Registering a domain name means you are acquiring and reserving that name for your own use whether commercially or not. Your domain won’t be used by someone else as long as you still own it and you renew it yearly for an annual fee that is charged by your service provider or if you are a Registrar and host at the same time, for a fee set by the Registry.
Domain names are typically registered through domain name Registrars who can be found by visiting https://kenic.or.ke/registrars/ The process is usually pretty simple and straightforward. Once you have registered a domain name, you can use it for the following 3 major purposes:
- Create custom email addresses
Professional emails stand out more than just any generic email address. When your email address actually ends with your domain name, it not only advertises your website, but it adds a level of professionalism to your email. An email account using a custom email address on your domain name enables you to create professional and branded communications.
The most common custom email addresses are ones using first names or first and last names, in either of these two formats: firstname.lastname@example.co.ke and firstname@example.me.ke.
- Create a website
This is by far the number one use for a domain name. Creating a Website on a .KE domain extension automatically gives your domain its value. You can create either a personal or business website. Personal Websites are classified into 3 where we have a blog, nameplate and a business or e-commerce website.
a) Create a blog
A blog is a type of online journal or news site that lets you dynamically post updates. You could use it to document your travels in image or text, to periodically write your free-form thoughts about something you’re interested in or an area of expertise, periodically post product reviews, or create listicles. If you want to regularly update your website with fresh, new content in the form of posts or articles, a blog is for you.
b) Create a “nameplate” site
A nameplate helps you to easily communicate to people by providing them with your domain name. A nameplate can serve as a kind of virtual business card, that displays your contact information and a short description about you, including a professional photo. A nameplate makes it easy for you to communicate to business partners, potential employers, prospective customers, or others in your professional network on how they can reach you and what you’re all about.
A nameplate website might include a copy of your CV, your professional portfolio if you are an artist in the form of video, audio, poetry etc.
c) Create a business website / e-commerce Website
Domains can be used to create a website for your business. An e-commerce website serves as a good example of uses of a domain. E-commerce is selling products and services online rather than in person.
You can use your domain name to get on board with this trend and catch up with customers who are increasingly looking online to shop with an e-commerce website. An e-commerce website provides a catalog of products, usually with images and descriptions, that let users select products, add to a virtual shopping cart, and pay after selecting what they needed.
- Link your domain name to social media
If you are having an e-commerce website, you can also promote your business by linking your domain name to your social media accounts. Your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube etc can be linked with your domain, thus attracting more traffic to your site. Instead of telling someone to look you up on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc., you can just tell someone an easy-to-remember address they can use to find you, and that is a .KE domain name that your website is built on.
Having read the above, you can visit https://kenic.or.ke/ and learn more about domains and explore your online journey by acquiring your valuable .KE domain name(s).