in touch and I’ll see if I can help you out. 🙂
Ready to register?
You can get your domains for cheap over at www.namecheap.com.
They’re a fantastic domain registrar with a friendly support staff. I get my domains for all my projects from them all the time.
If you want to help support me, you can buy from Namecheap through my affiliate link or by clicking my banner below, which helps me keep Webkomik.net online!
